Camillo Felgen (1920-2005) was born in Tétange in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on 17th November 1920 (as Camille Jean Nicolas Felgen) and became in his lifetime a much-loved singer, songwriter and pioneer radio and television presenter. Following his years in education, he initially worked for four years from 1941 as an elementary school teacher. He then acted as an interpreter for the American army in the aftermath of the Second World War and was also employed as a reporter by a French-language newspaper in Luxembourg. In 1946 he was chosen from eighty candidates to become a newscaster at Radio Luxemburg and also put himself forward to become a member of their radio choir. In addition, he studied the performing arts in Belgium, successfully completing his acting and opera training in 1949, graduating as a baritone at the conservatoire in Verviers.

His career as a singer soon blossomed, and in 1951 Camillo had his first international record success with Bonjour les amis (Hello Friends), a song that was subsequently adopted as the signature tune of Radio Luxemburg's French programme. He went on to record his first German-language record Onkel Toms altes Boot (Uncle Tom's Old Boat) in Berlin in 1953. It was the time of the popular French-Italian Don Camillo films starring Fernandel and these would very much influence his demeanour. Whether singing or working as a disc jockey (as which initially he was credited, somewhat archaically, as ‘spokesperson’) – Camillo’s voice enchanted millions, especially female listeners.

When Radio Luxemburg's German programme started in 1958, Camillo Felgen was there as godfather and was appointed programme manager of the new station. On Easter Sunday, 6th April 1958, his ‘hit parade’ went over the ether for the first time and continued until 1963 – it was the first-ever German-language music show of its type. With his Vier Fröhlichen Wellen (Four Happy Waves), he was perfectly in tune with the tastes of young people and consequently became a star broadcaster - despite already being a celebrated singer. As spokesperson, he coined and co-invented the station’s 'we feel good together' approach which made an indelible impression upon its listeners. "The presentation was his own personal style. It sounded different – more brisk, more lively and simply more entertaining," wrote Gabrielle Seil in the Lux Review in 2005. Jochen Pützenbacher, head of entertainment at Radio Luxemburg for many years, concurred: “Camillo Felgen was actually the inventor of modern radio. Everyone has learned from him. He was the shining example for us. Camillo Felgen was one of the best ambassadors Luxembourg has ever had.”

Over the years, Camillo developed and moderated other successful programmes such as Die Großen Acht (The Big Eight), Wunschkonzert (Request Concert) and many others, which he charmingly turned into radio favourites, thus making his station extremely popular. Metty Krings, a fellow presenter at the station, was not surprised at his colleague’s success: “Camillo Felgen was grand from top to bottom. He had what you would call 'the voice' in America: he could have read the phone book, and you would have still listened to him!”

In 1959, Camillo had his first hit in Germany with Sag warum? (Oh Why?), a song which was more spoken than sung. It was the German version of The Teddy Bears’ record Oh Why, the melody of which Camillo liked very much. In 1960, he was given the honour to represent his country at the annual Eurovision Song Contest, staged in London, with the song So laang we’s du do bast (As Long as You Stay There). In doing so, he became the first male contestant to represent Luxembourg and the first Eurovision participant to sing in Luxembourgish. Unfortunately, the song didn’t hit the right notes with the voting public and he finished at the foot of the points table in 13th place with just 1pt, which was awarded by Italy.

Undeterred, he represented his country again in 1962, meeting with markedly more success. His second Eurovision song, Petit bonhomme (Little Boy) was performed in French and ended up being the 3rd most popular entry on the night. Camillo also went on to record his 1962 entry in a German language version, as Du kleiner Mann (You, Little Man). In later years, Camillo would also be employed as Eurovision Song Contest commentator for West German Television.

A legendary encounter took place in 1964 in Paris, where Camillo met The Beatles. He had been given 24 hours to translate the lyrics of two of their songs, She Loves You and I Want to Hold Your Hand, into German. He then had to fly to Paris to coach them in German phonetics and oversee their performance at the recording. He chose to be credited as Jean Nicolas, an alias (made of his middle names) which he regularly employed when working as a lyricist. He was also a songwriter for Peter Alexander on Ich zähle täglich meine Sorgen (I Count my Worries Every Day), Connie Francis on Schöner fremder Mann (Handsome Stranger), and The Everly Brothers on Wenn du mich küsst (If you Kiss Me), as well as many other artists.

In 1965, he discovered and sponsored Frank (Timm) Elstner, who would eventually become his successor at the radio station. Later that year, Camillo was hired by West German broadcaster WDR as games master for the international inter-town contest Spiel Ohne Grenzen, which he would go on to oversee for 125 episodes at home and on the international stage). Elstner would co-present with Camillo at the international contests from 1966. Many years later, Elstner revealed how Camillo had influenced his career: “He taught me how to do radio. He used to be my boss. Then he became my friend. I owe him very, very much.”

In 1968, Camillo left Radio Luxemburg, for whom he had also developed the Goldenen Löwen (Golden Lion) Award, to work from that point on as a freelancer. At the time of his departure, the station was regularly being heard by 15 million listeners. Camillo was also present at the creation of the RTL television channel, which was born out of Radio Luxemburg's German-language service. The channel is still broadcasting today.

During the following year, Camillo opened the Scotch-Club in Aachen – the first discotheque in Germany - where patrons danced to hot rhythmic beats. Camillo then re-recorded Sag warum? as a smoochie song and it went down a storm with the youngsters. After this, discotheques opened everywhere, springing up like mushrooms. Then came the triumphal procession of Sag warum? from Germany to Brussels and Paris, although few listeners there understood the lyrics. Three million copies of the record were sold in France alone.

In 1973, Camillo had a major success with what has become one of the most emotional German evergreens, Ich hab’ Ehrfurcht vor schneeweißen Haaren (I'm in Awe of Snow-White Hair), a song he dedicated to his mother. Camillo never gave up singing and, at the age of 80, was working on a new album of songs with German and French lyrics, though this was ultimately not issued.

By 1987, he presented the dream concert Was Darf’s Denn Sein? (What's it Supposed to Be?) more than two hundred and fifty times. Several LPs linked to the show were released for RTL Club friends, including Camillo’s Wunschkonzert ‘83 (Camillo's Wish Concert ‘83), a compilation album of the most popular melodies from the programme at that time. The format drew on a mixture of opera, folk song, operetta, concert and nostalgic music. Camillo was a great hit with the listeners and personally replied to around fifty letters a week.

Camillo also appeared in numerous plays and films, including Andy Bausch's 2003 film Le Club des Chômeurs (The Unemployed Club), a social comedy set against the backdrop of the decline of the steel industry in the south of Luxembourg. In 2004, Bausch made a documentary about Camillo, entitled Monsieur Warum (Mr. Why?), which highlighted the great impact that the singer, entertainer, commentator, actor and radio pioneer had made on Luxembourg's cultural scene.

As he progressed into old age, Camillo’s media work became less frequent but occasionally he would appear as a guest on radio and television specials. In 1986, he married his third wife Marianna, with whom he also ran a boutique selling ball and wedding gowns in Luxembourg. And yet, well into the 21st century, the letters, postcards and packages for Camillo, sent by his appreciative fans, continued to arrive at RTL for forwarding, proving his enduring popularity as a presenter and personality.

On 16th July 2005, Camillo Felgen died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg. He was 84. One of the most popular voices from the fields of radio, television and popular music was silenced forever. Tributes flooded in to his family upon the announcement of his demise, with perhaps the most apt and insightful of these coming from the pen of Rainer Holbe of the Luxemburger Wort newspaper: “For me, Camillo Felgen was above all a man with good manners and elegance, who was humorous and entertaining, and all with a decidedly personal charm. He was a conservative, a man of tradition.”

by Neil Storer and Alan Hayes