# Hana Hegerová

Hana Hegerová (20 October 1931 – 23 March 2021) was a Slovak singer and actress. Often referred to as the Queen of Czechoslovak chanson, she gained popularity primarily as a singer of chansons. Outside of Czechoslovakia, Hegerová attained recognition especially in German-speaking countries.

## Early life

Hegerová was born Carmen Mária Štefánia Farkašová.

## Career

In 1954, Hegerová played the title role in the film Frona under the name Hana Čelková. She made her singing debut in Tatra Revue in Bratislava in 1957. After she came to Prague, the foremost Czech actor Jan Werich offered her an engagement in the ABC Theatre [cs], but she refused. Hegerová performed at the Rokoko Theatre in Prague from 1958 until 2021. From 1961 to 1966 at the Semafor Theater, she appeared in the jazz opera Dobře placená procházka by Jiří Suchý (libretto) and Jiří Šlitr (music), and film Kdyby tisíc klarinetů (If a Thousand Clarinets). Hegerová's repertoire included many chansons by Czech and Slovak authors, and also Czech versions of songs from the repertoire of Édith Piaf ("Mylord"), Jacques Brel ("Ne me quitte pas"), and songs by Kurt Weill ("Surabaya Johnny" and "The Barbara Song") and many others. In 1967, Hana Hegerová appeared at the Paris Olympia.
In 2002, Heregová received a Medal of Merit from Czech President Václav Havel. In 2014, she received an Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk from President Miloš Zeman.
In August 2011, the national press announced that the diva decided to retire from the music industry, telling MusicServer: "I have decided that I no longer want it. I don't want to sing, I don't want to go public. I want to get rid of stress. Simply, the Hana Hegerová enterprise is terminated, only Hana Hegerová remains as a private person who finally wants to enjoy peaceful days with her dog. Wish me luck so that there are still lots of them left."

## Illness and death

In December 2014, Hegerová was hospitalized with serious heart problems in the General University Hospital (Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice) in Prague.
She died on 23 March 2021 at 89 years old in Prague Hospital Na Homolce [cs] due to complications from a hip fracture.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Title | Director(s) | Director(s) |
| Year | Original | English | Director(s) | Director(s) |
| 1954 | Frona | Frona | Jiří Krejčík | |
| 1957 | Tam na konečné | At the Terminus | Ján Kadár and Elmar Klos | |
| 1960 | Přežil jsem svou smrt | I Survived Certain Death | Vojtěch Jasný | |
| 1960 | Policejní hodina | The Hour of the Cop | Otakar Vávra | |
| 1962 | Zhasněte lampióny | Turn Off Lanterns | Ján Roháč and Vladimír Svitáček | |
| 1962 | Neděle ve všední den | A Weekday Sunday | Félix Máriássy | |
| 1963 | Naděje | The Hope | Karel Kachyňa | |
| 1963 | Konkurs | Audition | Miloš Forman | |
| 1965 | Kdyby tisíc klarinetů | If a Thousand Clarinets | Ján Roháč and Vladimír Svitáček | |
| 1966 | Dobře placená procházka (TV film) | A Well-Paid Walk | Miloš Forman and Ján Roháč | |
| 1967 | Ta naše písnička česká | This Is Our Czech Song | Zdeněk Podskalský | |
| 1967 | Sedm žen Alfonse Karáska | Seven Wives of Alfons Karásek | Zdeněk Podskalský | |
| 1974 | Třicet případů majora Zemana | Thirty Cases of Major Zeman | Jiří Sequens | |
| 1988 | Lovec senzací | Stunner-fisher | Martin Hollý | |
| 1989 | Fabrik der Offiziere [de] (TV series) | The Officer Factory | Wolf Vollmar | |
| 1991 | Poslední motýl | The Last Butterfly | Karel Kachyňa | |
| 2006 | Kde lampy bloudí | Where the Lamps Roam | Jakub Kohák | |
| 2008 | Nestyda | Nasty | Jan Hřebejk | |

## Awards
### Major awards

| Year | Nominated work | Award | Category | Result |
| 1962 | "Szeptem" | Sopot Festival | Contest of Polish Songs – Best Interpretation | Silver |
| 1962 | "Ošklivá neděle" | Sopot Festival | International contest – Best Song | Bronze |
| 1962 | "Ošklivá neděle" | Sopot Festival | The Critics' Prize | Won |
| 1968 | Un­known | Prague City Award | Un­known | Won |
| 1969 | Un­known | Festwochen Wiesbaden | Un­known | Won |
| 1983 | Un­known | tz Rose | July 15–22 | Won |
| 1988 | Potměšilý host | Golden Note | Best Album | Won |
| 1988 | "Levandulová" | Golden Note | Best Song (shared with P.Hapka) | Won |
| 1988 | Herself | Golden Note | Best Female Singer | Won |
| 2010 | Herself | Anděl Awards | Female Singer of the Year | Nominated |
| 2010 | Mlýnské kolo v srdci mém | Anděl Awards | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| Lifetime honors and achievements ||||||
| 1974 | Herself | H-D.Genscher Prize | Goldene Europa | Honored |
| 1974 | Herself | Académie française | Ordre du Mérite de l'Education Artistique – Chevalier | Honored |
| 1995 | Herself | Gramy Awards | The Hall of Fame | Inducted |
| 2002 | Herself | Václav Havel Prize | The Medal of Merit | Honored |
| 2007 | Herself | MOFFOM Award | Lifetime Achievement in Music Film | Honored |
| 2012 | Herself | Prague 1 Assembly | Honorary citizenship | Honored |
| 2013 | Herself | Pierre Lévy Prize | Ordre national du Mérite – Commandeur | Honored |
| 2014 | Herself | Miloš Zeman Prize | Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk – 1st Class | Honored |

#### Notes

* A ^ "Szeptem" composed by Jerzy Abratowski for lyrics by Jacek Korczakowski, and the Gold award won by "Jesienna rozłąka" sung by Anita Traversi from Switzerland.
* B ^ Hegerová shared the Bronze award along with Emil Dimitrov who entered the contest with "Arlekino". The Gold went to Greek Jeanne Yovanna for "Ti Krima", while Silver won by "Stav" by Ester Reichstadt from Israel.
* C ^ The award for the Female Singer of the Year went to Lucie Bílá, while the second nominee was Lucie Vondráčková.
* D ^ The category of the Album of the Year won by Tepláky aneb Kroky Františka Soukupa set by Nightwork band. Outlet People by Toxique group featured the rest of nominated works.
* E ^ According to the municipal authorities, Prague 1 awards the Honorary citizenship title only exceptionally. As such, Hegerová became the first female ever and the fifth honoree in total, respectively (following writer Josef Topol, photographer Ladislav Sitenský, conductor Jaroslav Hrnčíř and architect Josef Hyzler).

### Music polls

| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
| 1962 | Herself | Singer | #6 |
| 1963 | Herself | Singer | #6 |
| 1964 | Herself | Female Singer | #5 |
| 1965 | Herself | Female Singer | #7 |
| 1966 | Herself | Female Singer | #6 |
| 1967 | Herself | Female Singer | #5 |
| 1968 | Herself | Female Singer | #8 |
| 1969 | Herself | Female Singer | — |
| 1970 | Herself | Female Singer | — |
| 1971 | Herself | Female Singer | — |
| 1972 | Herself | Female Singer | — |
| 1973 | Herself | Female Singer | — |
| 1974 | Herself | Female Singer | — |
| 1975 | Herself | Female Singer | #8 |
| 1976 | Herself | Female Singer | #7 |
| 1977 | Herself | Female Singer | #8 |
| 1978 | Herself | Female Singer | #7 |
| 1979 | Herself | Female Singer | #8 |
| 1980 | Herself | Female Singer | #12 |
| 1981 | Herself | Female Singer | #12 |
| 1982 | Herself | Female Singer | #10 |
| 1983 | Herself | Female Singer | #13 |
| 1984 | Herself | Female Singer | #18 |
| 1985 | Herself | Female Singer | #17 |
| 1986 | Herself | Female Singer | #17 |
| 1987 | Herself | Female Singer | #17 |
| 1988 | Herself | Female Singer | #20 |
| 1989 | Herself | Female Singer | #14 |
| 1990 | Herself | Female Singer | #14 |
| 1991 | Herself | Female Singer | #14 |
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
| 1997 | Herself | Female Singer | #15 |
| 1998 | Herself | Female Singer | #13 |
| 1999 | Herself | Female Singer | #17 |
| 2000 | Herself | Female Singer | #22 |
| 2001 | Herself | Female Singer | #22 |
| 2002 | Herself | Female Singer | #17 |
| 2003 | Herself | Female Singer | #17 |
| 2004 | Herself | Female Singer | #17 |
| 2005 | Herself | Female Singer | #12 |
| 2006 | Herself | Female Singer | #12 |
| 2007 | Herself | Female Singer | #14 |
| 2008 | Herself | Female Singer | #14 |
| 2009 | Herself | Female Singer | #16 |
| 2010 | Herself | Female Singer | #15 |
| 2011 | Herself | Female Singer | #15 |
| 2012 | Herself | Female Singer | #28 |
| 2013 | Herself | Female Singer | #25 |
| 2014 | Herself | Female Singer | #27 |

#### Notes

* F ^ The initial two editions of the Zlatý slavík poll included only one category for both, either male or female vocalists. Else in 1962, Hegerová would be ranked as the third most popular female singer, following Yvetta Simonová and Eva Pilarová.
* G ^ In 1963, Hegerová entered the poll as the second most voted female vocalist in the country, following Pilarová.