Rosita Serrano Chilean singer and actress, popular in Nazi Germany Date of Birth: 10.06.1914 Country: Chile

1. Biography of Rosita Serrano
2. Emerging Career
3. Popularity in Nazi Germany
4. Accusations and Return to Chile
5. Later Years

Biography of Rosita Serrano

Rosita Serrano, born Maria Martha Esther Aldunate Del Campo in 1914, was a Chilean singer and actress. She was born in Viña del Mar, Chile, to a family of a Chilean lawyer, Hector Aldunate, and an opera singer, Sofia del Campo. Due to her father's work, the family moved frequently, living in Portugal and France in the early 1930s, and then relocating to Berlin, Germany in 1936.

Emerging Career

It was in Germany that Rosita discovered her considerable talent for singing. She began performing extensively and quickly gained recognition for her clear and enchanting voice, earning her the nickname "Chilean Nightingale." She embarked on tours accompanied by top German orchestras and signed a contract with German Telefunken. In 1938, she appeared in the German musical "Es leuchten die Sterne." The period of Nazi rule in Germany proved to be the most favorable for her career.

Popularity in Nazi Germany

During her time in Germany, Rosita Serrano became immensely popular, especially with her songs such as "Roter Mohn" (Red poppy), "Schön die Musik" (Beautiful Music), "Küss mich, bitte, bitte, küß mich" (Kiss me, please, please kiss me), "Und die Musik spielt dazu" (And the Music plays to it), "Der Onkel Jonathan" (The uncle Jonathan), and "Der kleine Liebesvogel" (The little love bird). Thanks to the support of Joseph Goebbels, she also appeared on the radio show "Wunschkonzert für die Wehrmacht," a highly popular musical program for the German armed forces. Her popular song "La Paloma" was heard throughout the country.

Accusations and Return to Chile

However, everything changed for Rosita Serrano in 1943 when she was accused of espionage against Germany during her tour in Sweden. The accusation stemmed from her support for Jewish refugees, to whom she donated money from her charitable concerts. As a result, she was unable to return to Germany and had to return to Chile. She was never able to regain her former popularity and faced criticism for her work with the Nazis even in her home country.

Later Years

In the 1950s, Rosita Serrano appeared in several German and Austrian films, but her fame did not make a comeback. She died on April 6, 1997, in Santiago, Chile, in extreme poverty, never having the opportunity to return to Germany or find success in her homeland.