[note b] She is best known for her interpretation of the song "Lili Marleen" in 1939, which by 1941 transcended the conflict to become World War II's biggest international hit.

[1][2] Andersen was born in Lehe and baptized Elisabeth Carlotta Helena Berta Bunnenberg,[3] but known informally as "Liese-Lotte"—a diminutive of her first two names—to friends and family; this continued after her first marriage when she was known as "Liselotte Wilke".

[note d] They had three children: Björn, Carmen-Litta, and Michael Wilke [de] (1929–2017) the youngest of whom also enjoyed a career in the German music industry.

Leaving the children in the care of her siblings Thekla and Helmut, Andersen went to Berlin in October 1929,[4] where she reportedly studied acting at the Schauspielschule at the Deutsches Theater.

A copy of this particular gold disc owned by the "His Masters Voice" record company was discarded during the renovation of their flagship store on Oxford Street, London, during the 1960s where, hitherto, it had been on display.

Andersen was not allowed to perform in public for nine months, not just because of the song but because of her friendship with Rolf Liebermann and other Jewish artists she had met in Zurich.

[14] In 1959, she had another hit "Ein Schiff wird kommen...", a cover version of "Never on Sunday", the title song from the movie of the same name, originally sung in Greek by Melina Mercouri.

– Ein heiterer Ratgeber für alle, die Schlager singen, texten oder komponieren wollen (How do I become a shark?