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The multidimensional artist Gerhard Rüdiger Gundermann, better known by his stage name Gundermann, had an enduring impression on the German music scene. Gerhard Gundermann was born on February 21, 1955.
Gundermann had a life that resembled asceticism in many respects, abstaining from drugs, alcohol, and tobacco while firmly committing to vegetarianism. He was an excavator operator, which required a lot of his time, and his workaholism hurt his health.
Early Life
Gundermann’s life began in Weimar but underwent a big change when his family moved to Hoyerswerda In 1967. Following the completion of secondary school, he spent a year in the Löbau military college, but after being dismissed in 1975, he decided to take a new direction.
In Saxony’s Spreetal region, he found employment in the coal mining sector. As he started evening classes in 1976, the Stasi, the domestic intelligence agency of East Germany, secretly enlisted him as a collaborator under the alias “Grigori.”
Gundermann tried to join the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED), the party in power, in 1977, but his outspoken views caused his dismissal the following year. He persevered despite this, and after appealing, his penalty was downgraded to a “strong rebuke.”
Career
Gundermann’s musical journey started in 1986. He started to develop popularity as a singer-songwriter, and in 1987, he took first place and received a recording deal in the East German national song competition.
The 1988 publication of his first studio album, “Männer, Frauen und Maschinen” (Men, Women, and Machines), marked a change from his previous solo acoustic performances. The CD included lively songs like “Halte durch” (English translation: “Hang in there!”) and a supporting band. Also noteworthy was the inclusion of the touching ode to his homeland, “Hoy Woy.”
When did Gerhard Gundermann Die?
Gundermann passed away on June 21, 1998, when he experienced an apoplexy at his Spreetal home. He only lived to be 43 years old, leaving a wife and four children in his wake. His sad demise came less than two years after that of his friend and fellow musician Tamara Danz, who also died at the age of 43.
In 2018, the singer-songwriter’s life and career were celebrated in the biographical film “Gundermann,” which was directed by Andreas Dresen. Gundermann was portrayed by actor Alexander Scheer, whose potent performance won him several awards at the 2019 German Filmpreis (Deutscher Filmpreis), including Best Film, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Screenplay, and Best Director.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerhard_Gundermann
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-gerhard-gundermann-1167078.html
