Festival of Political Songs

Festival of Political Songs
Festival des politischen Liedes
SWAPO Children's Choir, 1989
GenreRock, folk, political music
DatesFebruary
Location(s)East Berlin, East Germany
Years active1970–1990
Founded byOktoberklub, Free German Youth

The Festival of Political Songs (German: Festival des politischen Liedes) was one of the largest music events in East Germany, held between 1970 and 1990. It was hosted by the Free German Youth and featured international artists.

History

The Festival of Political Songs was founded by the group Oktoberklub and took place in East Berlin every February from 1970–1990 as an official event of the Free German Youth. The event was first organized by the Berlin division, but from 1975 on was directed by the Central Committee of the Free German Youth.

Artists from 60 countries participated in the event during its durations, and the event would usually feature between 50 and 80 artists across around 30 countries. Prominent artists who have performed at the festival include Mikis Theodorakis, Miriam Makeba, Quilapayún, Inti-Illimani, Silvio Rodríguez, Mercedes Sosa, Gabino Palomares, Canzoniere delle Lame [it], and Pete Seeger accompanied by Chilean-exile and Berkeley based folk group Grupo Raiz. The mascot of the festival was a red sparrow named Oki (derived from Oktoberklub).

After the collapse of East Germany, the festival lost financial support and infrastructure. In order to continue the tradition, a new festival called the ZwischenWelt Festival was held between 1991 and 1995. Its supporting organization dissolved in 1995 because of financial difficulties.

Festivals and featured artists

Date Artists featured
February 15–21, 1970 Reinhold Andert East Germany, Kurt Demmler East Germany, Singeklub der Lessing-Oberschule Hoyerswerda East Germany, Hartmut König [de] East Germany, Gisela May East Germany, Oktoberklub East Germany, Gruppe Pasaremos East Germany, Die Conrads West Germany, Judith Csaba Hungary, Gerilla-Gruppe Hungary, Il Contemporaneo Italy, Cynthia Nokwe South Africa, Iskateli Soviet Union, Joan & José Spain
February 7–13, 1971 Lyrik-Song-Klub East Germany, Singeklub Traktorenwerk Schönebeck East Germany, Renate Richter and Hilmar Thate East Germany, Jürgen Walter + Günther-Fischer-Gruppe East Germany, Münchner Songgruppe West Germany, Perry Friedman Canada, Quilapayún Chile, Agit-Prop Finland, Francesca Solleville France, Laura Panti + Sergio Liberovici Italy, Maryla Rodowicz Poland, Luís Cília Portugal, Lutschina Group Soviet Union, Vietnamese Singing Group Vietnam
February 13–19, 1972 Hartmut König East Germany, Singeklub Potjomkin East Germany, Helga de Wroblewsky + Thomas Natschinski East Germany, Dieter Süverkrüp West Germany, Isabel Parra Chile, Silvio Rodríguez Cuba, KOM Teatteri Finland, Canzoniere delle Lame Italy, Kaláka Hungary, Bhupen Hazarika India, Aleksander Kulisiewicz Poland, Sergei Nikitin Soviet Union, Fria Proteatern Sweden, Barbara Dane United States
Political Song Festival of the 5th World Festival of Youth and Students

(July 29–August 5, 1973)

Reinhold Andert East Germany, Klaus Renft Combo East Germany, Spartakus East Germany, Franz Josef Degenhardt West Germany, Floh de Cologne West Germany, Lokomotive Kreuzberg West Germany, Lamari Algeria, Cuatro Tiempo Argentina, Klara Amandova Bulgaria, Inti-Illimani Chile, La Columna de Fuego Colombia, Agit-Prop Finland, Max Rongier France, Vízöntő Hungary, Canzoniere Internazionale Italy, the Singing Voices Japan, Pesniary Soviet Union, National Service Jazz-Band Tanzania
February 10–16, 1974 Songgruppe TU Dresden East Germany, Jahrgang 49 East Germany, Floh de Cologne West Germany, Klara Amandova Bulgaria, Inti-Illimani Chile, Quilapayún Chile, Claude Réva France, The Laggan United Kingdom, Muszti & Dobay Hungary, The Sands Family Republic of Ireland, Miriam Makeba South Africa, Daniel Viglietti Uruguay, Guy Carawan United States
February 9–15, 1975 Jack & Genossen East Germany, Franz Josef Degenhardt West Germany, Lokomotive Kreuzberg West Germany, Perth County Conspiracy Canada, Tiempo Nuevo Chile, Pablo Milanés Cuba, Søren Sidevinds Spillemænd Denmark, Kumiko Yokoi Japan, Los Folkloristas Mexico, Kalambur Poland, José Afonso Portugal, Elvina Makarjan Soviet Union
February 7–14, 1976 Schicht East Germany, Helga + Clement de Wroblewsky East Germany, Ekkes Frank West Germany, Peter, Paul & Barmbek West Germany, Santocas Angola, Quinteto Clave Argentina, Isabel Parra + Arturo Cipriano Chile, Moncada Cuba, Pia Colombo France, The Whistlebinkies United Kingdom, Deepa Mukhopadhyay India, Gruppe aus dem Irak Iraq, Bots Netherlands, GEM + Krystyna Giżowska Poland, Mircea Florian Romania, Marcos Velásquez Uruguay
February 12–19, 1977 Reinhold Andert East Germany, Singeklub Hoyerswerda East Germany, Bernd Rump East Germany, Floh de Cologne West Germany, Fasia Jansen West Germany, Suni Paz Argentina, Aparcoa Chile, Inti-Illimani Chile, Pedro Luis Ferrer Cuba, Jatarí Ecuador, 25. Theater Budapest Hungary, Canzoniere del Lazio Italy, Aliança Operario-Camponesa Mozambique, Bots Netherlands, Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy Nicaragua, Mustafa El-Kurd State of Palestine, Cuatro Tablas Peru, Carlos Paredes Portugal, Víctor Manuel Spain, Mike Glick United States
February 13–20, 1978 Schicht East Germany, Barbara Thalheim East Germany, Dieter Süverkrüp West Germany, Hannes Wader West Germany, Wilhelm Zobl Austria, Quilapayún Chile, Yaki Kandru Colombia, Os Kiezos Angola, Moncada Cuba, Mike Westbrook’s Brass Band United Kingdom, Maria Dimitriadi Greece, Tamás Berki Hungary, Singing Group of Revolutionary Youth Laos, Al Mayadine Lebanon, Trovante Portugal, Rosa León Spain, Grenada Soviet Union, Ernst Born Switzerland, Timur Selçuk Turkey, Frederic Rzewski United States
February 10–18, 1979 Brigade Feuerstein East Germany, Folkländer East Germany, Jahrgang 49 East Germany, Karls Enkel East Germany, Hanns-Eisler-Chor West Germany, Uschi Flacke West Germany, Taller Luis Emilio Recabarren Chile, Gruppe aus Äthiopien Ethiopia, Claude Réva France, Maria Farandouri Greece, Stormy Six/Macchina Maccheronica Italy, Singing Group of the Mongolian People's Republic Mongolia, Carlos Mejía Godoy Nicaragua, Spring Group Vietnam, ASHEED Yemen
February 9–17, 1980 Reinhold Andert East Germany, Brigade Feuerstein East Germany, Gruppe Neue Musik East Germany, Jahrgang 49 East Germany, Liedehrlich East Germany, Franz Josef Degenhardt West Germany, Los Parra de Chile Chile, Agit-Prop Finland, Tamás Berki Hungary, the Sands Family Republic of Ireland, Macchina Maccheronica Italy, Gruppe aus Kampuchea People's Republic of Kampuchea, Ballada Soviet Union, Daniel and Cédar Viglietti Uruguay
February 8–15, 1981 Chor Berliner Parteiveteranen „Ernst Busch“ East Germany, Chor der EOS Kreuzschule East Germany, Gerhard Schöne [de] East Germany, Wacholder East Germany, Floh de Cologne West Germany, Dosti Afghanistan, Schmetterlinge Austria, Los Jaivas Chile, Bjarne Jes Hansen Denmark, José W. Armijo El Salvador, Francesca Solleville France, Battlefield Band United Kingdom, Maria Dimitriadi Greece, Lajos Boros Hungary, Abdullah Ibrahim South Africa, Bongi Makeba South Africa, Panorama Soviet Union, Dean Reed United States
February 14–21, 1982 Arbeiterfolk East Germany, Kurt Demmler East Germany, Gerhard Gundermann East Germany, Hannes Zerbe–Blechband East Germany, Pietsch/Körbel East Germany, Liederjan West Germany, Hannes Wader West Germany, Hanns-Eisler-Chor West Germany, Quinteto Tiempo Argentina, Sigi Maron Austria, Illapu Chile, Chris Cutler United Kingdom, Duo Voga/Turnowski Hungary, Bots Netherlands, Orkest de Volharding Netherlands, Ad Hoc Singers United States
February 13–20, 1983 Ina Deter East Germany, Orchester der Musikhochschule Dresden East Germany, Jürgen Eger East Germany, Lin Jaldati East Germany, Silly East Germany, Jürgen Walter East Germany, Cassiber West Germany, Duo Goebbels/Harth West Germany, Patricio Manns Chile, Noel Nicola Cuba, Mikis Theodorakis Greece, Willem Breuker Quartett Netherlands, Letta Mbulu South Africa, Oskorri Spain, New York Street Theatre Caravan United States
February 12–19, 1984 Pialkowski/Rieck East Germany, Schicht, Wenzel & Mensching East Germany, Duck and Cover West Germany, Hannes Wader West Germany, Zupfgeigenhansel West Germany, Mercedes Sosa Argentina, Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung Austria, Los Jaivas Chile, Ángel Parra Chile, Khaled el Habr Lebanon, Gabino Palomares Mexico, Jackson Kaujeua South Africa (Namibia), Czesław Niemen Poland, Schanna Bitschewskaja Soviet Union, Utamaduni Tanzania
February 10–17, 1985 Karls Enkel East Germany, Gina Pietsch East Germany, Rotdorn East Germany, Dieter Süverkrüp West Germany, Zupfgeigenhansel West Germany, Atahualpa Yupanqui Argentina, Eric Bogle Australia, Bruce Cockburn Canada, Quilapayún Chile, Silvio Rodríguez + Afro-Cuba Cuba, Budka Suflera Poland, Miriam Makeba South Africa, René Bardet Switzerland, San Francisco Mime Troupe United States
February 16–23, 1986 Norbert Bischoff East Germany, Kerschowski East Germany, Pension Volkmann East Germany, Franz Josef Degenhardt West Germany, Cuarteto Cedrón Argentina, Aroona Australia, Francis Bebey Cameroon, George Hewison Canada, Pony Canada, Billy Bragg United Kingdom, Leon Rosselson United Kingdom, Herman van Veen Netherlands, Grupo Pueblo Nicaragua, Amandla South Africa, Pi de la Serra Spain, Grupo Raiz/Osvaldo Torres United States, Pete Seeger United States
February 15–22, 1987 Gerhard Gundermann East Germany, Wenzel & Mensching East Germany, Maike Nowak East Germany, Dietrich Kittner West Germany, León Gieco Argentina, Mercedes Sosa Argentina, Attila the Stockbroker and The Neurotics United Kingdom, Red Music United Kingdom, Maria Dimitriadi Greece, Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy Nicaragua, Heber Bartolome Philippines, Elżbieta Wojnowska Poland, Abdullah Ibrahim South Africa, Maria del Mar Bonet Spain, Luci Murphy United States
February 14–21, 1988 Aufwind East Germany, Arno Schmidt East Germany, Gerhard Schöne East Germany, Duo Sonnenschirm East Germany, Sturmvögel East Germany, Cassiber West Germany, Wolf Brannasky West Germany, Johannes Hodek West Germany, No Fixed Address Australia, Erika Pluhar Austria, Maria da Paz Brazil, Moncada Cuba, Ewan MacColl + Peggy Seeger United Kingdom, Amparo Ochoa Mexico, Norma Gadea Nicaragua, Carlos Mejía Godoy Nicaragua, Tania Libertad Peru, ANC-Ensemble South Africa, the Kalahari Surfers South Africa, Yarınistan TurkeyWest Germany, Sweet Honey in the Rock United States, Stella Chiweshe Zimbabwe
February 12–19, 1989 Gerhard Gundermann East Germany, Jams East Germany, Jalda Rebling East Germany, Arno Schmidt East Germany, Die Zöllner East Germany, Heinz Rudolf Kunze West Germany, Zwei Drittel West Germany, Chalk Circle Canada, Santiago Felíu Cuba, Billy Bragg United Kingdom, Oyster Band United Kingdom, Angelo Branduardi Italy, DPRK Youth Ensemble North Korea, SWAPO Children's Chorus South Africa (Namibia), Michelle Shocked United States, Daniel Viglietti Uruguay
February 11–18, 1990 Reinhold Andert East Germany, Norbert Bischoff & Gesellschaft East Germany, Gerhard Gundermann East Germany, Bolschewistische Kurkapelle East Germany, Oktoberklub East Germany, Duo Sonnenschirm East Germany, IG Blech West Germany, Ute Lemper West Germany, Konstantin Wecker West Germany, Mercedes Sosa Argentina, Inti-Illimani Chile, Fanfare van de Eerste Liefdesnacht Netherlands, Terem Soviet Union, The Klezmatics United States

Gallery

See also


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