Edith Piaf and Marcel Cerdan: love escaping

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

This love story began at the Parisian "Club of Five". Edith Piaf was introduced to the "Moroccan bombardier" and Marcel Cerdan was introduced to the Great Edith Piaf. After they met, they did not see each other for a while, but met in New York. Piaf was there on tour and felt immensely lonely. It was at this time that a soft male voice was heard in the telephone receiver, which was in no way associated with the image of a desperate fighter.

First date

Edith, as if anticipating a serious relationship, carefully prepared for this date: thin makkiyah, the best dress, a ringing spiritual mood. And Serdan unexpectedly took the "Great Piaf" itself to one of the fast food eateries and treated them to a glass of cheap beer. But when he saw the lady's disappointed face, Marcel excused himself and invited her to the chicest restaurant in New York. They spent the whole evening together and became inseparable.

At night, they often went for walks in New York. Both loved to ride roller coasters. This extraordinary couple was recognized on the streets, watching with amazement how they devour ice cream and squeal at the rides like mere mortals. And only one circumstance did not allow them to be together until the end - Marcel had a family.

She

Marcel repeatedly persuaded his beloved to come to him for a match to see him in battle. Such a Marcel - with merciless, terrible, hard eyes - she has never seen. It seemed to her that from the blows that her beloved man received, she herself felt pain. And when the final blow of the gong sounded, Edith made a guttural sound, ran into the ring to wipe the sweat and blood from Marcel's face. The journalists were ecstatic!

At a press conference to which Marcel did not allow Edith herself to come, he made an unexpected statement. “Do you want to know if I love Piaf? Yes I love! Yes, she is my mistress, just because I am married. But let the one who never cheated on his wife raise his hand,”he blurted out. Lively journalists froze in a daze. In the morning, not a single newspaper wrote a line about Edith and Marcel, and for dinner Edith was brought a huge basket of flowers from journalists. A card was enclosed in the flowers: "From gentlemen to the woman who is loved more than anything else."

He

Marcel came to the concerts at every opportunity. The invincible champion hid in the gallery, each time worried about his Edith, and left the concerts drenched with excitement. "I feel lucky, she is a great singer!" After the concert, he helped Edith collect her things: scarves and medicines, dress and makeup.

When Edith noticed that Marcel was enthusiastically reading simple comics, she insisted that he start reading serious books, assuring that at one time she forced herself. And he obeyed - that was his lot.

Serdan was infinitely generous, and constantly spoiled Edith with gifts. Before him, she did not know this. She shyly appeared in front of friends in a new mink coat and luxurious jewelry donated by Marcel. And she herself was always in a hurry to give it away - she bought him expensive ties, shirts and watches, which for some reason he wore on both hands.

When it all ends

In October 1949, Edith Piaf began touring the United States. Cerdan was going to join her later. He had already booked a plane ticket, but Edith in a telephone conversation insisted that he urgently take off by plane. The waiting seemed to her simply unbearable. The plane did not reach New York, having crashed over the Azores. Marcel Cerdan's body was identified by the watch he wore by a strange quirk on both hands. This watch was also a gift from Edith.

In the morning Edith was awakened not by the long-awaited kiss of Marcel, but by terrible news. That evening Edith was carried on the stage of the Versailles hall in her arms - she could not walk. Stopping the audience's applause, she quietly said: "Today I will sing in honor of Marcel Cerdan." The audience froze in despair, Piaf, in a kind of mystical ecstasy, earnestly and tragically victoriously, sang "The Hymn of Love":

And only later, when no one saw, wrapped in a black shawl, she frenziedly and quietly prayed for his soul in the small church of St. Teresa.

- she was sure of it.

Another incredible love story - forbidden connection of admiral Kolchak, about which we can say that love is stronger than death.