Anna German facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anna German
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| Анна Герман | |
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German in her student years, 1959
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| Born | 14 February 1936 Urgench, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union
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| Died | 26 August 1982 (aged 46) |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1960–1982 |
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Anna Wiktoria German-Tucholska (born February 14, 1936 – died August 26, 1982) was a famous Polish singer. She was very popular in Poland and the Soviet Union during the 1960s and 1970s. Anna released many music albums with songs in Polish. She also recorded several albums in Russian. Throughout her career, she sang in German, Italian, Spanish, English, and Latin too.
Contents
Anna German's Early Life and Family
Anna German was born in Urgench, a town in Uzbekistan. This area was part of the Soviet Union at the time.
Her mother, Irma Martens, was from a family of Mennonites. These were people who spoke a special German dialect called Plautdietsch. Her family had moved from the Netherlands to Russia many years ago. Anna's mother studied German and later moved to Uzbekistan.
Anna's father, Eugen Hörmann, was also from a German-Russian family. His father, Anna's grandfather, was a priest. He was arrested and died in a labor camp called the Gulag because of his faith. In 1937, Anna's father was also arrested and sadly executed. This happened during a time when many people of German background were targeted in the Soviet Union.
After her father's death, Anna, her mother, and grandmother lived in different parts of Siberia and Central Asia. They moved around a lot to survive.
In 1946, Anna's mother married a Polish soldier. This allowed the family to move to Silesia in Poland. They first lived in Nowa Ruda and then moved to Wrocław in 1949.
Anna German's Music Career
Anna quickly learned Polish and other languages. She grew up keeping her family's past a secret. She studied geology at the University of Wrocław. While at university, she started her music journey at the Kalambur Theater.
Anna became well-known after winning the 1964 National Festival of Polish Song in Opole. Her song Tańczące Eurydyki (meaning 'Dancing Eurydices') was a big hit. The next year, she won first prize at the Sopot International Song Festival.
Anna German performed all over the world. She sang in places like Cannes, Belgium, Germany, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
She recorded many albums for record companies in Poland and the Soviet Union. Later, many of her songs were re-released on CDs.
Singing in Italy
In 1966, Anna German signed a contract with a music company in Milan, Italy. This was a big deal because she was the first singer from behind the "Iron Curtain" (a term for the border between Western Europe and the Soviet bloc) to record in Italy.
In Italy, Anna performed at the famous Sanremo Music Festival. She also appeared on TV shows and sang with other popular artists. She even won an award called the "Oscar della simpatia."
Car Accident and Recovery
On August 27, 1967, Anna German was in a very serious car accident in Italy. The car, driven by her manager, crashed into a concrete fence. Anna was badly hurt, suffering many broken bones and internal injuries. It was found that her manager had fallen asleep while driving.
Anna was unconscious for a long time after the accident. After her casts were removed, she stayed in the hospital for six more months. It took her many more months to learn to sit and walk again.
Later, she wrote a book about her time in Italy and her recovery. It was called Wróć do Sorrento? (meaning 'Come Back to Sorrento?').
Success in the Soviet Union
In 1964, Anna German first toured the Soviet Union. She performed songs by famous composers. She was invited to record songs in Polish and Italian. Her first songs in Russian were recorded that same year.
In the 1970s, Anna toured and recorded a lot in the Soviet Union. She worked with many well-known composers there. She became a very popular and loved artist. She once said that touring the Soviet Union was special. She felt a strong connection with the audiences there.
Some of her most famous songs in Russian include "Shine, Shine, My Star", "Hope", and "Echo of Love".
Anna German's Personal Life
On March 23, 1972, Anna married Zbigniew Tucholski. Their son, also named Zbigniew, was born in 1975. In her later years, Anna composed some church songs. Before she passed away in 1982, at the age of 46, she found comfort in her faith. She died from osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. Anna German is buried in the Evangelical Cemetery in Warsaw.
How Anna German is Remembered
Many places and things are named after Anna German to honor her memory:
- The main street in Urgench, Uzbekistan, where she was born, is named after her.
- An asteroid discovered in 1975 was named 2519 Y in her honor.
- The amphitheatre in Zielona Góra, Poland, is named after Anna German.
- A song festival called Tańczące Eurydyki was started in 2002. It helps keep her music and Polish popular music alive.
- The Anna German Musical High School in Białystok is named after the singer.
- In 2012, a special plaque was placed on the house where Anna German lived in Wrocław.
- A Russian TV series about her life was filmed in 2012.
- A star honoring Anna German was unveiled on the Walk of Fame in Moscow.
- Several streets in Polish cities, including Warsaw and Rzeszów, are named after her.
- In 2013, a star for Anna German was unveiled on the Walk of Fame at the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole.
Books About Anna German
- 1974 Nagrabiecki Jan: Anna German.
- Aleksander Zygariov: Anna German. 1988 (and a reissue in 1998).
- Mariola Pryzwan: Wspomnienia o Annie German (Memories of Anna German). 1999.
- Adriana Polak: Człowieczy los. Wspomnienia o Annie German (Human Fate. Memories of Anna German). 2000.
- Artur Hörmann: Die unbekannte Anna German (The Unknown Anna German). 2003. (Written by Anna's uncle).
- Mariola Pryzwan: Tańcząca Eurydyka. Wspomnienia o Annie German (Dancing Eurydice. Memories of Anna German). 2008.
- Ivan Ilichev: Анна Герман – Гори, гори, моя звезда! (Anna German – Shine, Shine, My Star!). 2010.
- Jordan Naoum: Anna German. 2011.
- Mariola Pryzwan: Anna German o sobie (Anna German About Herself). 2012.
- Ivan Ilichev: Мы долгое эхо (We Long Echo). 2012.
- Mariola Pryzwan: Tańcząca Eurydyka. Anna German we wspomnieniach (Dancing Eurydice. Anna German in Memories). 2013.
- Marzena Baranowska: German. Osobisty album Anny German (German. Anna German's Personal Album). 2013.
- Ivan Ilichev: Анна Герман. Белый ангел песни (Anna German. White Angel of Song). 2013.
- German. Śpiewający anioł. Super album (German. Singing Angel. Super Album). 2013.
- Ivan Ilichev: Эхо любви (Echoes of Love). 2013.
- Volga Yerafeyenka: Anna German. „Uśmiechaj się” (Anna German. "Smile"). 2014.
- Irma Martens-Berner: Człowieczy los. Wspomnienia matki Anny German (Human Fate. Memories of Anna German's Mother). 2014.
- Ivan Ilichev: Анна Герман. Сто воспоминаний о великой певице (Anna German. A Hundred Memories of the Great Singer). 2016.
Literary Works by Anna German
- 1970 Wróć do Sorrento?... (Come Back to Sorrento?...)
- Bajka o skrzydlatym szpaku (The Tale of the Winged Starling). Anna wrote this book for her son.
- 1988 Вернись в Сорренто?... (Come Back to Sorrento?...) translated into Russian.
- 2002 Wróć do Sorrento?... reissue.
- 2012 Wróć do Sorrento?... reissue.
Discography
Albums
- Na tamten brzeg (1964) [Onto that shore]
- Tańczące Eurydyki (1965) [Dancing Eurydices]
- Recital piosenek (1967) [A recital of songs]
- I classici della musica napoletana (1967) [Classics of the Canzone Napoletana]
- Поёт Анна Герман (1968) [Anna German Sings]
- Człowieczy los (1970) [Fate of Man]
- Domenico Scarlatti – Arie z opery Tetide in Sciro (1971) [Domenico Scarlatti – Arias from opera Tetide in Sciro]
- Wiatr mieszka w dzikich topolach (1972) [Wind lives in wild poplars]
- To chyba maj (1974) [It has to be May]
- Anna German (1975)
- Anna German (1977)
- Anna German (1979)
- Pomyśl o mnie (1979) [Think about me]
- Tylko w tangu/Dookoła kipi lato (1979) [Only in tango/Summer is all around]
- Śpiewa Anna German (1979) [Anna German is singing]
- Надежда (Nadezhda, 1980) [Hope]
- Последняя встреча (1983) [Last meeting]
Singles
- "The Man I Love" (1964)
- "Снежана" / "Без тебя" (1965)
- "Не спеши" / "На тот берег" (1965)
- "Свет звезды" / "Дай мне помечтать" (1965)
- "Ночной разговор" / "Всё прошло" (1965)
- "Двое" / "По грибы" (1965)
- "Deszcz na szybie" / "Uroczysko" (1967)
- "Chcę być kochaną" / "Cygański wóz" (1967)
- "Cyganeria" / "Zimowe dzwony" (1967)
- "Melodia dla synka" / "Jesteś moją miłością" (1969)
- "Człowieczy los" / "Dziękuje ci mamo" (1970)
- "Gałązka snów" / "Trampowski szlak" (1970)
- "Złociste mgły" / "Za grosiki marzeń" (1970)
- "A mama asi como" / "Quadro cartas" (1971)
- "Поёт Анна Герман" (1971)
- "Анна Герман" (1972)
- "Warszawa w różach" / "Wiatr mieszka w dzikich topolach" (1972)
- "Анна Герман" (1974)
- "Ты, только ты" (1975)
- "Гори, гори, моя звезда" / "Из-за острова на стрежень" (1975)
- "Когда цвели сады" (1977)
- "Далёк тот день" (1977)
- "Я помню всё" (1979)
- "Гори, гори, моя звезда" (1982)
Later Reprints and Compilation Albums
- 1984: Jesteś moja miłością LP
- 1987: Эхо любви (Echo lubvi) – live '79 LP
- 1989: Anna German LP
- 1989: Znaki zapytania LP
- 1990: Powracające słowa vol. 1 LP
- 1990: Powracające słowa vol. 2 LP
- 1991: Zakwitnę różą CD
- 1991: Recital piosenek CD
- 1994: Nasza ścieżka CD
- 1994: Złote przeboje neapolitanskie MC
- 1995: Planeta Anna part 1 MC
- 1995: Planeta Anna part 2 MC
- 1996: Незабытый мотив (Nezabitiy motiv) CD
- 1996: Лучшие песни (Luchshie pesni) CD
- 1998: Когда цвели сады (Kogda tsveli sadi) CD
- 1998: Wiatr mieszka w dzikich topolach CD
- 1999: Tańczące Eurydyki CD
- 1999: Platynowa kolekcja CD
- 1999: Złote przeboje CD
- 1999: Bal u Posejdona (Złota kolekcja) CD
- 1999: Антология советского шлягера (Antologia sovetskogo shlagera) MC
- 2000: Анна Герман. Российская эстрадная музыкальная энциклопедия (Rossiyskaya estradnaya muzikalnaya encyclopaedia) CD
- 2000: Последняя встреча (Poslednyaya vstrecha) CD
- 2001: Quiet words of love (Russian) (Любви негромкие слова) CD
- 2001: Ваши любимые песни (Vashi lyubimie pesni) CD
- 2001: Tańczące Eurydyki CD
- 2001: Recital piosenek CD
- 2001: Człowieczy los CD
- 2001: Wiatr mieszka w dzikich topolach CD
- 2001: Domenico Scarlatti – Arie z opery "Tetida in Sciro" CD
- 2001: To chyba maj CD
- 2001: Pomyśl o mnie CD
- 2001: Luchshee – Zvyozdi sovetskoy estradi CD
- 2002: Najlepsze piosenki CD
- 2003: Наши лучшие песни (Nashi lyubimie pesni) CD
- 2003: Człowiecy los collection CD
- 2003: Золотой век русской эстрады (Zolotoy vek russkoy estrady) CD
- 2003: Посидим, помолчим. Полное собрание песен (Posidim, pomolchim) vol.1 CD
- 2003: Спасибо тебе мое сердце. Полное собрание песен (Spasibo tebe moyo serdtse) vol.2 CD
- 2004: Złote przeboje CD
- 2004: Самое лучшее (Samoe luchshee) CD
- 2007: MP3 collection
- 2008: Надежда CD
- 2013: Tańczące Eurydyki CD
- 2019: Анна Герман. Избранное LP
Filmography
- 1966: Marynarka to męska przygoda (documentary) – appeared with others
- 1970: Landscape After the Battle (Krajobraz po bitwie)
- 1970: Prom – sang songs
- 1970: Balladyna (TV show) – sang songs
- 1970: Wyspy szczęśliwe. Śpiewa Anna German (short film)
- 1977: Sudba (film) – sang Echo Miłości
- 2012: Anna German (Russian TV series) – her songs were used in the series
See Also
- Music of Poland
- List of Polish people
