Biography.guide
Home › People › Composer › Will Glahé
Portrait of Will Glahé

Will Glahé

1902 – 1989

German musician

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Will Glahé

Lived 1902 – 1989 (aged 87). Will Glahé was a German composer, musician, bandleader, conductor and music arranger.

Will Glahé (February 12, 1902 – November 21, 1989) was a German accordionist, composer, and bandleader.

Glahé was born at Elberfeld, Germany. In the 1930s, he was, along with Heinz Munsonius and Albert Vossen, one of the most successful accordionists in Germany. He led his own orchestra from 1932 and became successful particularly in popular music.

One of his most famous songs in Germany was his 1936 recording of "Rosamunde" (a German female forename), a cover version of the song "Škoda lásky" ("Wasted Love") by Jaromir Vejvoda. It sold over one million copies by 1943, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA. After World War II he was known as the "Polka King" in the U.S., and did both big band and folk music arrangements with his orchestra.

His "Liechtensteiner Polka" was also a hit in Canada, reaching No. 11, and the U.S., hitting No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1957. dark ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and in Efteling, Holland.

His album, Oktoberfest peaked at number 53 in Australia in 1973.

He died at Rheinbreitbach.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Will Glahé's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Will Glahé?

German musician

When was Will Glahé born?

Will Glahé was born on 12 February 1902 in Elberfeld.

When did Will Glahé die?

Will Glahé died on 21 November 1989 in Rheinbreitbach.

What was Will Glahé's occupation?

Will Glahé was a composer, musician, bandleader, conductor and music arranger.

What nationality was Will Glahé?

Will Glahé was German.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Will Glahé

· Wikidata: Q316348

· DBpedia: Will Glahé

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Will Glahé. https://biography.guide/will-glahe/

MLA: "Will Glahé." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/will-glahe/.

Chicago: "Will Glahé." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/will-glahe/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:13 UTC