Gerd Knesel

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Gerd Knesel (born February 16, 1946 in Geesthacht ; † May 19, 1992 ibid) was a German songwriter who was supported by the CDU as a counterpart to the mostly left-wing songwriting scene at the end of the 1970s . During his career as a “political singer-songwriter”, Knesel set primarily texts by Hubertus Scheurer to music .

Life

The accelerated career of Gerd Knesel began with appearances at CDU election events, which was soon accompanied by record releases with titles such as This concerns us all , concerns in the sights or songs against the left .

The lyrics full of swipes at left musicians and left politics initially led to violent unrest in the left songwriting scene. Some , like Hans Scheibner , spoke out against Knesel publicly, while others advised ignoring him. Gerhard Löwenthal , who moderated the political ZDF magazine from 1969 to 1987 , occasionally invited Gerd Knesel to the show to present a song, e.g. B. “Afghanistan”, in which the explosive political situation was discussed. At the beginning of the 1980s Knesel disappeared after two records in "black, red and gold" look again from the public focus, after songs against links almost all radio stations had stopped playing his works and his record contract with RCA was terminated.

On the label Contrast-Records , founded by Knesel's wife Doris , another three records with mostly political texts were released. In addition, his songs appeared on publications by CDU member of the Bundestag Herbert Lattmann , as well as the community of citizens' initiatives for energy security and nuclear technology .

Since Knesel's parents were displaced from their homeland , he had a connection to the displaced and therefore also songs about this in the program. From the mid-1980s, this led to the publication of a total of five music cassettes with East Prussian songs, for which Knesel carried out extensive historical source research.

In 2009 his widow Doris released a CD with selected political songs.

Publications

  • This concerns us all - we are targeting the dubious (LP, RCA, 1979; new edition on Contrast Records)
  • Lieder gegen Links (LP, RCA, 1980; new edition on Contrast Records)
  • "We need all energies!" / "When the red ones are green" (single, published by AEK)
  • "If the bad boys lure you ..." / "Die Neue, deu're Heimat" (single, edited by Herbert Lattmann )
  • "Never again war" / "A letter from the Gulag" (single, Contrast Records)
  • "Liebeslied an Berlin" / "Right to Home" (Single, Contrast Records)
  • Shadow Strings (LP, Contrast Records, 1981)
  • Truthful Evil Or Evil Truths?
  • Knesel's No. 5
  • "Boris Bum Bum" (single, Contrast Records, 1985)
  • "To remember an upright man" (double CD, Contrast Records, 2009)

Web links

Single receipts

  1. ↑ See also on the following Philipp Schmidt-Rhaesa: Development of songwriting .
  2. ↑ See also on the following Martin Lessenthin: Boycott against an uncomfortable singer , in: Das Ostpreußenblatt of October 11, 1986, p. 4.
personal data
SURNAME Knesel, Gerd
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German songwriter
DATE OF BIRTH February 16, 1946
PLACE OF BIRTH Geesthacht
DATE OF DEATH May 19, 1992
Place of death Geesthacht