Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Renft passes away, street to be named after Tamara Danz

This passed weekend another well-known East German musician, Klaus Renft, passed away at the age of 64. He had suffered from cancer. Renft was leader of the Klaus Renft Combo, a band that was founded in 1958 in Leipzig. One of its most-well known songs was "Wer die Rose ehrt". Due to its very politically critical songs, the band was forbidden in the 1970s.
Personally, I do not have a true connection to the Renft combo, but it still saddens me that after Tamara Danz of Silly and Herbert Dreilich of Karat another great East German musician has passed away. Having grown up with a father who loved music, I listened to the radio a lot as a child and followed the East German charts religiously. Thus, such "oldies" like "Wer die Rose ehrt", "Als ich wie ein Vogel war" and "Apfeltraum" are dear to my heart and I still listen to them. Just like I still (occassionally) listen to Karat and Silly.

And speaking of Silly: TAZ reports, that a street around the new Anschutz-Arena in Berlin (in the Ostbahnhof area) will be named "Tamara-Danz-Street". Tamara Danz was the lead singer of the band Silly and died from cancer in 1996. Information as to why the city council choose Tamara Danz isn't available. However, Tamara Danz lived and worked in Berlin and aften sang about the city.

Now, I am wondering if we will see in the future a Renft-square or a Dreilich-Road? Maybe a suggestion for urban planners?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I was very happy to hear about the possible naming of a street for Tamara Danz: Listening to her singing such songs (and her compositions) as Asyl im Paradies, Bye Bye, and Bataillon D'amour have given me so much pleasure... I was introduced to Silly by an Ossi friend of mine in Cafe Postiv. Their songs--especially because of Danz's vocals--have such an ethereal quality.