Ralph Erwin

Ralph Erwin (1896–1943) was an Austrian-born French composer who worked on a number of film scores. He was born Erwin Vogl in Bielitz, Silesia which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He served in the Austrian Army during the First World War. After the war Erwin established himself as a leading German songwriter, enjoying a particular hit with I Kiss Your Hand, Madame ("Ich küsse Ihre Hand, Madame") which featured in the 1929 film of the same title. It became the signature tune of Richard Tauber.^[1] Bing Crosby later sang an English version in The Emperor Waltz (1948)

Due to his Jewish origins, Erwin went into exile in France following the Nazi rise to power in 1933. He continued to work on film scores. Erwin was later arrested during the Nazi Occupation of France. He died in the Beaune-la-Rolande internment camp.

Selected filmography

• I Kiss Your Hand, Madame (1929)
• Le Roi des resquilleurs (1930)
• The Little Escapade (1931)
• Amourous Adventure (1932)
• Madame Makes Her Exit (1932)
• The Beautiful Adventure (1932)
• You Don't Forget Such a Girl (1932)
• The Importance of Being Earnest (1932)
• Baby Face (1933)
• A Weak Woman (1933)
• Let's Touch Wood (1933)
• Monsieur Sans-Gêne (1935)
• Tempête sur l'Asie (1938)

References

Bibliography

• Symonette, Lys & Kowalke, Kim H. Speak Low (When You Speak Love): The Letters of Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya. University of California Press, 1997.

External links

• Ralph Erwin at the Internet Movie Database