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https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21216#0267
Rothschilds Wolf Biermann Liedermacher und Socialist, 1977) but also upon bis
having been forbidden to perform publically in East Gerrnany, the land he chose
to hve in, due to his critical songs and Statements and finally the revoking of his
citizenship in November 1976.
It was through Baez' showing pubhc support for him in May 1966 that I first
heard his name. Baez' action, what she later referred to as a "political move"
(Kassel press Conference, June 9, 1981) was to have Biermann attend her East
Berlin concert meant to be aired on television. Her bringing Biermann withher
as herguest, outwittingthe attemptsof officialsto preventhim from attending by
having procured tickets for him ahead of time, and by dedicating a song to him
during her concert ensured that the program was never aired. This was, if my
memory serves, reported in the pages of Sing Out Magazine at the time. Baez'
recounting of the scene at the Kassel press confernece in 1981 is as an example
of censorship. She recounts in some detail but must be reminded of Biermann's
name, remembering him first only as "the Singer, the east german singer" "block -
ing his name out". Biermann too remembered the scene and gave it as an exam-
ple to attest to Baez' political acumen (e.g. her securing tickets for him before-
hand, personal communication). In the program booklet for Biermann's 1984
tour, the only photograph is of Biermann with Baez at the peace festival in St.
Pauli Stadion, Hamburg, (a reprint from "Die Zeit" No. 37, Sept. 9, 1983) as
well as an excerpt from a conversation between the two at that festival which
shows Baez' solidarity with him (her readiness to refuse to appear if he is not
allowed to perform through pressuring of the German Communist Party DKP).
For Biermann, Baez is a great artist ("eine grosse Künstlerin") and a person
with integrity (interview May 24, 1984). Admitting to and being proud of his
being learned ("seine Bildung") he noted that with her voice Baez has no need to
be an intellectual, she could reach people simply through her voice. He comp-
pared her to a beautiful plant and himself to a predatory animal ("sie ist eine
schöne Pflanze und ich bin ein Raubtier" (ibid) ). The most important differ-
ence between the two (much more important than the list of comparisons and
contrasts I had prepared and showed to him, and which he in turn dismissed as
being "schulhaft") is that he is primarily a songwriter while Baez is an interpre-
tative artist. For Biermann his main vehicle is not his voice but his songs. He was
unaware that Baez too wrote songs. His assessment of Baez, however füll of
praise, reduces her impact to the beauty of her voice. I have tried to show that
262
having been forbidden to perform publically in East Gerrnany, the land he chose
to hve in, due to his critical songs and Statements and finally the revoking of his
citizenship in November 1976.
It was through Baez' showing pubhc support for him in May 1966 that I first
heard his name. Baez' action, what she later referred to as a "political move"
(Kassel press Conference, June 9, 1981) was to have Biermann attend her East
Berlin concert meant to be aired on television. Her bringing Biermann withher
as herguest, outwittingthe attemptsof officialsto preventhim from attending by
having procured tickets for him ahead of time, and by dedicating a song to him
during her concert ensured that the program was never aired. This was, if my
memory serves, reported in the pages of Sing Out Magazine at the time. Baez'
recounting of the scene at the Kassel press confernece in 1981 is as an example
of censorship. She recounts in some detail but must be reminded of Biermann's
name, remembering him first only as "the Singer, the east german singer" "block -
ing his name out". Biermann too remembered the scene and gave it as an exam-
ple to attest to Baez' political acumen (e.g. her securing tickets for him before-
hand, personal communication). In the program booklet for Biermann's 1984
tour, the only photograph is of Biermann with Baez at the peace festival in St.
Pauli Stadion, Hamburg, (a reprint from "Die Zeit" No. 37, Sept. 9, 1983) as
well as an excerpt from a conversation between the two at that festival which
shows Baez' solidarity with him (her readiness to refuse to appear if he is not
allowed to perform through pressuring of the German Communist Party DKP).
For Biermann, Baez is a great artist ("eine grosse Künstlerin") and a person
with integrity (interview May 24, 1984). Admitting to and being proud of his
being learned ("seine Bildung") he noted that with her voice Baez has no need to
be an intellectual, she could reach people simply through her voice. He comp-
pared her to a beautiful plant and himself to a predatory animal ("sie ist eine
schöne Pflanze und ich bin ein Raubtier" (ibid) ). The most important differ-
ence between the two (much more important than the list of comparisons and
contrasts I had prepared and showed to him, and which he in turn dismissed as
being "schulhaft") is that he is primarily a songwriter while Baez is an interpre-
tative artist. For Biermann his main vehicle is not his voice but his songs. He was
unaware that Baez too wrote songs. His assessment of Baez, however füll of
praise, reduces her impact to the beauty of her voice. I have tried to show that
262