I read this book in German. The translation is smooth and reads easily. Although originally written in Spanish, the subject matter and the quality of the translation along with the fascinating story and short chapters would make it suitable for intermediate students of German. The book is enhanced by the CD included with various versions of the song.

We all know Lili Marleen. We all have our own experience of what the song means (*). Rose sifts through the various stories about the song - often giving two or three versions of how things happened, and explaining which story is most likely to be true - to tell us how the song came about, how its sucess affected those responsible for it, and how it became 'the song' of WWII. Loved by soldiers of (almost) all the warring parties, it was first fought, and then used, by the propaganda machinery on both sides.

*I remember sitting in a Viennese Heuriger in the mid-70s with my boyfriend of the time, who was an officer candidate in the Austrian army and my father, who had been in the US army in Italy during WWII. The musicians were at our table, and Karl and I requested several of our favourite Viennese songs. Then my father asked me quietly if he could request 'Lili Marleen'. Karl quickly seconded the idea, and there was a lovely moment of unity across the languages as they sang it together with musicians. ( )