Verna Mae Bentley‑Krause, born on 7 July 1951 in Memphis, Tennessee, is an American‑German singer who emerged in the German pop scene with her patriotic anthem. After enlisting in the United States Army in 1979 and being stationed in Germany, she settled near Kaiserslautern in 1982, opening a florist shop before turning to music. Her breakthrough came with the single "Ich liebe deutsche Land" (De Det De Det De Dä), released by Raab Records in 2001, which entered the German singles chart and remained for six weeks. The track became a recurring feature on Stefan Raab’s TV Total, where it was performed during various shows and events, including the 2024 boxing match between Raab and Regina Halmich. In 2014, Bentley‑Krause published the book Die kleine deutsche Niggerin. Her discography is centred on the 2001 album Ich Liebe Deutsche Land (De Det De Det De Dä), which solidified her presence in German pop. While no further albums were released, her signature song continues to be associated with national celebrations and television appearances, marking her as a memorable figure in the crossover of American and German pop culture.
