Gerhard Gundermann
Encyclopedia
Gerhard Rüdiger Gundermann, who generally performed as simply Gundermann (February 21, 1955 — June 21, 1998), was a German
singer-songwriter
and rock music
ian. An excavator
operator, his musical career began in the former East Germany, where he became known for his clever, often melancholy lyrics imbued with social commentary. After German reunification
, he became especially popular among former East Germans who felt disenfranchised in the reunited country.
, Gundermann moved with his family to Hoyerswerda
in 1967. After completing his secondary education, he studied for a year at the military academy in Löbau
, but was expelled in 1975, after which he was forced to seek work in the coal mining
area of the Spreetal
(in today's Brandenburg
). In 1976 he began night school, and was recruited by the East German secret police, the Stasi
(codename "Grigori"). In 1977 he applied to join the ruling party, the SED
, but was asked to leave the following year (after expressing contrary opinions), although this was reduced to a "strong rebuke" after he appealed. In 1983 he married Conny. The following year he was again expelled from the party and also from the Stasi.
Gundermann's first appearances as a singer-songwriter came in 1986, and a year later he won the grand prize and a recording contract in the East German national song contest. His first LP Männer, Frauen und Maschinen (Men, Women, and Machines) appeared in 1988, but in contrast to his solo acoustic performances it was a rock record with a backing band, with uptempo numbers like "Halte durch" (Keep Up). It included an ode to his hometown, Hoyerswerda, "Hoy Woy."
After the fall of the Berlin Wall
, Gundermann ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Volkskammer
in the March 1990 elections, running for the leftist alliance Aktionsbündnis Vereinigte Linke.
Gundermann lived an ascetic lifestyle, eschewing drug
s, alcohol
, and smoking
, and was a committed vegetarian
. However, he was a workaholic, and slept little; besides a full recording and performing schedule, Gundermann continued to work operating a giant excavator, digging up seams of brown coal
; he was worried that his music would lose its authenticity if it became his sole way of life. Perhaps because of overwork, Gundermann died of a stroke
on June 21, 1998 at the age of 43 at his home in Spreetal. He left behind four children. His death followed that of his friend and collaborator Tamara Danz
, also 43, by less than two years.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
ian. An excavator
Excavator
Excavators are heavy construction equipment consisting of a boom, stick, bucket and cab on a rotating platform . The house sits atop an undercarriage with tracks or wheels. A cable-operated excavator uses winches and steel ropes to accomplish the movements. They are a natural progression from the...
operator, his musical career began in the former East Germany, where he became known for his clever, often melancholy lyrics imbued with social commentary. After German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
, he became especially popular among former East Germans who felt disenfranchised in the reunited country.
Career
Born in WeimarWeimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, Gundermann moved with his family to Hoyerswerda
Hoyerswerda
Hoyerswerda is the largest city in the district of Bautzen in the German state of Saxony. It is located in Lusatia, a region where many people speak the Sorbian languages in addition to German.-Geography:...
in 1967. After completing his secondary education, he studied for a year at the military academy in Löbau
Lobau
The Lobau is a Vienna floodplain on the northern side of the Danube and partly in Großenzersdorf, Lower Austria. It has been part of the Danube-Auen National Park since 1996 and has been a protected area since 1978. It is used as a recreational area and is known as a site of nudism. There is...
, but was expelled in 1975, after which he was forced to seek work in the coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
area of the Spreetal
Spreetal
Spreetal is a municipality in the district of Bautzen, in Saxony, Germany....
(in today's Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
). In 1976 he began night school, and was recruited by the East German secret police, the Stasi
Stasi
The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), commonly known as the Stasi (abbreviation , literally State Security), was the official state security service of East Germany. The MfS was headquartered...
(codename "Grigori"). In 1977 he applied to join the ruling party, the SED
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
, but was asked to leave the following year (after expressing contrary opinions), although this was reduced to a "strong rebuke" after he appealed. In 1983 he married Conny. The following year he was again expelled from the party and also from the Stasi.
Gundermann's first appearances as a singer-songwriter came in 1986, and a year later he won the grand prize and a recording contract in the East German national song contest. His first LP Männer, Frauen und Maschinen (Men, Women, and Machines) appeared in 1988, but in contrast to his solo acoustic performances it was a rock record with a backing band, with uptempo numbers like "Halte durch" (Keep Up). It included an ode to his hometown, Hoyerswerda, "Hoy Woy."
After the fall of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
, Gundermann ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Volkskammer
Volkskammer
The People's Chamber was the unicameral legislature of the German Democratic Republic . From its founding in 1949 until the first free elections on 18 March 1990, all members of the Volkskammer were elected on a slate controlled by the Socialist Unity Party of Germany , called the National Front...
in the March 1990 elections, running for the leftist alliance Aktionsbündnis Vereinigte Linke.
Gundermann lived an ascetic lifestyle, eschewing drug
Drug
A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...
s, alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
, and smoking
Tobacco smoking
Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...
, and was a committed vegetarian
Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
. However, he was a workaholic, and slept little; besides a full recording and performing schedule, Gundermann continued to work operating a giant excavator, digging up seams of brown coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
; he was worried that his music would lose its authenticity if it became his sole way of life. Perhaps because of overwork, Gundermann died of a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
on June 21, 1998 at the age of 43 at his home in Spreetal. He left behind four children. His death followed that of his friend and collaborator Tamara Danz
Tamara Danz
Tamara Danz was the lead singer and lyricist of the East German rock group Silly. She died at age 43 of breast cancer.- Life and work :...
, also 43, by less than two years.
Discography
- 1988 Männer, Frauen und Maschinen (Men, Women, and Machines)
- 1992 Einsame Spitze (One Of A Kind)
- 1993 Der 7te Samurai (The Seventh Samurai)
- 1995 Frühstück für immer (Breakfast For Ever)
- 1997 Engel über dem Revier (Angel Above the Coalfield)
- 1998 Krams – Das letzte Konzert
- 1999 Unplugged (SillySilly (band)Silly is a German rock band. Founded in East Germany in the year 1978, Silly was one of the country's most popular music acts, and was well known for its charismatic lead singer Tamara Danz. Her death in 1996 ended the band's recording career for 14 years...
+ Gundermann & Seilschaft) - 2000 Live-Stücke I (currently unavailable due to a legal dispute)
- 2004 Werkstücke II. Die Wilderer
- 2005 Torero... Werkstücke III (Solo/live)
- 2005 Oma Else. Werkstücke IV
- 2008 Alle oder Keiner. Auswahl I
Sources
- Gerhard Gundermann. Rockpoet und Baggerfahrer. Gespräche mit Hans-Dieter Schütt. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf Verlag, 1996 and 1999. ISBN 3-89602-055-2
- Mario Ferraro. Das Liederbuch. (42 Gundermann song lyrics with annotations.) Buschfunk Musikverlag. ISBN 3-931925-34-X; Part 2: ISBN 3-931925-35-8