Paul Godwin, born Pinchas Goldfein on March 28, 1902, in Sosnowitz, Russian Empire (now Sosnowiec, Poland), was a renowned violinist and orchestra leader. He studied violin at the Warsaw Conservatory under Stanisław Barcewicz. At the age of 20, Godwin established his own dance band in Berlin, which became immensely popular in the 1920s and 30s. His orchestra, known under various names such as Tanz-Orchester Paul Godwin and Paul Godwin's Jazz Symphoniker, recorded extensively across Europe, selling an estimated nine million records between 1923 and 1933.

Godwin's orchestra was versatile, performing a wide range of genres including foxtrots, waltzes, tangos, and polkas, and often accompanied other renowned singers. Between 1929 and 1933, he also composed and recorded soundtracks for UFA, a leading German film studio.

In 1933, Godwin emigrated to the Netherlands, where he lived for the rest of his life. During the Nazi occupation, he narrowly avoided deportation due to his wife being of "Aryan" descent. After World War II, he formed a classical violin trio and continued performing until the 1970s. Paul Godwin passed away on December 9, 1982, in Driebergen, Netherlands.