It was first recorded and made famous by German cabaret singer Lale Andersen . Dietrich’s Strategic Reinvention
The song's journey began decades before Dietrich ever sang it: Marlene Dietrich Lili Marleen
German soldier Hans Leip wrote the lyrics during World War I while waiting to be sent to the Russian front. The title combined the names of two of his acquaintances: his girlfriend Lili and a nurse named Marleen. It was first recorded and made famous by
Although Lale Andersen popularized the song, Marlene Dietrich made it a global icon by using it as a tool for political and psychological warfare: Marlene Dietrich Lili Marleen