2. Festival des politischen Liedes – Wer, wenn nicht wir (1971, Eterna, vinyl rip)

This album features artists from 16 different countries taking part at the second “Festival des politischen Liedes” in 1971.

Tracklisting

01. Oktober-Klub – Auf, auf zum Kampf
02. Oktober-Klub – Seid euch bewusst der Macht
03. Isabel Parra – En septiembre canta el gallo
04. Oktober-Klub – Streiklied
05. Il contemporaneo – Que il nostro Vietnam
06. Thanh nien Ho Chi Minh – Der Hügel der zehn Helden
07. Oktober-Klub – Vietnams Geschütze
08. Oktober-Klub – Prometheus
09. Lutschina – Lied über Schtschors
10. Venceremos Club – Lied der Gleichen
11. Agitprop – Kenen joukoissa seisot
12. Francesca Solleville – Mexiko 68
13. Quilapayún – Comienza la vida nueva
14. Venceremos Club – Die Partei
15. Oktober-Klub – Die Thälmann-Kolonne

2. Festival des politischen Liedes – Wer, wenn nicht wir (1971)

(192 kbps, complete cover art included)

2. Festival des politischen Liedes – Wer, wenn nicht wir (1971, Eterna, vinyl rip)

This album features artists from 16 different countries taking part at the second “Festival des politischen Liedes” in 1971.

Tracklisting

01. Oktober-Klub – Auf, auf zum Kampf
02. Oktober-Klub – Seid euch bewusst der Macht
03. Isabel Parra – En septiembre canta el gallo
04. Oktober-Klub – Streiklied
05. Il contemporaneo – Que il nostro Vietnam
06. Thanh nien Ho Chi Minh – Der Hügel der zehn Helden
07. Oktober-Klub – Vietnams Geschütze
08. Oktober-Klub – Prometheus
09. Lutschina – Lied über Schtschors
10. Venceremos Club – Lied der Gleichen
11. Agitprop – Kenen joukoissa seisot
12. Francesca Solleville – Mexiko 68
13. Quilapayún – Comienza la vida nueva
14. Venceremos Club – Die Partei
15. Oktober-Klub – Die Thälmann-Kolonne

2. Festival des politischen Liedes – Wer, wenn nicht wir (1971)

(192 kbps, complete cover art included)

1. Festival des politischen Liedes – Song `70 (Eterna, vinyl rip)

The “Festival of Political Songs” was one of the largest music events in East Germany. This festival provided a meeting place for politically involved musicians from around the globe with a like-minded audience.

It was founded by the group Oktoberklub and between 1970 and 1990 took place in East Berlin every February as an official event of the Free German Youth. The event was first organized by the Berlin division, but from 1975 was directed by the Central Committee of the Free German Youth.

Artists from 60 countries participated in the event over the years, and usually between 50 to 80 artists, from around 30 countries, performed, including prominent artists like Mikis Theodorakis, Miriam Makeba, Quilapayún, Inti-Illimani, Silvio Rodríguez, Mercedes Sosa, Canzoniere delle Lame, and Pete Seeger. The mascot of the festival was a red sparrow named Oki (derived from Oktoberklub).

After the collapse of East Germany, the festival lost its function and supporting infrastructure.

From 1991 to 1994 the association ZwischenWelt-Förderverein continued the tradition of the political song festival along with a progressive Cultural festival. After the break-up of this association and until 1999 no festivals took place. In 2000 a successful small-scale revival of the festival took place. The new orientation of the festival manifested itself in 2001 with the festival’s new name: “Festival Musik und Politik”, taking place this week in Berlin.

We start today posting some albums documenting these festivals.

The album from the first “Festival des politischen Liedes” in 1970 features recordings from the opening and closing event at the Kongresshalle, Berlin, february 15 and 21, 1970.

1. Festival des politischen Liedes – Song `70 (Eterna)

(192 kbps, front & back cover included)

Concert Review: Buffy Sainte-Marie, Berlin, February 3rd, 2010, Culture House Astra

 

Had the chance to see Buffy Sainte-Marie last week, this is what a good friend of ours wrote about this evening:

“Wow, what an evening for my heart of an hippie. Me, the one who was born to late for the political music stuff of the 60ties, me, who grew up at the countryside between rockers and yuppies. And now I was during a lot of people, who seems very nice and very hippie and between sixty and thirty years of age. But we all gave an enthusiastic audience although we sat on padded chairs. And together with her three companions, Buffy gave us a warmhearted concert in this fine concert room of the Astra Culture House, which was lit absolutely gorgeous.

Near to me came a small group of authentic fans to a rest. And the two behind me told her neighbors, that they made their journey from Madgeburg to Berlin extra for this concert. Maybe it was because of this glowing fans the hall danced while everybody was sitting well-behaved on his chair. Every song from Buffy brought my neighbors to an inspired whisper and an absolutely silence when the song started. But then they started to sing and dance with their feet while sitting on their chairs. Beside them I felt at home.

Buffy did everything to give us a collective and personal feeling and she did this really great. She gave all of her heart and added her political attitude. As always during the “Universal Solier” I had to twinkle through my tears and it was good to see, that I wasn’t alone with this. If you don’t know the reason why Buffy has written this song, you have to search for the youtube-video, where she explains it.

All songs were fantastic and all of the four musicians took to me in their unique behavior. There was the young man at the drums who supported Buffy with yelling during some songs. There was the bassist with his five string bass who always moved with the rhythm. And the guitarist who stood calm aside and gave us together with Buffy the melody. And before and with every song Buffy told us a short story about the Native Americans, uranium mining, polution, social inequality, war and peace. It was a serious evening filled with many reasons to enjoy life. No question, I would do it again.”

Thanks a lot for sharing your impressions with us!