Hitler: Folk Songs part in his downfall

Subject: Hitler: Folk Songs part in his downfall
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 10 Sep 10 - 12:19 PM

There's a lovely story on the BBC about Wigan-born Margery Booth who sang with the Berlin Opera after moving to Germany before the outbreak of WW2.

During the war she was allowed to perform for British POWs and used to sing 'a variety of English folk songs' before closing with Land of Hope and Glory. She even sung before Hitler himself, though sadly, we don't know what (presumably not LoHaG).

And all the while she was smuggling secret documents out hidden in her knickers!

She was tortured by the Gestapo, but they were no match for a Wigan lass - she told them nowt and they eventually let her go.

Here's to you, Margery Booth.

Subject: RE: Hitler: Folk Songs part in his downfall
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 10 Sep 10 - 06:34 PM

She was tortured by the Gestapo, "
I suspect that the one about him having only one ball didn't help his reputation.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Hitler: Folk Songs part in his downfall
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 Sep 10 - 10:54 PM

Great story, Sminky. I'll have to do some more reading. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Hitler: Folk Songs part in his downfall
From: Tootler
Date: 11 Sep 10 - 02:40 PM

[ot]
I've just joined a local community band and one of the pieces we are doing is Colonel Bogey. I can't help singing the words about Hitler only having one ball in my head while we are playing it.
[/OT]

Back on topic. It takes a special sort of courage to do what she did. She deserves to be remembered.

Subject: RE: Hitler: Folk Songs part in his downfall
From: Clontarf83
Date: 11 Sep 10 - 07:18 PM

I was singing "Peat Bog Soldiers" at a local street market when a small woman emerged from the listeners and stood beside me and sang it in German. Her Dad taught it to her when she was growing up in Germany. The song itself is testament to the ability of the human spirit to overcome the most apalling circumstances.

Subject: RE: Hitler: Folk Songs part in his downfall
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 13 Sep 10 - 09:57 AM

I've looked a bit deeper into this story - the ending is not pretty.

Margery Myers Booth's birth is registered at Wigan in 1906.

On August 8th, 1936 she marries Doctor Egon Strohm at All Saints church, Southport.

After her exploits in Germany she escapes to Bavaria where she is picked up by the advancing US Army.

She divorces and goes back to England where she makes her information available for the Old Bailey trials of William Joyce (Lord Haw Haw) and John Amery. Both men are hanged.

She recovers her British nationality and returns to live in Wigan. However, because of her German connections she is treated like a pariah by her neighbours and she emigrates to the United States.

She dies of cancer in New York in 1952 at the age of 47.

There is no record of her ever singing again after the war.

Bless her heart, she didn't deserve that.