Anna German – a singer with an extraordinary voice, called by Italians “Nightingale of Naples”, by Poles “White Angel”, a composer, a polyglot who speaks and sings in seven languages, a citizen of the world, sensitive and unusual woman. She has performed almost all over the world – from America through Europe to Australia. To this day, she is still loved and remembered, especially in Russia and Ukraine.
She was born on February 14, 1936 in Uzbekistan. Her mother Irma came from a family of Dutch immigrants. Her father Eugeniusz, a resident of Łódź, was executed in 1937 by the NKWD, and Anna with her mother and grandmother were exiled to Kyrgyzstan. In 1946, they came to Poland as repatriates. Firstly they went to Warsaw, Nowa Ruda, and finally live in Wrocław. Anna started there high school and later studied geology at the University of Wrocław.
As a singer, she debuted in the student theater “Kalambur”. After that, she was working for five years with the Stage of Wrocław, Olsztyn and Rzeszów. In 1963, her song “I’m so bad,” won the second place at the Third International Song Festival in Sopot. A year later, her song ”Dancing of Eurydyka” brought her another awards at festivals in Opole and Sopot. In November 1965, Anna German has signed a contract with the Italian company Discografia Italiana, and her international career gained momentum. Concerts in Italy, France, Canada, the United States and awards of the audience for “The Most Popular Singer”. In 1966, she appeared on the stage of the Paris Olympia in 1967 as the first, and so far the only Polish singer sang at the Festival in San Remo, and also the first foreigner on the Naples Song Festival.
28 of August, 1967, Anna German was returning from one of her concerts by the Italian Sun Motorway, the driver fell asleep at the wheel, and the car fell out from the route. They were found the next day in the morning. For two weeks, Anna German was in a coma. Memory loss, damages in the spine, broken arms and legs. Three years of complex surgeries, pain and struggle to return to normal life.
In 1970, Anna German came back to the scene and recorded her third Polish album”The fate of the man,” which was a great success. Later, there were further national and international concert tours, festivals, awards, albums. The role in Andrzej Wajda’s film: “A Landscape After Battle”. Marriage and the birth of her beloved son.
Unfortunately, in 1980 Anna German was diagnosed a bone cancer. After two years of fighting with the disease, on the 25 of August 1982, at the age of 46, the artist died in a hospital in Warsaw.
On the thirtieth anniversary of the death of the great singer, Publishing Institute ”Lantern” decided to resume her legendary book “Come back to Sorento? …”, which was written by Anna German during her post-accident recovery. She described her experiences and time spent in Italy. It was also a form of response to thousands of letters sent after the accident by her fans from all over the world. Published for the first time in 1970, the book became a bestseller immediately. Therefore, it is worth turning to the story of Anna German, to get to know not only a talented singer, but also an extraordinary and sensitive woman.
Source: Anna German “Come back to Sorento?”. 2012. Publisher: Publishing Institute “Latarnik”
