Sultry Facts About Marlene Dietrich, Hollywood's Femme Fatale
Marlene Dietrich’s film titles say it all. Blonde Venus. The Scarlet Empress. And perhaps most of all: The Devil Is A Woman. Dietrich cultivated an ice queen persona both on screen and on the red carpet, but behind the scenes, she was all fire and passion. From her steamy affairs with Hollywood’s hottest men and women to the dark secrets she hid from the press and her own family, Marlene Dietrich was the ultimate femme fatale.
1. She Lost Everything
Marie Magdalene Dietrich—later known as Marlene, of course—was born to a prosperous family in Berlin in 1902.
It all should have been so easy…but no amount of wealth and privilege could save young Marlene from the years of heartache that awaited her. When Marlene was just five years old, her beloved father was thrown from his horse and died.
The tragedy took the light out of their once-happy mother’s eyes—and sadly, there was more misery in store for the Dietrichs.
2. Her Whole Life Changed
The loss of their patriarch and the outbreak of WWI thrust the Dietrich family into utter chaos. In order to support the family, Marlene’s mother took on work as a housekeeper. However, there was a scandalous side to this desperate move. Wilhelmina Dietrich soon fell for the man she was working for, a colonel named Eduard von Losch. Only it wasn’t exactly happily ever after.
When they wed, Wilhelmina wore a black dress, her mourning clothes for her first husband. Bad omen? You bet.
3. Her Childhood Was Tumultuous
Marlene Dietrich’s memories of her stepfather are scant. After all, he tied the knot with her mother in 1914, as WWI raged on, and he was in the army.
The respite he offered to Wilhelmina and her girls was sadly only a brief one, as he died in combat just two years later. Once again, the Dietrichs were adrift, with just Von Losch’s pension to keep them going.
Still, Wilhelmina Dietrich scraped enough together to make what she thought was a very wise investment…
4. She Wanted More
Marlene’s mother didn’t want her to have to rely on a man, so she encouraged her daughter to follow her dreams of being a violinist…but not just any violinist. Dietrich wanted to be the best around. She would practice for six hours at a time, mastering complicated pieces. Wilhelmina spent thousands supporting her daughter’s goals—until tragedy struck yet again.
Dietrich began experiencing painful muscle spasms in her hand. When she visited a doctor, he gave her a devastating diagnosis.
