In the divided Germany of the Cold War, the coal miner and musician Gerhard Gundermann sang political songs in support of the GDR state. Expelled from the communist party for dissent in 1984, he became a leading advocate of change in the years prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall. In the united Germany of the 1990s, as new divisions emerged between society’s winners and losers, Gundermann released four highly acclaimed albums reflecting the view of the socially marginalized. Although he died prematurely in 1998 at the age of 43, a strong remembrance culture celebrates his legacy up to the present day in the former East.

This paper will look at the narrative persona Gundermann created in his songwriting, always representing the perspective of the powerless.

Dr. David Robb has recently completed an AHRC Research Development and Engagement Fellowship on the work of Gerhard Gundermann. He has translated his songs into English and released the album Filling Station for Losers. Songs of Gundermann (Buschfunk 2024). www.songsofgundermann.com