Django Reinhardt, was born Januar 23rd 1910 in the belgian village of Liberchies in the near of Charleroi, named Jean-Baptiste "Django" Reinhardt.
He raised in the early 1920ies together with his mother called "Negros" and his younger brother Joseph "Nin-Nin" Reinhardt mainly in the subburbs of Paris, an area that was called "La Zone", after his father Jean-Eugéne Weiss left the family relatively early in his life.
His father Jean-Eugéne Weiss (image below, right middle) was born 1882 and he was a famous musician amongst Gypsies already, who also worked as a basket-weaver sometimes to earn money for his family. He played serveral instruments

Djangos mother, Laurence Reinhardt (image below left middle), was called "Negros" (span. f. black) by the french Manouches, cause of her long black hair.


Laurence "Negros" Reinhardt was an impressive and strong woman, even left by her husband, made her life and raised her two chlidren just by her own - a single with a strong character.
Negros fighted very hard to feed and raise her two sons "Django" and "Nin-Nin" leading them to the right track.
More Django Reinhardt - private Life (2/6)
Share this article: