This vintage real photo postcard features pretty actress and singer, Rosita Serrano (1912-1997 . She is casually dressed and is holding two adorable dachshunds. This photo portrait displays Rosita’s lovely smile. Serrano was a Chilean singer who obtained her major success in Nazi Germany between the 1930’s and the early 1940’s. Her singing was known for her bell-like voice and her pitch-perfect whistling. She was known by her nickname as “The Chilean Nightingale”. Rosita was born in Chile. Her father was in the diplomatic corps and her mother was a popular opera singer. The family lived in Portugal and France . By 1936, the family moved to Berlin. Serrano’s initial success was in the Wintergarten and the Metropol Theater where she sang Chilean folk songs. This performance earned her a record contract. From that point, she performed in German. Many of her songs became very popular. In 1938, she began to appear in films. When she was between film roles, she toured with two popular dance orchestras. Minister Joseph Goebbels helped het her appearances on a Wehrmacht (military) radio show. In 1940, Serrano’s song “La Paloma”, became very popular throughout Germany. Serrano’s voice style is described as “coloratura soprano”. Her recordings were in German and Spanish. She sang songs in the folk and pop genre. Her songs included flamenco, rumba, tango and mambo. During a Swedish tour in 1943, she did a benefit concert for Jewish refugees. As a result of this performance, she was accused by Germany of being a spy. Rather than return to Germany and face possible arrest, she fled to Chile. Germany than banned her music. She went on tour to the United States but was not well received. It is conjectured that US citizens could not get enthusiastic about hearing Serrano’s German songs, so close to the end of World War II. She returned to West Germany to appear in films in 1951 and 1952. Besides those two movie roles, her German comeback was unsuccessful. She returned to Chile where she lived out her life. She was not welcomed upon her return to her native country. The public in Chile condemned her for performing in Nazi Germany. She died in poverty. It seems to me that Serrano had the unfortunate pattern of consistently being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Poor timing ruined this talented singer’s career. Serrano’s filmography includes 8 films between 1938 and 1952. This postcard was published by Film Foto Verlag, a subsidiary of UFA Universum Film AG. Note the company’s horse logo on the reverse of the card. The photo was taken by Foto Quick and the postcard is part of a series (no. A3564/1). Check out the video recording of Miss Serrano seen below. This real photo postcard is in very good condition.
