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Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich: “I am at heart a gentleman.”
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich, a staunch anti-Nazi who despised antisemitism, became an American citizen in 1939.
In December 1941, the U.S. entered World War II, and Dietrich became one of the first celebrities to raise war bonds. She toured the US from January 1942 to September 1943 (appearing before 250 000 troops on the Pacific Coast leg of her tour alone) and it is said that she sold more war bonds than any other star. During two extended tours for the USO in 1944 and 1945, she performed for Allied troops on the front lines in Algeria, Italy, England and France and went into Germany with Generals James M. Gavin and George S. Patton. When asked why she had done this, in spite of the obvious danger of being within a few kilometres of German lines, she replied, "aus Anstand" — "it was the decent thing to do." Dietrich was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by the US in 1945.
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich: “I am at heart a gentleman.”
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich, a staunch anti-Nazi who despised antisemitism, became an American citizen in 1939.
In December 1941, the U.S. entered World War II, and Dietrich became one of the first celebrities to raise war bonds. She toured the US from January 1942 to September 1943 (appearing before 250 000 troops on the Pacific Coast leg of her tour alone) and it is said that she sold more war bonds than any other star. During two extended tours for the USO in 1944 and 1945, she performed for Allied troops on the front lines in Algeria, Italy, England and France and went into Germany with Generals James M. Gavin and George S. Patton. When asked why she had done this, in spite of the obvious danger of being within a few kilometres of German lines, she replied, "aus Anstand" — "it was the decent thing to do." Dietrich was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by the US in 1945.