German singer and songwriter Doris Treitz – born May 19, 1942, in Heydekrug, Memelland, East Prussia, German Reich (now Šilutė, Lithuania) – was better known by her stage name Alexandra. Her path to music began when she moved to Hamburg, Germany to become a fashion designer when she was 17. Two years later, she got her first taste of the spotlight when she entered the Miss Germany pageant. She then changed her name to Alexandra and began pursuing music as a career. After a well-received performance at a concert by Belgian-Italian singer Salvatore Adamo, she was discovered by manager Hans R. Beierlein. Securing a deal with the Phillips label, she released her first single, “Zigeunerjunge,” in 1967. After several more unsuccessful singles, she was forced to record a cover version, “Sehnsucht,” which become a chart hit. Her debut album, Premiere Mit Alexandra, was issued in 1967, followed by her self-titled album in 1968. She released a series of singles in other languages including French, Hebrew, English, and Russian. In Spring of 1969, she was honored with the Best Newcomer Award from Golden Europa. On July 31, 1969, Alexandra was killed in a car crash at the age of 27. The crash also killed her mother yet her young son survived the crash with only minor injuries. Since her death, Alexandra’s music has been reissued many times.
