Roman Cycowski

Roman Cycowski (January 25, 1901 – November 9, 1998) was an American singer who was the last surviving member of the Comedian Harmonists, a German vocal sextet dissolved by the Nazi regime due to the Jewish background of three of its members.^[1][2]

Born in Łódź, Poland, Cycowski trained as a cantor and relocated to Germany in 1921 with aspirations of becoming an opera singer.^[3] In Germany, he was educated at the Berlin Conservatory of Music.^[4]

Cycowski joined the Comedian Harmonists in 1927 and was initially seen as a diversion from his operatic goals.^[3] As one of the group's three lead singers, Cycowski brought his operatic training to performances, notably in pieces like The Blue Danube and comic adaptations from The Barber of Seville.^[3] After the group was disbanded in 1935 under Nazi pressure, Cycowski continued to perform internationally with the other Jewish members as the Comedy Harmonists.^[3]

In 1941, Cycowski moved to the United States.^[4] He later settled in San Francisco, serving as a cantor at Beth Israel Temple for 15 years before retiring to Palm Springs, California.^[3][4]