Gerhard Winkler

Gerhard Winkler was a composer, pianist, violin player, singer, painter, stage and film actor. He studied music at the Konservatorium in Berlin and worked as a pianist in different bands throughout Germany. His first success was "Neapoleanisches Ständchen" ("Chansons Napolitaines") in 1926. From that time on he worked mostly as a composer and musician. He got many awards, among them was the 1957 Paul-Lincke Ring and the 1967 Bundesverdienstkreuz. He was well-known in the German Schlager as an Italian-wave composer. Some of his songs are "O mia bella Napoli" (1936), "Frühling in Sorrent" (1940), "Chiantilied" (1942), "Caprifischer" (1943), "Mandolino" (1949), "Möwe, du fliegst in die Heimat" (1950), "Glaube mir" (1952), "Frauen und Wein" ("Women and Wine", "Des Femmes et du vin") (1952), "Schützenliesen" (1952), "Nicolo, Nicolo, Nicolino" (1954), and "In meiner Hängematte" ("In my Hammock", "Dans mon hamac") (1955). He also recorded "Lili Marlene".