Clara Bauerle

Early Life

Hedwig Clara Bäuerle was born 27 August, 1905 in Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Her Protestant parents were Obsthandler (fruit handler) Adolf Bäuerle and Dorothea Barbara Schäufele. Little is known of Clara’s early life although research in the Fall of 2017 has revealed one document (a Protestant Church Family Book) that lists her entire family.

Clara Bauerle - post card found on Josef Jakobs (National Archives)
Clara Bauerle – post card found on Josef Jakobs
(National Archives)

Clara had 6 siblings – two died stillborn, two died as young children, one died in World War I and one immigrated to the United States of America. Check out my blog post for more information on Clara’s family.

Actress & Singer

In 1932-1933, Clara had a small part in the movie Die Blume von Hawaii (The Flower of Hawaii) which was released on 21 March 1933.

In 1939-1940, she played a young lady at the ball in the movie Bal Paré which was released 22 May 1940.

Clara also had a music career and by piecing together her recordings, the following timeline emerges:

  • 1940 September – Wenn die kleinen Veilchen blü’n (1608 – Tempo 5035) with Bernhard Etté Orchester
  • 1940 September – Die Männer sind schon die Liebe wert (1612 – Tempo 5038 & 4176A) with Bernhard Etté Orchester
  • 1940 December – Mit meinem Küssen auf den Lippen (1616 – Tempo 5035) with Bernhard Etté Orchester
  • 1941 March – Bleib bei mir ein paar glückliche Stunden (1661 – Tempo 5050) with Juan Llossas & Orchester
  • 1941 March – Ich bin heute ja so verliebt (1662 – Tempo 5050) with Juan Llossas & Orchester
  • 1941 March – Mamatschi (schenk mir ein Pferdchen) (1671 – Tempo 5055 & 4088A) with Tempo Salon Orchester
  • 1941 Mar/Apr – Bevor du schlafen gehst, ruf mich noch mal an (1672 – Tempo 5084) – Curt Hasenpflug (conductor)
  • 1941 Mar/Apr – Ich möcht’ so gern ein Patenkind von Herrgott sein (1673 – Tempo 5055 & 4088B) – Curt Hasenpflug (conductor)
  • 1941 Mar/Apr – Ich hab’ es oft versucht (1674 – Tempo 5084) – Curt Hasenpflug – conductor
  • 1941 July – So wird’s nie wieder sein (1718 – Tempo 5090) – with Bernhard Etté Orchester
  • 1941 July – Du darfst mir nie mehr rote Rosen schenken (1720 – Tempo 5035) – with Bernhard Etté Orchester
  • 1942 – Ich weiss, es wird einmal ein Wunder gescheh’n (1813 – Tempo 5113) with Orchesterbegleitung (Orchestra accompaniment)
  • 1942 – Davon geht die Welt nicht unter (1814 – Tempo 5113) with Orchesterbegleitung (Orchestra accompaniment)
  • 1942 – Schiff Ahoi (1816 – Tempo 782) with Orchesterbegleitung (Orchestra accompaniment)

Clara Bauerle, the singer and actress, recorded songs through the latter part of 1940 into 1941 and 1942. In December 1942, she was living at Bleibtreustrasse 32. She most certainly did not parachute into the British Midlands in October 1941.

Death

On 16 December, 1942, Clara Bauerle, singer, actress, mistress and potential spy died in Berlin Germany of a lung infection due to Veronal poisoning. She had been hospitalized in Berlin-Oberschoneweide at the Konigin-Elisabeth-Hospital.

Clara Bauerle - Death Registration
Death registration of Clara Bauerle – December 16, 1942 in Berlin.

Veronal was a barbital known for its hypnotic properties. In the early half of the 20th Century, Veronal was a popular sleeping aid as it could be acquired without a doctor’s prescription. Unfortunately, prolonged use of the drug could cause the user to develop a tolerance for it, requiring larger and larger doses in order to achieve the same effects. This could be dangerous. There were many reports in German and British medical literature of severe poisoning and fatalities associated with Veronal. One could, naturally, wonder if perhaps Clara passed away through suicide, consuming a large dose of Veronal. The truth will likely never be known.

My Blogs on Clara Bauerle

Arranged in order of oldest to most recent.

  1. Josef Jakobs & Clara Bauerle – 2014
  2. Who put Bella in the Wych Elm? – 2014
  3. The Truth about Clara Bauerle – 2014
  4. BBC Radio 4 – Punt PI – Who put Bella in the Wych Elm? – 2014
  5. Express & Star Newspaper – Punt PI Investigates Midlands Riddle – 2014
  6. Follow-up to Clara Bauerle & Bella in the Wych Elm – 2015
  7. BBC – Unsolved English Murder Mysteries – 2015
  8. Update on the Elusive Clara Bauerle and Bella in the Wych Elm – 2015
  9. Clara Bauerle’s Music – 2015
  10. Another Clue in Tracing the Enigmatic Clara Bauerle – 2015
  11. False Alarm with Clara Bauerle – 2016
  12. Errors Abound around Josef Jakobs – 2016
  13. Clara Bauerle – How Speculation can quickly turn to Fact – 2016
  14. Break in the Hunt for Clara Bauerle – 2016
  15. Clara Bauerle is Finally Laid to Rest – 2016
  16. Family of Clara Bauerle  – 2017
  17. Clara Bella Declassified – 2017
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