Willy Richartz, born on September 25, 1900, in Cologne, Germany, was a notable German composer and conductor who passed away on August 8, 1972, in Bad Tölz, Germany. Richartz initially pursued studies in law, earning a doctorate from the University of Cologne in 1925, while simultaneously studying music at the Cologne Conservatory. His career as a conductor led him to work at theaters in Munich and Berlin.

During the National Socialist era, Richartz held significant positions, including the director of the Reichssender Berlin and the leader of the Radio Berlin dance orchestra. He joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) on May 1, 1933, and was listed in the Gottbegnadeten-Liste by the Reich Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda in 1944.

After World War II, Richartz co-founded the German Composers' Association with Werner Egk and was honored as an honorary member of GEMA for his contributions to copyright reform. His compositions primarily consisted of entertainment music and operettas. Richartz is interred at the Waldfriedhof in Bad Tölz.

Richartz's body of work includes orchestral pieces like "Abends auf dem Niederrhein" and "Verliebter Walzer," operettas such as "Heut tanzt Gloria," and various vocal and piano compositions. His music was performed by notable orchestras, including the Berliner Philharmoniker and the Bamberger Symphoniker, and he released numerous recordings with labels like Deutsche Grammophon and Polydor.