Vienna, 1884 – 1958, Vienna
He was born Hans Goldberger to a Jewish family and grew up in Vienna. He spent many summers in Bad Ischl, where Hans Gerold – as he called himself from 1908 – met Franz Lehár. This friendship significantly influenced his creative path. He dedicated the song ’Wie schön ist doch die Welt’ to the great operetta composer.
Financial security through his commercial talent, namely trading in the then famous ’Viennese fashion’, enabled him to devote himself to his musical interests. His compositions are of great stylistic variety and cover Viennese music, waltz songs, marches, slow foxes and chansons.
Hitler’s invasion abruptly interrupted the family’s life. They were initially able to flee to Italy until they were sent back to Vienna in the autumn of 1943 after a short imprisonment. There, the family was able to survive the rest of the war in a sublet room. Hans Gerold played the piano exceptionally well and performed in many Viennese bars. Famous musicians performed his works, which were often played on Austrian radio from the 1930s to the 1960s.
