Film siren Marlene Dietrich was one of the most unlikely and revered heroines of WWII, risking her safety countless times in the fight against fascism.

She saw the erosion of liberty and freedom in her birthplace, Berlin, when Hitler came to power and was drawn to the American ideal of liberty and justice for all, becoming a US citizen and performing for US troops in enemy territory even when her life was at risk. But was there another side to the femme fatale, notorious for her love affairs as much as her magnetic on-screen presence? 

Dietrich was approached by Nazi officials and asked to return to Berlin to serve as a Gestapo agent. The actress was also investigated by the FBI, so SPYSCAPE dug into her Bureau files.

‍

‍

‍

Life in a cabaret

Director Josef von Sternberg, who discovered Dietrich in a Berlin cabaret show and brought her to Hollywood, also acted as her mentor. Sternberg directed Dietrich in the 1930 German version of Der Blaue Engel, and her success as the character of Lola Lola paved her way to Hollywood.

Born in 1901, she had already established herself as one of the icons of Hollywood’s Golden Age by her mid-30s, alongside Jean Harlow, Carole Lombard, and Greta Garbo. Her androgynous looks, open bisexuality, and distinctive face seemed to permeate the screen, giving her a mysterious appeal. She had an astoundingly long career as an actress, working from the 1920s to 1978.

Dietrich belonged to an underground society she dubbed ‘The Sewing Circle’ - a group of Hollywood's closeted lesbian and bisexual film actresses who reportedly included Greta Garbo, Ann Warner, and other luminaries from Hollywood’s Golden Age.

‍

‍

Nazi connections

Dietrich was staying in London in 1935 when she was first approached by Nazi officers, who asked her to return to Germany; she refused, went to America, and sought US citizenship, according to The New York Times. 

Dietrich also worked with the US Office of Strategic Services, which became the CIA, recording a series of anti-Nazi albums. They were successful at battling German and Italian war propaganda - and despite Nazi efforts to outlaw the albums, Dietrich’s Lili Marlene song was a hit among Nazi troops.

In a wartime TV interview broadcast in Germany as part of the US propaganda effort, Dietrich announced: “Hitler is an idiot,” adding, “Boys, don’t sacrifice yourselves. The war is crap.”

Redacted FBI files reveal that Dietrich came under scrutiny more than once as a suspected German spy, however.

‍

‍

Was Deitrich a double agent? The FBI investigates 

While Dietrich was getting an immigration visa for her ex-lover Jean Gabin, she caught the attention of J. Edgar Hoover, according to The Guardian. The FBI director was so suspicious he pursued the Hollywood actress from 1942 to 1944. Dietrich was watched and her mail was examined, but FBI officials couldn't find anything to prove she was working against the US.

It turned out that rather than a Nazi sympathizer, Marlene was pro-American, as she had professed - but the files do dredge up scandalous details about Dietrich's love life. While Dietrich was married to Rudolf Sieber, she was reportedly "promiscuous, albeit in a rather cool and glamorous manner." She had affairs, including with actors Kay Francis and Yul Brynner, and relationships with Frank Sinatra, George Bernard Shaw, John Wayne, and Kirk Douglas.

‍

Humanitarian efforts

Dietrich was widely recognized for her WWII humanitarian efforts, housing German and French exiles, providing financial support and even advocating for their American citizenship. For her work on improving morale on the front lines during the war, she received several honors from the US, France, Belgium, and Israel. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Dietrich among the ten greatest female screen legends of classic Hollywood cinema.

Her experiences of entertaining and mingling with American soldiers gave her a deep understanding of the brutal reality of war: “They fought because they had been told to and had their eyes shot out and their brains, their bodies torn, their flesh burned.”

‍

Raising morale

Dietrich undertook two USO tours during WWII where she risked her own life to offer respite to the soldiers. She traveled to North Africa and Italy, and later to France and Germany, with the second tour beginning around D-Day and lasting 11 months. Director Billy Wilder reportedly once joked that she was at the front lines more than General Eisenhower.

Her shows involved singing, dancing, and even a comedy routine. Her dedication raised morale and made her an incredibly popular entertainer in the USO camps. She received about 1,000 letters every day from fans, according to the FBI files.

This came with great personal sacrifice. Dietrich fought off influenza, slept in tents, and suffered from frostbite - all while smiling for the cameras. Dietrich put on an incredible 500 performances for Allied troops throughout the war. When asked why she risked her life, she responded, “Aus Anstand” - out of decency.

For Dietrich's wartime service, two American generals independently nominated her for the Medal of Freedom, awarded in 1947. Dietrich also received the French equivalent, the Legion of Honour - Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur - that year. She valued these recognitions above any acting awards.