Hannes Wader (born Hans Eckard Wader on 23 June 1942) is a German singer-songwriter ("Liedermacher"). He has been an important figure in German leftist circles since the 1970s, with his songs covering such themes as socialist and communist resistance to oppression in Europe and other places like Latin America. He both wrote new songs and played versions of older historical works.
Life and work
Hannes Wader 1975 at the Lenzburg Folkfestival in Switzerland
Wader was born in Bethel, near Bielefeld, Westphalia, Germany. His works are mostly based on German Folk songs. Aside from his own lyrics, he also performs works of famous poets like Eichendorff. He now rarely sings the workers' songs and socialist hymns that used to be a large part of his repertoire. In 1997 he published an album exclusively with songs by Franz Schubert. He also performed translated works from Carl Michael Bellman on the album Liebe, Schnaps & Tod.
In the 1970s, Hannes Wader became one of the stars of the political left through his provocative songs. He was a member of the German Communist Party from 1977 to 1991. Wader even came under suspicions of terrorism because of his song Der Tankerkönig, a spoken song about kidnapping a tycoon.
^"Die bisherigen Preisträger" [The previous laureates]. Deutscher Kleinkunstpreis (in German). Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
^ abGerlach, Martin; Scholz, Peter; Moritz, Klaus; Schulze, Marcus (8 July 2012). "Hannes Wader bekommt beim TFF Rudolstadt 'Ruth' für Lebenswerk" [Hannes Wader to receive 'Ruth' at TFF Rudolstadt for Lifetime Achievement]. Ostthüringer Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 22 March 2013.
