University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1980 There is a life before death: The Wolf Biermann story John Shreve The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Shreve, John, "There is a life before death: The Wolf Biermann story" (1980). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 5262. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/5262 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. COPYRIGHT ACT OF 1976 Th is is an unpublished m a n u s c r ip t in w h ic h c o p y r ig h t sub ­ s i s t s . Any further r e p r in t in g of it s contents must be approved BY THE AUTHOR. Ma n s f ie l d L ib r a r y Un iv e r s it y o f-M ontana D ate: 198 0 THERE IS A LIFE BEFORE DEATH THE WOLF BIERMANN STORY by John Shreve B.A., University of Montana, 1976 Presented 1n p a rtial fu lfillm e n t of the requirements fo r the degree of Master of Arts UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 1980 Approved by: & Chairman, Board of Examiners Deari% Graduate Scho6T S'-U- S'o Date UMI Number: EP40726 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had te be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. OfMwtation PabBsl®i§ UMI EP40726 Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 Shreve, John, M .A ., June 8, 1980 German There is a L ife before Death. The Wolf Biermann Story (295 pp.) Director: Dennis McCormick This study investigates the songs and poems of the Communist w riter Wolf Biermann during his years in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). They are examined as products o f his orthodox Communist upbringing and his experience 1n the GDR. Of central in terest 1s the degree to which the songs and poems reflect concrete political reality in the GDR as well as Biermann's democratic p o litic a l convictions. This is the f ir s t comprehensive study of Wolf Biermann, his w ritin g , and his political views. The basic material for this study was gathered from numerous a rtic le s from newspapers, popular magazines, and profes­ sional journals. Documentary sources were supplemented by seeing Wolf Biermann in concert on three occasions, listening to him participate in p o litic a l panel discussions, viewing two films concerning his l i f e and work, studying his recordings and the many Interviews he has given, by speaking with people who know and have worked with him, by discussing the "Biermann case" with many workers and professional people in the GDR, and through personal conversations with Wolf Biermann. Using a biograph­ ical format, this study examines almost a ll of Biermann's writings during his years in the GDR as well as his first writings published after his expatriation from the GDR. A central theme of Wolf Biermann is the paradox that the ruling Social­ ist Unity Party at once hinders and builds Socialism, by raising Socialist hopes and then not f u lf illin g them. Biermann is one of the few " a ll- German" writers. The division of the German people is portrayed in his writings as a national tragedy which can only be overcome by the creation of a united Socialist Germany. The strongest influence on Wolf Biermann's personal and p o litic a l devel opment has been the legacy of his father, a Jewish Communist who had been active in the anti-fascist resistance and was murdered in Auschwitz. Biermann's songs and poems are products of two traditions: that of Marxist humanism and the German folk song. Although his w riting is based on an unshakable fa ith in Communism, he is not dogmatic. In his songs and poems he entertains no illusions about the political situation in the GDR, and yet repeatedly reaffirms his belief in a continual process of social development which can, If properly Influenced, lead to a democratic Social 1st society. Any quotations which are not footnoted are taken from conversations with Wolf. Without his help and that of Sonja Schwarz-Arendt th is thesis could not have been w ritten. The work put into this thesis is dedicated to Chantal Fourcault, Robert Aquado and Christiane Friedrich. TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract page i1 Preface ................ <....................— page v1 Chapter One: The Heritage page 1 Chapter Two: From Berlin to Hamburg.. page 10 Chapter Three: Beginnings ..............................................................................page 20 Chapter Four: The Storm page 36 Chapter Five: Die Drahtharfe .................................................. page 61 Chapter Six: Chaussesstrasse 131. page 90 Chapter Seven: The B lu e s ... ..........................................................................page 97 Chapter Eight: 1968 and West Germany ........................................................page 119 Chapter Nine: Mit Marx- und Engelszungen: 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3................ page 122 Chapter Ten: Der Dra-Dra ................................................................................page 145 Chapter Eleven: Daniel, e tc ..........................................................................page 159 Chapter Twelve: Deutschland. Ein Winterm«lrchen ..................................page 164 Song fo r my Comrades page 175 Chapter Thirteen: F(lr meine Genossen page 179 Chapter Fourteen: "aaahhh..." ......................................................................page 198 Chapter Fifteen: Non-person ..........................................................................page 204 Chapter Sixteen: Liebeslieder ...................................................................... page 212 Chapter Seventeen: Smoldering F ire ............................................................page 219 Chapter Eighteen: Es gibt ein Leben vor dem Tod.... page 224 Chapter Nineteen: The Prenzlau Sermon ......................................................page 229 Chapter Twenty: Cologne -page 234 Ballad of the Prussian Icarus ..................................................................... ..page 238 Chapter Twenty-One: E xile page 240 A Concert: "Aren't your asses c o ld ...? " .............. page 255 Altona.................................... ................................ page 255 Postscript: Deutsches Miserere ................................................. ..page 276 Bibliography page 286 PREFACE "Instead of this business of getting loose from the people to devote myself to a rt, I want to get loose from a rt to devote myself to the people." Woody Guthrie 1. Wolf Biermann is a w rite r and singer of p o litic a l songs. He was raised by his mother to be a Communist and the f ir s t songs he learned were those of the Communist workers' movement. He learned them during the years of the Nazi dictatorship, that is, at a time when they were forbidden. The songs were sung behind closed doors and they in s tille d a sense of belonging, of solidarity. They were handed down as a part of a legacy of struggle for a better world. Wolf Biermann accepted the Communist dream as a matter of faith and to this day, despite so many setbacks and disappointments, his faith has not been shaken. It is this faith which is at the heart of all the songs he writes and sings and one must bear this in mind i f one is to understand why Wolf Biermann sings and why he sings what he does. Biermann f ir s t began w riting songs at the age of twenty-three or twenty-four, that is, relatively late. He was moved to writing for politi­ cal reasons. He came to the conclusion that songs are an effective poli­ tical tool, a way in which he could promote his political ideals. He is therefore a thoroughly political writer. Or to take it a step further, one could say that he is not a writer who happens to write political songs and poems, but a p o litic a l a c tiv is t who writes songs and poems. Among many people the doubt lingers on as to whether i t is wise to mix "art" and politics. This question has received particular attention in Germany where it has long been fe lt that "art" and politics mix no better than do oil and water. This is not the place to continue such an esoteric debate. Let i t only be said that fo r Wolf Biermann the question presents no problem. In my case the impulse to w rite comes from p o litic a l passions... There are other poets, they come from the opposite direction, from a r tis tic passions to the p o litic a l. .You know, in the end the question of art or politics 1s a stupid question, a sham question. After all it's all the same thing. It is at most * interesting with regard to beginnings, to original impulses and they are in my case unequivocally, one-hundred-percent political. 2. If music could only bring peace I'd only be a musician. I f songs could do more than dull the pain! I f melodies could only break these chains! Pete Seeger It would be impossible to measure the strength of political songs. Those who believe in their power surely overrate it. Sceptics undoubtedly underestimate it. The fact that such songs come into existence and survive is the strongest testimony that they do have power.