Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer paid tribute to singer-songwriter Wolf Biermann on 13 November 2026 for his resistance to the SED dictatorship . In a congratulatory message released in advance of Biermann’s 90th birthday on 15 November, Weimer highlighted the fact that the artist had not abandoned his criticism despite state bans and repression. Biermann’s expulsion from the GDR in 1976 had prompted solidarity in both East and West.
Weimer’s statement links the birthday to another anniversary: 16 November 2026 marks 50 years since Biermann’s expulsion. The decision was taken while Biermann was on a concert tour of West Germany. It became a turning point for the singer-songwriter and sparked protests among cultural figures.
Biermann was born on 15 November 1936 in Hamburg . His father was murdered in Auschwitz in 1943; he was Jewish and part of the communist resistance. In 1953, his son moved to the GDR. He later worked as an assistant director at the Berliner Ensemble and began writing poems and songs. The composer Hanns Eisler supported him.
Biermann had already come into conflict with the cultural authorities before his expulsion. A workers’ and students’ theatre he had set up was closed in 1963. A play about the construction of the Berliner Mauer was not allowed to be performed there. In 1965, the GDR authorities imposed a ban on performances and publications after a book of poems and a record of his were released in West Germany.
On 13 November 1976, Biermann began a concert tour of West Germany in Cologne . Three days later, the Politburo of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany decided to expel him. The leadership justified this by saying that his programme was directed against the GDR and socialism. On 17 November, twelve leading East German intellectuals protested against the decision in a petition. There were also public protests in West Germany.
The episode illustrates the contrast between the GDR leadership’s claim to control culture politically and the public dissent prompted by its decision. Biermann continued to criticise the GDR after his expulsion, but according to the Living Museum Online he remained committed to socialism. In December 1989, after a long absence, he performed in the GDR again, giving a concert in Leipzig.
A concert is scheduled for 16 November 2026 at the Berliner Ensemble. Biermann is thus returning to the place where he once worked as an assistant director. Another birthday concert, featuring guests, is due to take place at Leipzig’s Gewandhaus on 20 November.
On 31 May 2026, Biermann was awarded the Grand Decoration of the Order Pour le mérite for Sciences and Arts in Berlin. Weimer’s tribute now emphasises above all the political significance of his work: the minister sees Biermann’s career as an example of the impact of free speech.
Editor: Celestina Fuentes (Article created with AI assistance).