During World War II, Alexander was a member of the Luftwaffenhelfer and the Reichsarbeitsdienst before being drafted into the navy. In 1945, he was captured by the British and held as a prisoner-of-war.
After the war he attended Vienna's Max Reinhardt Seminary for actors until 1948 and started a career as actor. He starred in several musical comedies, including among others Liebe, Tanz und 1000 Schlager and Peter schießt den Vogel ab. Later he starred in the famous Count Bobby movies and the Luemmel-series. In the 1970s, Peter Alexander started a second career as a TV host and entertainer. He is a talented imitator of voices and people, including Queen Elizabeth II.
He married Hilde Haagen in 1952, and they had two children, Susanne Alexander Neumayer (born in 1958), an artist, and Michael (born in 1963). Since the death of his wife Hilde in 2003, he has lived in his house in Vienna in the 19th district, completely retired from the public.
Peter Alexander died on February 12th 2011 in Vienna.
O Tannenbaum
Peter Alexander Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
wie treu sind deine Blätter!
Du grünst nicht nur
zur Sommerzeit,
Nein auch im Winter, wenn es schneit.
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
wie grün sind deine Blätter!
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
Wie oft hat nicht zur Weihnachtszeit
Ein Gruß von dir mich hoch erfreut!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum!
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
These lyrics are from the classic Christmas song "O Tannenbaum." The song speaks of the evergreen tree and how faithful it is in retaining its leaves all year round, not just in the summer. The singer compares the tree to a faithful friend who brings joy during Christmas time in the form of a greeting or décor. The song praises the beauty of the tree and how it brings happiness and delight during the holiday season.
The song "O Tannenbaum" has various origins, and it has a significant history behind it. It was originally a German folksong, "O Tannenbaum," written in the sixteenth century. The tune first appeared officially in "Folk Songs of Germany" published around 1824. In the early 1900s, it became more popular and widely recognized worldwide. The song was translated into different languages that led to various versions of the song around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, wie treu sind deine Blätter!
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how faithful are your branches! You stay green not only during summer but also in winter, even when it snows.
Du grünst nicht nur zur Sommerzeit, Nein auch im Winter, wenn es schneit.
You don't just turn green during summer, but also in winter, when it snows.
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, wie grün sind deine Blätter!
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how green are your branches!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum! Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree! You can please me very much!
Wie oft hat nicht zur Weihnachtszeit Ein Gruß von dir mich hoch erfreut!
How often has a greeting from you during Christmas time brought me great joy!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum! Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree! You can please me very much!
Writer(s): S. Kenton, R. Carmichael
Contributed by Liliana B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.