Marlene was known in school for her "bedroom eyes" and her first affairs were at this stage in her life - a professor at the school was terminated.
Marlene enjoyed music and attended concerts. She was adept at playing the violin and piano. By the time she was in her mid-teens, Marlene had discovered the stage. Acting was to be her vocation. In 1921, Marlene applied for an acting school run by Max Reinhardt. She was accepted. She appeared in several stage productions, but never had more than a couple of spoken lines. In short, she wasn't setting the stage world on fire.
She attempted films for the first time in 1922 Her first film was So sind die Männer (The Little Napoleon) (1923) which was followed by Tragödie der Liebe (Love Tragedy) (1923). On this last project, she met Rudolf Sieber and married him in 1924. The union lasted until his death in 1976 although they didn't live together the whole time.
The remainder of her early film career was generally filled with bit roles. After being seen in the German production of Der blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) (1930) in 1930, Marlene was given a crack at Hollywood. Her first US film was Morocco (1930) with Gary Cooper, which was followed by Dishonored (1931). This latter movie had her cast as a street walker who is appointed a spy. The film was rather boring but was a success because of Marlene's presence. In 1932, Marlene filmed Shanghai Express (1932) which proved to be immensely popular, grossing $3 million. Once again, she was cast as a prostitute. The next film was Blonde Venus (1932) which turned out to be a horrible production. Her co-star was Cary Grant and once again she was cast as a prostitute.
During this period Dietrich had been typecast as a woman of low morals and she wanted different parts. Her chance came in 1939 in Destry Rides Again (1939) when she was cast as "Frenchy", a Western saloon hostess. This began a new direction for Marlene since it shed the previous typecasting. All through the 1940s, she appeared in well-produced, well-directed films such as Manpower (1942), The Spoilers (1942), The Lady Is Willing (1942) and Pittsburgh (1942).
Afterwards the roles came less frequently, perhaps one to two films every year. In 1945, Marlene didn't appear in any. She only made seven productions in the 1950's. Her last role of any substance was Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). Despite the lack of theatrical roles, Marlene still made appearances on the stage. However, by 1979, she was a shell of her former self. After breaking her leg in one performance, she never made a go of it in show business again.
Spending the last 12 years of her life bed-ridden, Marlene died on May 6, 1992 in Paris, France of kidney failure at the age of 90.
Ruins of Berlin
Marlene Dietrich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trees are in bloom as they have never been
Sometimes at night you feel in all your sorrow
A perfume as of a sweet tomorrow!
That's when you realize at last
They won't return – the phantoms of the past
A brand new spring is to begin
In den Ruinen von Berlin
Fangen die Blumen wieder an zu blüh'n
Und in der Nacht spürst du von allen Seiten
Einen Duft, als wie aus alten Zeiten!
Dans les ruines de Berlin
Les arbres en fleur parfument ton chemin!
I na razwálina Berlina
Nacnátsja nowaja wesná!
In den Ruinen von Berlin
Fangen die Blumen wieder an zu blüh'n
Und in der Nacht spürst du von allen Seiten
Einen Duft, als wie aus alten Zeiten!
Dans les ruines de Berlin
Les arbres en fleur parfument ton chemin!
I na razwálina Berlina
Nacnátsja nowaja wesná!
The lyrics of Marlene Dietrich's song "Ruins of Berlin" evoke a deep sense of longing and hope in the aftermath of war. The setting is obviously post-war Berlin, where the ruins of the city serve as a backdrop to the re-emergence of life and beauty. Against this stark and devastating environment, the trees bloom with a renewed intensity, as if they have never before had the chance to show their full potential. This is a clear metaphor for the resilience of the human spirit, which is able to find hope and beauty even in the darkest of situations.
In the midst of this setting, the singer of the song experiences a moment of profound realization: the phantoms of the past will never return. It is time to let go of the past and embrace a brand new spring, which is about to begin. The song is therefore not just about the physical ruins of Berlin, but also about the emotional and psychological struggles of coming to terms with the aftermath of war. Through her powerful and moving lyrics, Dietrich captures a moment of hope in the midst of despair, and reminds us all of the enduring power of the human spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
Amidst the ruins of Berlin
In the middle of the destruction that the war brought upon the city of Berlin
Trees are in bloom as they have never been
Despite the destruction and chaos, nature is still blooming with a renewed energy
Sometimes at night you feel in all your sorrow
At times, in the middle of all the suffering and sadness, a feeling of hope can arise
A perfume as of a sweet tomorrow!
And that feeling can manifest itself as a scent of a better future
That's when you realize at last
This realization comes after going through the pain and difficulties of war and its aftermath
They won't return – the phantoms of the past
The people and things that were lost during the war will never come back
A brand new spring is to begin
But despite everything, a new beginning is possible
Out of the ruins of Berlin!
And from the destruction of the city, a new future can arise
Writer(s): Frederick K. Hollander
Contributed by Joseph F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Anti-life & Birth is Anti-suffering & Death
Amidst the ruins of Berlin
Trees are in bloom as they have never been
Sometimes at night you feel in all your sorrow
A perfume as of a sweet tomorrow!
That's when you realize at last
They won't return – the phantoms of the past
A brand new spring is to begin
Out of the ruins of Berlin!
In den Ruinen von Berlin
Fangen die Blumen wieder an zu blüh'n
Und in der Nacht spürst du von allen Seiten
Einen Duft, als wie aus alten Zeiten!
Dans les ruines de Berlin
Les arbres en fleur parfument ton chemin!
I na razwálina Berlina
Nacnátsja nowaja wesná!
In den Ruinen von Berlin
Fangen die Blumen wieder an zu blüh'n
Und in der Nacht spürst du von allen Seiten
Einen Duft, als wie aus alten Zeiten!
Dans les ruines de Berlin
Les arbres en fleur parfument ton chemin!
I na razwálina Berlina
Nacnátsja nowaja wesná!
T Harold
Marlene Dietrich was magnificent in A Foreign Affair and her performance of this song was unforgettable.
Frank Gonzalez Official
This video is actually very sad to me. I am half German and my grandparents would tell me stories of how beautiful and grand Berlin was and how it was bombed to the ground, the hunger, the rapes.
Hollo
+phyzzique And if everyone does, we can with a good conscience be criminals.
Frank Gonzalez Official
Hollo Heu You don't understand not every German was a NAZI.
Hollo
I'm German . Maybe my English is too bad. I understand you, and I have with the events just as little to do as you. I'm too young. I do not understand phyzzique opinion. A victim is a victim, no matter what race. And many in Berlin were victims. Tell them yourself guilt? To a child who died in the bombs ?
Jeanne Bixiou
It was so destroyed - and has been rebuilt since. Maybe you will want to come and see it one day.
DAS MARILYN MONROE ARCHIV
This is just a movie. Don't! A perfect movie! I could struggle my head about the new NAZI world in my country Mr. Trump!
Starshadow
Thanks for putting this up. I adored this film as a teenager when it often played at night. Once I tape recorded this song on a reel to reel tape recorder, but that tape (and the recorder) is long gone. Glad to find it at last.
DAS MARILYN MONROE ARCHIV
This cut was taped for a special anniversary MD booklet with two CD's. Looks like a pocket book. Nicely done.
Rusty35081
Love this song and the movie too. Thanks for putting this one up