Désirée Louise Anna Ernestine "Dési" von Halban (10 April 1912 – 12 February 1996) was an Austrian opera and concert singer. She was the daughter of Austrian parents: operatic soprano Selma Kurz and gynecologist Josef von Halban.
Dési von Halban | |
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![]() Dési von Halban in 1946 | |
Born | Désirée Louise Anna Ernestine von Halban (1912-04-10)10 April 1912 Vienna, Austria-Hungary |
Died | 12 February 1996(1996-02-12) (aged 83) Bilthoven, Netherlands |
Nationality | Austrian |
Occupation | Opera and concert singer |
Spouse(s) | Jacques Goudstikker
(m. 1937; died 1940)August von Saher (m. 1950) |
Children | Edouard von Saher (b. 1939) |
Parent(s) | Josef von Halban and Selma Kurz |
Dési von Halban was married to Dutch art dealer Jacques Goudstikker who fled the Nazis in 1940, but died on-board the SS Bodegraven [nl] while passing the English Channel. His wife and infant son, Edouard, made their way to New York City, via Montreal.[1] His art collection was looted by the Nazis, and a group of 202 paintings was restituted in 2006, a decade after her death, only after a lengthy legal dispute.[2]
Halban remarried in 1950, to twice-divorced Dutch lawyer August von Saher.[3] Her son adopted his stepfather's surname.[4] He married Marei Langenbein, a West German figure skater. Their daughter, Charlene von Saher, became a competitive figure skater.[5]
Physicist Hans von Halban was Dési's second cousin.
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