One of the most successful Dutch artists is undoubtedly George Baker (73). He wrote over 600 songs and sold around 25 million records with his band George Baker Selection. His biggest hits were Little Green Bag and Paloma Blanca.
For those who don't know, George Baker is a stage name. Baker was born Hans Bouwens in Hoorn during the hunger winter of 1944. His mother Ida is Dutch, his father Giuseppe 'Peppino' Caruso was an Italian soldier whom he never knew.
What happened? In the second half of the war, a group of Italian soldiers ended up in Hoorn as German prisoners of war. Peppino was one of them. The Italians had to work for the Germans, and Peppino's job was to take care of the horses. Ida lived in Hoorn and fell in love with the young Italian soldier she met in the village. She became pregnant with his child. But even before the birth of his son, Peppino disappeared from the scene.
Baker knows nothing about his father. What kind of man was he? Is there still family in Italy? Was he really shot dead during an escape attempt? And why was his body never found? Gradually, these questions began to torment him more and more. All leads come to nothing, so are there no answers at all? We'll see!
Saturday, September 15, Other Times, 9:20 p.m., NPO2
More about George Baker
One of the most successful Dutch artists is undoubtedly George Baker (73). He wrote over 600 songs and sold around 25 million records with his band George Baker Selection. His biggest hits were Little Green Bag and Paloma Blanca.
For those who don't know, George Baker is a stage name. Baker was born Hans Bouwens in Hoorn during the hunger winter of 1944. His mother Ida is Dutch, his father Giuseppe 'Peppino' Caruso was an Italian soldier whom he never knew.
What happened? In the second half of the war, a group of Italian soldiers ended up in Hoorn as German prisoners of war. Peppino was one of them. The Italians had to work for the Germans, and Peppino's job was to take care of the horses. Ida lived in Hoorn and fell in love with the young Italian soldier she met in the village. She became pregnant with his child. But even before the birth of his son, Peppino disappeared from the scene.
Baker knows nothing about his father. What kind of man was he? Is there still family in Italy? Was he really shot dead during an escape attempt? And why was his body never found? Gradually, these questions began to torment him more and more. All leads come to nothing, so are there no answers at all? We'll see!
Saturday, September 15, Other Times, 9:20 p.m., NPO2