Hannes Wader

Hannes Wader

Hannes Wader performing in Augsburg in 2010
Background information
Birth name Hans Eckard Wader
Born (1942-06-23) 23 June 1942
Bethel, near Bielefeld
Origin Bielefeld, Westphalia
Years active 1969–present
Labels Mercury, Pläne
Associated acts Konstantin Wecker
Website www.hanneswader.de

Hannes Wader (born Hans Eckard Wader on 23 June 1942) is a German singer-songwriter ("Liedermacher"). He was an important figure in German leftist circles from the 1970s to the present, with his songs covering such themes as socialist and communist resistance to oppression in Europe and other places like Latin America. He both wrote new songs and played versions of older historical works.

Life and work

Wader was born in Bethel, near Bielefeld, Westphalia, Germany. His works are mostly based on German folk songs. Aside from his own lyrics, he also performs works of famous poets like Eichendorff. He now rarely sings the workers' songs and socialist hymns that used to be a large part of his repertoire. He recently published an album exclusively with songs by Franz Schubert. He also performed translated works from Carl Michael Bellman on the album Liebe, Schnaps & Tod.

Remarkably, many of the social issues Wader sang about are still relevant today. Besides Franz Josef Degenhardt, Wader is one of the most active political singers in Germany.

In the 1970s, Hannes Wader became one of the stars of the political left through his provocative songs. He was a member of the German Communist Party from 1977 to 1991. Wader even came under suspicions of terrorism because of his song Der Tankerkönig, a spoken song about kidnapping a tycoon.

In 1973, he moved to Struckum, in Nordfriesland, where he published some of his later albums. In 1998, he and his family moved to Steinburg, district of Schleswig-Holstein.

He has published numerous albums and still tours throughout Germany. He appears in open-air concerts and also in clubs.

Awards

Year Award Category
1974 Deutscher Kleinkunstpreis Chanson[1]
1975 Deutscher Schallplattenpreis[2]
2012 RUTH (German World Music Award) Lifetime achievement[2]
2013 Echo Lifetime achievement[3]

Performed songs (selected)

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ "Die bisherigen Preisträger" [The previous laureates]. Deutscher Kleinkunstpreis (in German). Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  2. 1 2 Gerlach, Martin; Scholz, Peter; Moritz, Klaus; Schulze, Marcus (8 July 2012). "Hannes Wader bekommt beim TFF Rudolstadt 'Ruth' für Lebenswerk" [Hannes Wader to receive 'Ruth' at TFF Rudolstadt for Lifetime Achievement]. Ostthüringer Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  3. ↑ Kohlmaier, Matthias (22 March 2013). "Der alte Mann und der Punk" [The Old Man and the Punk]. Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 22 March 2013.

External links

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