The Berlin wall was built to separate Communism and Democracy, but above all, to stop the spread of people. Berlin, in the early parts of kept many things out of either side; Democracy from the East, and Music out of the West, or so they tried. Many musicians found ways to rebel against the Border that separated such an important city as Berlin. While many musicians conformed to the rules of the system, an East German band ‘Die Puhdys’ managed to make themselves heard.
THE EAST:
Formed in 1969, Die Puhdys were notorious against the DDR, the East German State. Why? Because they sang in English. This was a massive protest, not only to the Soviets, of whom most would’ve been absolutely fuming at the spread of music, were now having to face the spread of the English language in their communist nation. Die Puhdys became internationally acclaimed and became a beacon of hope for the youth in the DDR, living with the hope that one day they would live life with freedom. Die Puhdys were also were chosen as the ‘most popular band’ in the East German youth magazine. The band were also one of the first East German Bands to tour West Germany with the wall still up.
THE WEST:
On the other side of the Wall, in 1987, David Bowie was finding a way to bring the Germans back together. He arrived in West Germany for the last concert of his ‘Heroes’ song. This song was created as a memorial of Dietmar Schweitzer and Henri Weise, both victims of the Berlin Wall within a few months. He played his music so loudly that a huge crowd gathered almost on the East side of the wall to hear Bowie sing. As the concert progressed, Bowie even managed to hear his East German fans singing. Not only was music a protest to the tyranny the East Germans were suffering, it created unity. Bowie described this concert as ‘one of the most emotional performances I had ever done, I was in tears’ Some reports of Bowie’s concert even say that the sound techincians turned up the volume so high, the Berlin wall barely stopped any of the sound, and the East Germans felt the freedom rushing through their blood.
AFTER THE FALL OF THE WALL:
Music, although it brought the separated nations together when it wasn’t physically possible, when the Berlin Wall collapsed, it brought musicians from around the world to bring the nations back together. David Hasselhoff gave a concert to the young, reunited Germany on New Years Eve of 1989. He sang while hoisted from a crane. He sang to an estimated half a million Berliners, with firecrackers being hurled close to him and fireworks constantly going off. He also wore a bright jacket and Jeans. This was revolutionary. East germans likely wouldn’t have seen such a wildly dressed man in 30 years.
All in all, music played a massive part in the fall of the Berlin Wall. It created unity between separated nations and created hope for both the West and East Germans that one day they might be one again.
