Maria Magdalene Dietrich was born on December 27, 1901, the second child of Lieutenant Louis Erich Otto Dietrich and Wilhelmina Elisabeth Josephine Felsing. In 1935, Adolf Hitler demanded that the famous German actress return to the Fatherland. Dietrich, an ardent anti-Nazi, refused, resulting in all her films being banned from Germany. Dietrich became a naturalized United States citizen and devoted most of her energy during World War II to entertaining Allied troops.

Her major claim to fame during World War II was her work with the USO. There is no doubt that she made a major contribution to the morale of the troops. During the Africa & Italy campaigns, she withstood much privation in order to stay with the troops at the front, where she not only entertained but helped coordinate hospital and mess details. In the French & German campaigns, she often rode with Patton at the front.

Her vehement denouncement of the Nazi regime, and her participation in Radio broadcasts aimed at Germany got the desired result - she got under the skin of the Nazis. For her work, the U.S., French and (eventually) Israeli governments awarded her medals.