Marlene Dietrich Newsletters: How To Enhance Your Search

The Marlene Dietrich (MD) Newsletters (available here and here) published by the Marlene Dietrich Collection Berlin contain a wealth of information, and I recommend that all fact-finders consult them first when conducting an online search. In fact, I've noticed that Google has been indexing them, but not in a systematic way that will help you sift through their contents more efficiently. If you want to conduct an organized search of newsletter contents, follow the tips below.

For www.marlene.com

• Go to www.google.com
• Type any Dietrich-related term that appeals to you, followed by site:http://www.marlene.com/newsletter
• Press the "Search" button--it's that easy! I will show a screen capture example, with the search term "sternberg" below.

For www.marlenedietrich.org (whose contents do not differ from www.marlene.com, as far as I can tell, but it appears that Google hasn't indexed this site as extensively)

• Go to www.google.com
• Type any Dietrich-related term that appeals to you, followed by site:http://www.marlenedietrich.org/pdf
• Press the "Search" button--it's that easy! I will show a screen capture example, with the search term "sternberg" below.

As you will see, there are 17 "sternberg" results from www.marlenedietrich.org and 36 from www.marlene.com, which is Google's fault. Bear in mind, however, that if you conduct this search with www.marlene.com and cannot open the PDF file in the search results, you can at least take note of the newsletter's issue number and see whether you can retrieve it from the Newsletterarchive at www.marlenedietrich.org.

Unfortunately, I don't know how to sort Google's search results by date, but you can limit the date range by clicking "More search tools" in the lefthand column

Then, by clicking "Custom range..."

Finally, by picking any date range you want (I chose "1/1/2003" to "12/31/2004" as an example) and pressing "Search"

As you will see, restricting the dates will render 1 result from www.marlene.com:

Be aware that search engines can make mistakes, but if you do not want to wrack your brain trying to remember--for example--in which MD newsletter you saw Nicholas von Sternberg's letter about his father and Cesar Romero, try adapting these tips to your search. As always, if you have questions, comments, or other tips, please add them in the comments section.

An amie jolie to Amy Jolly

Sometimes I overlook entire pages at websites, including MDCB. Today, I noticed for the first time its most intriguing material: transcripts of letters and telegrams from Benno Vigny's real-life Amy Jolly to Dietrich, and even telegram transcripts from Benno Vigny to Amy Jolly herself. All my attempts to attain Vigny's novella, Amy Jolly--the basis of Dietrich's first American film, Morocco--have proven to be a pipe dream, so this correspondence somewhat serves as a consolation prize.

In short, Jolly requests some monetary compensation from Dietrich, which Vigny never paid her. Based on follow-up reports from Dietrich's friend, this Amy Jolly does not come off as the type to hike through desert sands in heels for her man. Rather, Jolly proves to be quite the hustler--as well as a North African Heidi Fleiss. Jolly does, however, express a genuine desire to possess a candid Dietrich photo, like other movie-goers who were struck immediately by the Dietrich mystique and wanted to penetrate its Hollywood trappings.

As an aside, I never knew Morocco was called Coeurs brulés in Francophone countries.