Timeline

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1945


May 15, 1945

Reopening of theaters and cinemas


May 18, 1945

First Radio Symphony Concert


June 08, 1945

First concert by members of the Dresdner Philharmonie (Dresden Philharmonic) in Dresden-Strehlen


June 30, 1945

Reopening of the Palucca School Dresden founded in 1925


July 01, 1945

First appearance of the Kreuzchor in Dresden after the Second World War


July 04, 1945

Foundation of the Cultural Association


August 02, 1945

Opening of the Metropol Theater in the Colosseum movie theater in Berlin


August 10, 1945

Start of the opera season at the Dresden State Opera


August 12, 1945

Concert of Sorbian choirs with the choir of a unit of the Soviet Army in Bautzen


September 1945

First appearance of the monthly magazine “Aufbau”


September 04, 1945

SMAD order on the reestablishment of the art institutions


September 08, 1945

First performance of the German State Opera Berlin after the Second World War in the house of the former Admiralspalast


September 15, 1945

Commissioning of the Leipzig radio station

1946


1946

New opening or reopening of the conservatories in Dresden, Halle, Leipzig, Rostock and Weimar


February 03, 1946 – February 05, 1946

First Central Cultural Conference of the KPD in Berlin (February 3–5, 1946)


May 14, 1946 – May 15, 1946

2nd meeting of the SED Party Executive Committee in Berlin (May 14 and 15, 1946)


May 25, 1946

State University of Music Weimar opened


June 09, 1946

Reopening of the Schumann Museum in the Zwickau Municipal Museum


July 1946

First publication of the monthly magazine “Theater der Zeit”


July 01, 1946

Order No. 187 of the Supreme Chief of the SMAD on the Reopening of the German Academy of Sciences in Berlin


August 01, 1946

1st Summer Course of the Palucca School Dresden


August 01, 1946

The German Academy of Sciences in Berlin (DAW) resumes its work


August 12, 1946

Founding of the record company “Lied der Zeit”


August 15, 1946

Formation of the General Directorate of Radio Stations in the Soviet Occupation Zone

1947


1947

Foundation of the first Volksmusikschulen (People’s Music Schools) in the Soviet occupation zone


February 06, 1947

First of the “New Music” evenings organized by Johannes Paul Thilman in the Dresden Cultural Association


May 16, 1947 – May 18, 1947

Founding meeting and first working conference of the Bund Deutscher Volksbühnen in Berlin (May 16–18, 1947)


September 1947

First guest tour of the Dresden Kreuzchor through the western occupation zones


October 04, 1947 – October 08, 1947

1st German Writers’ Congress in Berlin


December 23, 1947

Opening of the Komische Oper Berlin

1948


February 10, 1948

Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union on the opera “The Great Friendship” by Vano Muradeli


February 11, 1948 – February 12, 1948

7th (21st) Session of the Party Executive Committee of the SED in Berlin (February 11 and 12, 1948)


May 05, 1948 – May 07, 1948

1st Cultural Day of the SED in Berlin (May 5–7, 1948)


May 18, 1948 – May 19, 1948

Festival of Youth in Halle (Saale) (May 18 and 19, 1948)


May 20, 1948 – May 29, 1948

2nd International Congress of Composers and Music Critics in Prague (May 20–29, 1948)


May 22, 1948

Premiere of Paul Hindemith’s opera “Mathis der Maler” at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin


May 25, 1948

Premiere of the opera “Die Kluge” by Carl Orff at the Komische Oper Berlin


June 13, 1948

The Handel House opens as a museum in Halle (Saale)


August 17, 1948

Guest performance of the Alexandrov Ensemble in Berlin


August 21, 1948 – August 25, 1948

SBZ Folk Art Days in Berlin (August 21–25, 1948)


August 22, 1948

Premiere of Jacques Offenbach’s “Orpheus in the Underworld” at the Komische Oper Berlin


August 25, 1948 – August 27, 1948

“World Congress of Intellectuals in Defense of Peace” in Wroclaw (August 25–27, 1948)


September 02, 1948 – September 03, 1948

Working conference of the representatives of the SED’s creative artists in Kleinmachnow near Potsdam (September 2 and 3, 1948)


September 22, 1948

Opening of the rebuilt Dresden Schauspielhaus with a performance of Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Fidelio”


November 11, 1948 – November 21, 1948

Music festival “Tage neuer Musik” in Leipzig (November 11–21, 1948)


November 19, 1948

The article by Alexander Dymschitz "On the Formalistic Direction in German Painting" is published


November 26, 1948

Registration of the Hallische Händel-Gesellschaft in the Register of Associations of the Local Court of Halle

1949


January 12, 1949

Prohibition of the free activity of artistic associations in the Soviet occupation zone

In the Soviet occupation zone, the German Central Administration for Popular Education and the German Interior Administration decided to prohibit the free activity of artistic associations by prescribing their affiliation with the „democratic mass organizations“. In the following years, associations such as the Neue Bachgesellschaft (NBG) had to be integrated into the „Kulturbund zur demokratischen Erneuerung Deutschlands“. The composers’ association (Verband Deutscher Komponisten und Musikwissenschaftler), founded in 1951, was also initially only able to exist within the framework of the Kulturbund. As a result of the decision, the Hallische Händel-Gesellschaft was not even granted partial autonomy (as was granted to the NBG), so that it completely lost its independence and could only continue its activities in the form of a working group of the Kulturbund.

Author


January 25, 1949

The 1st Party Conference of the SED begins in Berlin (January 25–28, 1949)


February 26, 1949 – February 27, 1949

FDJ choirmaster conference in Berlin


March 09, 1949

The 17th (31st) meeting of the SED Party Executive Committee begins in Berlin (March 9 and 10, 1949)


March 09, 1949

Beginning of a guest performance of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Václav Neumann in Dresden and Leipzig (March 9–13, 1949)


March 10, 1949

The Party Executive Committee of the SED Adopts the Resolution “Unsere Aufgaben im Goethe-Jahr” (“Our Tasks in the Goethe Year”)


March 21, 1949

The Goethe Celebration of the Free German Youth begins in Weimar (March 21 and 22, 1949)


March 31, 1949

The German Economic Commission issues the ‘1st Culture Ordinance’


April 1949

Guest performance of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Heinz Bongartz in Bremen and Hamburg


May 01, 1949

Foundation of the Central Office for Folk Art at the Association of German Folk Theaters


June 28, 1949

Opening of the Chopin Year with a festive concert by the Berlin Staatskapelle under Franz Konwitschny


July 16, 1949 – July 17, 1949

The Central Council of the FDJ publishes an “Open Letter to All Cultural Workers”


August 01, 1949

Thomas Mann delivers his speech “Ansprache im Goethejahr 1949” in Weimar and receives the Goethe Prize of the City of Weimar


August 20, 1949

Opening of the rebuilt Dessau Landestheater with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Magic Flute” and Bertolt Brecht’s “Mother Courage”


August 23, 1949 – August 24, 1949

7th Meeting of the Party Executive Committee of the SED in Berlin (August 23 and 24, 1949)


August 26, 1949

The Goethe Festival begins in Weimar (August 26–28, 1949)


August 28, 1949

The Party Executive Committee of the SED Adopts a Manifesto “On the Goethe Celebration of the German Nation”


October 04, 1949

22nd Session of the Party Executive Committee of the SED

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1949


October 07, 1949

Foundation of the GDR


November 09, 1949

The GDR national anthem is played in public for the first time


November 25, 1949

World premiere of DEFA’s first opera film “Figaros Hochzeit” (“The Marriage of Figaro”)

1950


February 09, 1950

The SED’s first conference on issues of press begins in Berlin (February 9 and 10, 1950).


March 15, 1950

Declaration of the Party Executive Committee of the SED on the Bach Year 1950


March 19, 1950

The Bach Honoring of German Youth begins in Eisenach (March 19–21, 1950)


March 24, 1950

Foundation of the Deutsche Akademie der Künste in East Berlin


May 22, 1950

World premiere of the “Neue deutsche Volkslieder” (“New German Folk Songs”) by Hanns Eisler


May 27, 1950

The 1st German Youth Meeting begins in Berlin (May 27–30, 1950)


July 04, 1950 – July 06, 1950

2nd German Writers’ Congress in Berlin


July 08, 1950

The Domowina cultural meeting begins in Bautzen (July 8 and 9, 1950)


July 15, 1950

Foundation of a folk art ensemble of the “Kasernierte Volkspolizei” (“Barracked People’s Police”), the later Erich-Weinert-Ensemble of the “Nationale Volksarmee” (“National People’s Army”)


July 20, 1950

The 3rd Party Congress of the SED begins in Berlin (July 20–24, 1950)


July 23, 1950

The German Bach Celebration begins in Leipzig (July 23–31, 1950)


July 26, 1950

1st International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig


September 02, 1950

World premiere of the Mansfeld Oratorio by Ernst Hermann Meyer in Eisleben


October 01, 1950

Opening of the East German Musikhochschule


October 07, 1950

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1950


November 19, 1950

Appearance of the Orlov article “Das Reich der Schatten auf der Bühne”

1951


1951

Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy receives a new text by Johannes R. Becher


January 20, 1951

Appearance of the Orlov article “Wege und Irrwege der modernen Kunst”


January 21, 1951

Hermann Abendroth as the first German conductor after the Second World War on concert tour in the Soviet Union


February 22, 1951

Decree on the reorganization of higher education – Establishment of the State Secretariat for Higher Education


March 1951

Founding of the music magazine “Musik und Gesellschaft”


March 07, 1951

The 2nd Central Conference of the Central Committee of the SED on issues of press begins in Berlin (March 7 and 8, 1951)


March 17, 1951

‘Rehearsal performance’ of the opera “Das Verhör des Lukullus” (“The Trial of Lucullus”) by Paul Dessau in Berlin

Under the direction of Hermann Scherchen, the premiere of the opera “Das Verhör des Lukullus” by Paul Dessau (text: Bertolt Brecht), which had been declared a non-public “rehearsal performance”, will take place at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, which was then located in the Admiralspalast. This event was preceded by a ban on the performance imposed by the party and state apparatus. The fact that the performance nevertheless took place was due above all to the State Opera Director Ernst Legal, who continued the rehearsals. The responsible cultural officials finally agreed to Brecht’s proposal to allow a closed performance on the condition that it would not be performed in public. In order to ‘save’ their work, Brecht and Dessau agreed to revise it. The premiere of the new version, entitled “Die Verurteilung des Lukullus”, took place on 12 October 1951.

Author


March 17, 1951

The Central Committee of the SED debates the fight against ‘formalism’ in art at its 5th session


March 31, 1951

In Halle (Saale), the opening of the rebuilt Landestheater begins with Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Fidelio” and Leon Kruczkowski’s “Die Sonnenbrucks” (March 31 and April 1, 1951)


April 05, 1951

Founding of the AWA


April 06, 1951

Foundation of the Association of Composers


April 25, 1951

Decision of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED “On Improving the Situation of the Intelligent”


May 07, 1951

German premiere of the opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila” by Michael Glinka at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin


May 31, 1951

Opening of the rebuilt opera house in Chemnitz with Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Fidelio” and Friedrich Wolf’s “Der arme Konrad”


June 23, 1951

Opening of the Bach Archive in Leipzig


July 10, 1951

Decision of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED “On the Promotion of Scientists and Scholars”


July 12, 1951

The government of the GDR issues the decree “Measures to Improve the Situation of the Scientifically and Artistically Active Intelligentsia”


August 05, 1951 – August 19, 1951

The “3rd World Festival of Youth and Students for Peace” takes place in Berlin


August 31, 1951

Start of the activity of the State Commission for Art Affairs


September 01, 1951

Foundation of the Authority for Literature and Publishing


October 03, 1951

Ulbricht’s speech to the People’s Chamber


October 07, 1951

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1951


October 08, 1951

The State Folk Art Ensemble of the GDR is founded in Berlin


October 12, 1951

World premiere of the opera “Die Verurteilung des Lukullus” (“The Condemnation of Lucullus”) by Paul Dessau in Berlin


October 24, 1951

Founding of the Berlin School of Artistic Dance, later to become the Berlin State Ballet School

1952


1952

Discussion of the Music Section of the Deutsche Akademie der Künste about dance music


1952

Foundation of the Berlin Folk Song Archive


January 01, 1952

Foundation of the State Ensemble for Sorbian Folk Culture


January 15, 1952

Foundation of the Central Song and Dance Ensemble of the FDGB


January 25, 1952

Central house for amateur art opens in Leipzig


January 25, 1952

Central house for amateur art opens in Leipzig


March 22, 1952

Start of the “German Beethoven Honors” 1952


April 01, 1952

The artists’ associations become independent


May 1952

Entertainment and dance music competition


May 16, 1952

A music critics’ conference begins in Berlin (May 16 and 17, 1952)


May 22, 1952 – May 25, 1952

3rd German Writers’ Congress in Berlin


July 05, 1952

The 1st Handel Festival begins in Halle (Saale) (July 5–13, 1952)


July 09, 1952

The 2nd Party Conference of the SED begins in Berlin (July 9–12, 1952)


August 14, 1952

Establishment of the State Broadcasting Committee


September 14, 1952

Start of broadcasting at the Nalepastrasse broadcasting center in Berlin-Oberschöneweide


September 16, 1952

World premiere of the operetta “Bolero” by Eberhard Schmidt at the Metropol Theater Berlin


September 27, 1952

The 1st Annual Congress of the VDK begins in Berlin (September 27–October 5, 1952)


October 06, 1952

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1952


November 01, 1952

Call for the creation of a “German national opera”


November 11, 1952

Opening of the Dresden University of Music


December 13, 1952

Start of the SED Theoretical Conference on Stalin’s book “Economic Problems of Socialism in the USSR” (December 13 and 14, 1952)


December 17, 1952

1st Workshop of the Commission “Dance Music” of the VDK in Berlin


December 19, 1952

German Concert and Guest Performance Directorate formed

1953


February 1953

Opinions of GDR Composers on the Soviet Anti-Formalism Decision of 1948


February 01, 1953

The Deutsche Volksbühne (German People’s Stage) decides to dissolve itself


March 18, 1953

German premiere of the opera “Halka” by Moniuszko in Berlin


March 23, 1953

A Theoretical Dance Conference organized by the State Commission for Art Affairs begins in Berlin (March 23 and 24, 1953)


March 27, 1953

In the GDR, it is decreed that dance and light music may only be played in public by professional musicians


April 1953

In April 1953, the debate in “Musik und Gesellschaft” about Fritz Reuter’s theory of harmony began, which lasted until February 1954


April 17, 1953 – April 19, 1953

Stanislavski Conference in Berlin


May 04, 1953

The first Richard Wagner Festival Week begins in Dessau (May 4–8, 1953)


May 11, 1953

Decision of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the SED “On the Serious Shortcomings of the Karl Marx Celebration of the Central Committee”


May 14, 1953

The SED’s campaign against Hanns Eisler’s opera libretto “Johann Faustus” begins with a review in the ND


June 09, 1953

The SED proclaims the “New Course”


June 17, 1953

East German uprising of 1953


July 11, 1953 – July 12, 1953

Festival of song and dance in Berlin


July 21, 1953

MuG publishes “Proposals of the VDK for the further development of our musical life” as a special print of issue 8/1953


September 06, 1953

World premiere of the opera “Wat Tyler” by Alan Bush in Leipzig


October 02, 1953

The VDK meeting begins in Kienbaum (October 2–6, 1953)


October 19, 1953

Discussion between Otto Grotewohl and leading artists and cultural workers of the GDR on “Questions of Culture and Art in the New Course” in Berlin


October 23, 1953 – October 25, 1953

The 1st Wartburg Meeting of German Singers takes place in Eisenach (October 23–25, 1953)


November 13, 1953

A Franz Schubert Festival Week (November 13–19, 1953) begins in Berlin to mark the 125th anniversary of the composer’s death

1954


1954

Foundation of the Workers’ Song Archive


January 01, 1954

VEB Deutscher Verlag für Musik is founded in Leipzig


January 07, 1954

Formation of the Ministry of Culture


March 24, 1954

Program statement of the Ministry of Culture “In Defense of the Unity of German Culture”


March 30, 1954

The 4th Party Congress of the SED begins in Berlin (March 30–April 6, 1954)


April 01, 1954

The music publishing house VEB Lied der Zeit is founded in Berlin


April 08, 1954

A conference of the VDK begins in Berlin (April 8–12, 1954)


May 15, 1954 – May 23, 1954

Guest performance of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin in Paris


June 01, 1954

Foundation of the Workers’ Song Archive in Berlin


June 01, 1954

World premiere of the DEFA documentary film “Ludwig van Beethoven”


October 12, 1954

Program statement of the Ministry of Culture “On the construction of a folk culture of the GDR”


October 23, 1954

The 2nd VDK Congress begins in Leipzig together with the 1954 Music Festival (October 23–31, 1954)


November 1954

Guest performance of the Dresdner Philharmonie (Dresden Philharmonic) in France


November 27, 1954

A Heinrich Schütz tribute begins in Bad Köstritz (November 27 and 28, 1954)


December 04, 1954

The 1st German Dance Conference is held in Berlin


December 15, 1954

The Schoenberg tribute of the DAK begins with a concert (December 15–17, 1954)


December 18, 1954

Reconstitution of the Commission “Mass Song” of the VDK in Berlin

1955


February 03, 1955

Decree on the Volksmusikschulen (People’s Music Schools) in the GDR


February 24, 1955

World premiere of the “Rosenberg-Kantate” (“Rosenberg Cantata”) by Leo Spies


March 26, 1955 – March 27, 1955

1st German Choir Congress in Eisenach


April 23, 1955

Founding of the Georg-Friedrich-Händel-Gesellschaft in Halle (Saale)


May 1955

MuG begins a polemic against the West Berlin music critic Hans Heinz Stuckenschmidt and other representatives of New Music


May 20, 1955

The Festival of Contemporary Music begins in Weimar (May 20–24, 1955)


June 24, 1955

The 1st Festival of German Folk Dancing begins in Rudolstadt (June 24–26, 1955)


September 04, 1955

Reopening of the German State Opera Berlin with Richard Wagner’s “Meistersinger”


September 29, 1955

The annual meeting of the Gesellschaft für Musikforschung begins in Leipzig (September 29–October 2, 1955)


October 06, 1955

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1955


October 08, 1955

The 1st German Folk Music Days begin in Meissen (October 8 and 9, 1955)


October 10, 1955

A workshop on folk art issues begins in Meissen (October 10 and 11, 1955)


October 24, 1955

The 25th Meeting of the Central Committee of the SED begins in Berlin (October 24–27, 1955)


November 13, 1955

World premiere of the melodrama “Lilo Herrmann” by Paul Dessau

1956


January 09, 1956 – January 14, 1956

4th German Writers’ Congress in Berlin


January 22, 1956

A Mozart tribute begins in Berlin (January 22–29, 1956)


March 17, 1956

The central board meeting of the VDK begins in Hildburghausen (March 17 and 18, 1956)


April 30, 1956

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded for the first time


May 19, 1956

A conference of music educators begins in Leipzig (May 19–21, 1956)


May 29, 1956 – May 30, 1956

1st Artists’ Conference of the Deutsche Konzert- und Gastspieldirektion (German Concert and Guest Performance Directorate)


May 30, 1956

German premiere of the opera “Das schlaue Füchslein” (“The Cunning Little Vixen”) at the Komische Oper Berlin


July 08, 1956 – July 20, 1956

1st Robert Schumann International Competition for Pianists and Singers in Berlin


July 22, 1956 – July 29, 1956

German Robert Schumann Honors in Zwickau


July 27, 1956

The 28th Session of the Central Committee of the SED begins in Berlin (July 27–29, 1956)


August 29, 1956

The 2nd All-German Music Festival begins in Coburg (August 29–September 3, 1956)


October 06, 1956

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1956


November 12, 1956 – November 14, 1956

29th Session of the Central Committee of the SED


November 17, 1956

World premiere of the operetta “Wer braucht Geld?” (“Who Needs Money?”) by Guido Masanetz at Berlin’s Metropol Theater


December 30, 1956

In an essay published in “Neues Deutschland” under the title “Was wir wollen und was wir nicht wollen” (“What we want and what we don’t want”), Walter Ulbricht explains the lessons of the SED from the Hungarian Revolution of 1956

1957


1957

“Melodie und Rhythmus” begins to appear


January 1957

Opera symposium of the VDK in Berlin (January 1957)


January 14, 1957

In the GDR, the order issued on March 27, 1953, according to which dance and light music may only be played in public by professional musicians, is repealed


January 30, 1957 – February 01, 1957

30th Session of the Central Committee of the SED in Berlin (January 30–February 1, 1957)


February 1957

MuG publishes music-aesthetic statements by Siegfried Köhler and Paul Kurzbach


February 20, 1957

World premiere of the 4th orchestral suite by Fidelio F. Finke in Dresden


February 23, 1957

The Central Delegates Conference of the VDK begins in Berlin (February 23 and 24, 1957)


March 14, 1957

Foundation of the Robert-Schumann-Gesellschaft in Zwickau


April 19, 1957

In Halle begin the 2nd German Folk Music Days (April 19–22, 1957)


April 30, 1957

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


July 1957

Debate evening of the Kulturbund in Leipzig


July 10, 1957 – July 12, 1957

32nd Session of the Central Committee of the SED in Berlin (July 10–12, 1957)


September 28, 1957 – September 29, 1957

3rd Festival of German Folk Dance in Rudolstadt


October 02, 1957

The “Berliner Festtage” festival opens in Berlin (October 2–15, 1957)


October 05, 1957

Foundation of the publishing house Verlag Neue Musik Berlin


October 06, 1957

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1957


October 16, 1957

The 33rd Session of the Central Committee of the SED begins in Berlin (October 16–19, 1957)


October 23, 1957

The (First) Cultural Conference of the SED begins in Berlin (October 23 and 24, 1957)


October 26, 1957

Foundation of the Working Group of Sorbian Musicians


December 11, 1957

2nd Music Critics Conference in Berlin


December 19, 1957

The art prize endowed by the Central Council of the FDJ, the Erich Weinert Medal, is awarded for the first time

1958


January 02, 1958

In the GDR, a decree is issued stating that at least 60 percent of the repertoire of all entertainment and dance music events must come from socialist countries


January 25, 1958

Performance of the opera “The Tales of Hoffmann” by Jacques Offenbach in a new version at the Komische Oper Berlin


January 28, 1958

World premiere of Ernst Hermann Meyer’s Symphony for Strings in Leipzig


April 08, 1958

Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union on questions of opera art


April 10, 1958

In Weimar, the 1958 Music Days begin (April 10–13, 1958)


April 30, 1958

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


May 24, 1958

School Music Days begin in Wernigerode (May 24–26, 1958)


June 05, 1958 – June 08, 1958

Theoretical Conference of the Deutscher Schriftstellerverband (German Writers’ Association) on Problems of Socialist Realism in Literature


June 09, 1958

Debate between Berlin scientists and artists and Otto Grotewohl on the relationship between the state and the intelligentsia


June 20, 1958 – July 08, 1958

Guest performance of the Ballet of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin in Italy with “Gayane”


June 21, 1958

First Wartburgkonzert (Wartburg Concert) of the “Stimme der DDR” (“Voice of the GDR”) Broadcast


July 1958

an essay in the magazine “Theater der Zeit” Heinz Bär demands that not all Wagner operas should be performed because of the libretti


July 05, 1958 – July 12, 1958

The first festival week “Ostseewoche” (“Baltic Sea Week”) takes place in Rostock


July 10, 1958

The 5th Party Congress of the SED begins in Berlin (July 10–16, 1958)


July 18, 1958

The Komische Oper Berlin is awarded first prize at the theater festival at the “Théâtre des Nations” in Paris


July 19, 1958 – July 20, 1958

4th Festival of German Folk Dance in Rudolstadt


July 24, 1958

Decision of the 34th Meeting of the Federal Executive Committee of the FDGB on the Organization of Workers’ Festivals in the GDR as of 1959


October 05, 1958

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1958


November 01, 1958 – November 10, 1958

Dresden Music and Theater Festival Days


November 05, 1958

In the East Berlin Club der Kulturschaffenden a debate takes place about the incidents concerning the West Berlin appearance of Bill Haley


November 15, 1958 – November 30, 1958

2nd “Berliner Festtage” festival


November 22, 1958

World premiere of Hanns Eisler’s cantata “Lenin (Requiem)” in Berlin

1959


1959

The quarterly journal “Beiträge zur Musikwissenschaft” begins to appear


January 13, 1959

A dance music conference begins in Lauchhammer (January 13–15, 1959)


January 22, 1959

Art Prize of the GDR endowed


January 22, 1959

The Lessing Prize goes to Johanna Rudolph and Harald Hauser


February 01, 1959

A Mendelssohn Festival Week begins in Leipzig (February 1–8, 1959)


February 03, 1959

A musicological conference begins in Leipzig (February 3 and 4, 1959)


February 12, 1959

A working conference of young musicologists begins in Berlin (February 12–16, 1959)


February 17, 1959

Declaration of the Central Committee of the SED on the occasion of the Handel commemorative year 1959


February 23, 1959

Festive opening of the Handel Year on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the composer’s death in Halle


March 1959

Prize competition for dance and light music (March 1959)


March 14, 1959

A Conference on Contemporary Chamber Music Begins in Quedlinburg (March 14 and 15, 1959)


April 11, 1959

The GDR’s Handel Honors begin in Halle (Saale) (April 11–19, 1959)


April 22, 1959

Art Prize of the GDR awarded for the first time


April 24, 1959

(First) Bitterfeld Conference


April 24, 1959

World premiere of Hanns Eisler’s “Deutsche Sinfonie” in Berlin


April 30, 1959

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 12, 1959

In the district of Halle, the 1st Workers’ Festival of the GDR begins (June 12–21, 1959)


August 15, 1959 – September 02, 1959

Rügen Festival in Ralswiek


August 16, 1959

World premiere of the dramatic ballad “Klaus Störtebeker” by KuBa (music: Günter Kochan) in Ralswiek as part of the Rügen Festival


September 13, 1959

World premiere of the scenic oratorio “Prometheus” by Rudolf Wagner-Régeny


October 03, 1959 – October 15, 1959

Guest performance of the State Ukrainian People’s Choir in the GDR


October 03, 1959 – October 18, 1959

3rd “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 03, 1959 – November 15, 1959

Guest performance of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra in the People’s Republic of China


October 04, 1959

Start of the guest performance of the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin (Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra) in London


October 04, 1959

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1959


October 04, 1959

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


October 04, 1959

World premiere of the opera “Der arme Konrad” by Jean Kurt Forest based on the play by Friedrich Wolf at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin


November 19, 1959

Beginning of the Komische Oper Berlin’s guest performance in Moscow with “Tales of Hoffmann”, “The Magic Flute” and “Albert Herring”

1960


January 01, 1960

Broadcast of the first original concerto (9th Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven) by the television station Deutscher Fernsehfunk


January 28, 1960

First German Hootenanny in the Berlin Sports Hall


February 06, 1960

World premiere of the cantata “Ernst Thälmann” by Günter Kochan


February 11, 1960

Deutsche Konzert- und Gastspieldirektion, headquartered in Berlin, founded


March 22, 1960

Start of a concert tour of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under the direction of Franz Konwitschny to Great Britain


March 30, 1960

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


April 08, 1960

The VDK Delegates Conference begins in Leipzig (April 8–10, 1960)


April 23, 1960

Premiere of the “Threepenny Opera” at the Berliner Ensemble


April 25, 1960

Political confrontation at the Georg-Friedrich-Händel-Gesellschaft in Halle

At the general meeting of the Georg-Friedrich-Händel-Gesellschaft in Halle (Saale) the director of the Halle Handel House, Konrad Sasse, fails with an initiative that was intended to indirectly denounce the Federal Republic of Germany as the German state whose Handel care was still marked by the evil spirit of Nazi ‘forgeries’. West German and foreign members reject the adoption of a resolution prepared by Sasse, with which the Society was to distance itself from “all falsifications of the work of Georg Friedrich Handel, which took place at the time of the rule of fascism in Germany and contrary to the views of the peace-loving forces in the recent past, in editions and performances of the German Federal Republic”.

Author


April 27, 1960

The (2nd) Cultural Conference of the SED begins in Berlin (April 27–29, 1960)


April 30, 1960

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 04, 1960 – June 12, 1960

The 2nd Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Karl-Marx-Stadt


June 21, 1960

Information of the Cultural Department of the Central Committee of the SED on questions of dance music production


June 28, 1960 – July 09, 1960

International Music Seminar of the GDR (1st International Summer Course in Weimar) held for the first time


July 17, 1960 – July 26, 1960

2nd Robert Schumann International Competition for Singers and String Quartet in Berlin


September 17, 1960 – September 23, 1960

Robert Schumann Festival Week in Zwickau on the 150th Birthday of the Composer


October 01, 1960 – October 16, 1960

4th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 05, 1960

Paul Robeson’s guest performance in Berlin


October 05, 1960

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


October 05, 1960

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


October 06, 1960

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1960


October 07, 1960

Ring premiere of Karl-Rudi Griesbach’s contemporary opera “Marike Weiden” simultaneously in Frankfurt (Oder), Weimar and Görlitz


October 08, 1960 – October 09, 1960

Opening of the newly built opera house in Leipzig with a guest performance by David Oistrakh and a performance of “Meistersinger”


October 16, 1960

World premiere of the operetta “Messeschlager Gisela” by Gerd Natschinski (text: Jo Schulz) at the Metropol Theater Berlin

1961


February 11, 1961

Youth Decision of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED


February 24, 1961

Appointment of Hans Bentzien as Minister of Culture


March 03, 1961

Meeting of the Central Board of the VDK in Berlin


March 30, 1961

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


April 06, 1961

Beginning of the music festival of the VDK (April 6–17, 1961)


April 17, 1961

World premiere of the 2nd Symphony by Leo Spies


May 25, 1961 – May 27, 1961

5th German Writers’ Congress in Berlin


June 10, 1961 – June 18, 1961

The 3rd Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Magdeburg


June 14, 1961

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


July 24, 1961

GDR premiere of the opera “Ein Sommernachtstraum” (“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”) by Benjamin Britten at the Komische Oper Berlin

Read Decade Article

1961


August 13, 1961

In Berlin, the sector border is sealed off, then work begins on building the Berlin Wall


September 01, 1961

The Ministry of Culture issues a directive on the tasks of the Dance and Light Music Working Group


September 22, 1961

The meeting of the VDK Central Board begins in Geltow near Potsdam (September 22 and 23, 1961)


September 30, 1961 – October 15, 1961

5th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 06, 1961

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1961


October 12, 1961

Order on the music schools enacted


October 15, 1961 – October 23, 1961

Franz Liszt Festival Week in Weimar on the 150th Birthday of the Composer


November 1961

Meeting of composers and writers in Berlin (November 1961)



December 15, 1961

Meeting of the central board of the VDK in Berlin

1962


February 17, 1962

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


March 23, 1962

The 1st Conference of Amateur Dance Musicians of the GDR begins in Leipzig (March 23–25, 1962)


March 30, 1962

Joint meeting of the Council of Ministers of the GDR and the German Academy of Arts. Decision of the Council of Ministers “On the New Position and the Next Tasks of the German Academy of Arts in Berlin as the Socialist Academy of the GDR”


May 09, 1962

Foundation of the Music Council of the GDR

A Music Council (“Musikrat der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik”) is founded in the GDR; Hanns Eisler becomes the first president, Nathan Notowicz the general secretary. The Musikrat publishes a “Bulletin”, which exists until the end of the GDR and informs about the musical life of this country; it appears less party-bound than other music magazines.

Author


May 30, 1962

Plenary Session of the German Academy of Arts


June 1962

[1st] Meeting of Young Composers from Socialist Countries in Prague (June 1962)


June 1962

A music critics’ conference is held in Berlin (June 1962)


June 09, 1962

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 09, 1962 – June 11, 1962

4th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Erfurt


June 14, 1962

Decision of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers of the GDR “On the further improvement of the intellectual and cultural life in the clubs and houses of culture”


June 16, 1962 – June 17, 1962

“National Document” adopted


July 13, 1962 – July 14, 1962

1st Schlager festival of the Baltic countries in Rostock


September 11, 1962

Act of mourning at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin on the death of Hanns Eisler


September 28, 1962

Meeting of the SED Party Active of the VDK in Weimar


September 29, 1962 – October 14, 1962

6th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 03, 1962 – October 05, 1962

The 17th Session of the Central Committee of the SED takes place in Berlin


October 06, 1962

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1962


November 16, 1962

A symposium on musical reception research begins in Halle (Saale) (November 16–18, 1962)


November 20, 1962

Rudolf Wagner-Régeny’s diary entry


December 11, 1962

Poetry evening at the German Academy of Arts in Berlin


December 31, 1962

Premiere of Bertolt Brecht’s play “Schweyk im zweiten Weltkrieg” (“Schweyk in the Second World War”) at the Berliner Ensemble

1963


January 12, 1963

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


January 15, 1963

The 6th Party Congress of the SED begins in Berlin (January 15–21, 1963)


January 22, 1963

Start of a concert tour of the Dresdner Staatskapelle under the direction of Otmar Suitner through several cities of the Soviet Union


March 07, 1963

A meeting of leading Soviet party and state functionaries with literary figures and artists begins in Moscow (March 7 and 8, 1963)


March 09, 1963

World premiere of Ottmar Gerster’s opera “Der fröhliche Sünder” at the Deutsches Nationaltheater (German National Theater) in Weimar


March 25, 1963

The ‘March Consultation’ of the party and state leadership with writers and artists begins in Berlin (March 25 and 26, 1963)


March 27, 1963

German premiere of Sergei Prokofiev’s opera “Der wahre Mensch” (“The Story of a Real Man”) at the Landesbühnen Sachsen, Dresden-Radebeul


April 23, 1963

Founding of the Hanns Eisler Archive at the German Academy of the Arts in Berlin


May 16, 1963

The VDK Delegates Conference begins in Berlin (May 16 and 17, 1963)


May 22, 1963

Richard Wagner tribute in the GDR at the Leipzig Opera House on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth


May 27, 1963

The Kafka Conference of the Czechoslovak Writers’ Union begins at Liblice Castle near Prague (May 27 and 28, 1963)


May 27, 1963

The 1st International Seminar of Marxist Musicologists begins in Prague (May 27–June 1, 1963)


June 21, 1963

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 21, 1963 – June 23, 1963

5th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Cottbus


August 01, 1963

Appointment of Kurt Turba as Chairman of the Youth Commission at the Politburo


September 1963

Musicological symposium in Geltow for young musicologists and music educators (September 1963)


September 06, 1963

World premiere of “Ernste Gesänge” (Serious Songs) for baritone and string orchestra by Hanns Eisler in Dresden


September 06, 1963

World premiere of the “Bach-Variationen” (Bach Variations) for large orchestra by Paul Dessau in Schwerin


September 14, 1963 – September 15, 1963

Festival of song and dance in Aue


September 17, 1963

The Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED adopts a ‘Youth Communiqué’


September 22, 1963

Foundation of the Berliner Singakademie


September 24, 1963

Premiere of the operetta “Ritter Blaubart” (“Barbe-bleue”) by Jacques Offenbach at the Komische Oper Berlin


September 28, 1963 – October 13, 1963

7th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 06, 1963

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1963


October 08, 1963

World premiere of the 10th Symphony by Max Butting in Leipzig


November 06, 1963

Wilhelm Girnus appointed editor-in-chief of the magazine “Sinn und Form”


November 08, 1963

The Festival of New Music begins in various places in the GDR (November 8–17, 1963)


November 10, 1963 – November 19, 1963

3rd Robert Schumann International Competition for Pianists and Singers in Zwickau


December 1963

Conference on questions of dance and light music in Berlin (December 1963)

1964


January 01, 1964

Radio DDR II begins broadcasting


February 01, 1964

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


March 19, 1964 – March 20, 1964

Conference of the Ideological Commission at the Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED on the tasks of the social sciences


April 24, 1964

The 2nd “Bitterfeld Conference” begins in Bitterfeld (April 24 and 25, 1964)


May 04, 1964

The People’s Chamber passes the 2nd Youth Law of the GDR


May 08, 1964 – May 10, 1964

Music festival of the amateur orchestras of the GDR in Weißenfels


May 16, 1964

The (3rd) German Youth Meeting begins in Berlin (May 16–18, 1964)


May 24, 1964 – June 06, 1964

2nd International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig


May 31, 1964

First public concert of the newly founded Berlin Singakademie


June 19, 1964

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 19, 1964 – June 21, 1964

The 6th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Gera


June 29, 1964

The “Jugendstudio DT 64” is set up as a permanent part of the program at Berliner Rundfunk


September 20, 1964

The [1st] Music Congress of the GDR and the Delegates Conference of the VDK begin in Berlin (September 20–22, 1964)


September 26, 1964 – October 11, 1964

8th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 02, 1964

World premiere of the musical “Mein Freund Bunbury” (My Friend Bunbury) by Gerd Natschinski (libretto: Helmut Bez and Jürgen Degenhardt) at the Metropol Theater Berlin


October 05, 1964

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1964


October 21, 1964

World premiere of Paul Dessau’s “Requiem for Lumumba” (lyrics: Karl Mickel) in Leipzig


October 22, 1964

The 2nd International Meeting of Young Composers and Musicologists begins in Sofia (October 22–27, 1964)


November 24, 1964

The Cultural Department of the Central Committee of the SED forms a “Dance Music Working Group”


December 1964

Draft of a perspective program in the field of music (December 1964)


December 1964

Meeting of young composers of the GDR in Berlin (December 1964)


December 02, 1964 – December 05, 1964

The 7th Session of the Central Committee of the SED takes place in Berlin


December 14, 1964

Reception of writers by Walter Ulbricht in the official residence of the State Council


December 19, 1964

Paul Dessau becomes honorary member of the VDK


December 25, 1964

Premiere of the DEFA film “Der fliegende Holländer” (The Flying Dutchman) based on the opera of the same name by Richard Wagner

1965


February 1965

The record label AMIGA releases the LP compilation “Big Beat” produced in October 1964


February 13, 1965

GDR premiere of Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem” in Dresden


March 05, 1965

World premiere of the concerto for violin and orchestra by Ernst Hermann Meyer in Berlin


March 11, 1965

The secretariat of the Central Committee of the SED adopts the resolution “Stand und weitere Entwicklung des künstlerischen Volksschaffens” (Status and further development of amateur artistic creation”


March 15, 1965

The 1965 Festival of Contemporary Music begins in Berlin (March 15–21, 1965)


March 16, 1965

Joint meeting of the College of the Ministry of Culture and the Central Board of the VDK in Berlin


March 19, 1965 – March 23, 1965

Guest performance by Louis Armstrong with his band “The All-Stars” in the GDR


March 28, 1965

New members are elected at the Plenary Session of the German Academy of Arts in Berlin


April 1965

The record label AMIGA releases a licensed LP with early hits of the Beatles


April 1965

Start of the broadcast series “Treff mit Perry” of the Jugendstudio DT 64


April 20, 1965

The Department of Culture of the Central Council of the FDJ adopts a policy document “on the work with the guitar groups”


April 26, 1965 – April 28, 1965

9th Session of the Central Committee of the SED


May 01, 1965

3rd Festival of Amateur Artistic Creation of Socialist Countries opens in Berlin


May 06, 1965

World premiere of the opera “Die Passion des Johannes Hörder” (“The Passion of Johannes Hörder”) by Jean Kurt Forest based on the play “Winterschlacht” (“Winter battle”) by Johannes R. Becher in Stralsund


May 14, 1965 – May 22, 1965

International Writers’ Meeting in Berlin and Weimar


May 27, 1965

The (2nd) Central Performance Comparison of Amateur Dance Musicians of the GDR begins in Magdeburg (May 27–30, 1965)


June 11, 1965

Election of Konrad Wolf as President of the German Academy of Arts in Berlin


June 18, 1965

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 18, 1965

The 7th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Frankfurt (Oder)


June 19, 1965 – June 27, 1965

800th anniversary of Karl-Marx-Stadt


June 19, 1965 – July 05, 1965

Guest performance of the Komische Oper Berlin in Moscow with the operas “Ein Sommernachtstraum” (“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”) by Benjamin Britten, “Othello” (“Otello”) by Guiseppe Verdi and “Ritter Blaubart” (“Barbe-bleue”) by Jacques Offenbach


June 22, 1965

The 2nd International Seminar of Marxist Musicologists begins in Berlin (June 22–27, 1965)


July 09, 1965

Call for a competition of “guitar groups”


August 1965

The record label AMIGA releases the LP compilation “Big Beat II” recorded in 1964/65


August 09, 1965

Guest performance of the Berliner Ensemble in London with “The Threepenny Opera”, “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui”, “Coriolanus” and “The Days of the Commune” by Bertolt Brecht


September 1965

Information sheet of the VDK published (September 1965)



September 15, 1965

A guest performance by the Rolling Stones at the Waldbühne in West Berlin is accompanied by serious rioting by young people


September 28, 1965

Plenary Session of the German Academy of Arts on “On some tasks of music in our cultural revolution”


October 03, 1965 – October 16, 1965

9th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 06, 1965

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1965


October 11, 1965

Decision of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the SED “On Some Questions of Youth Work and the Occurrence of Hooligan Groups”


October 23, 1965

First meeting of the “Liedschaffen” Commission of the VDK in Berlin


October 31, 1965

In Leipzig, young people demonstrate against the withdrawal of the playing permit for beat groups


November 01, 1965

Dance and light musicians are now only allowed to perform music with a state playing permit


November 06, 1965 – November 11, 1965

International Symposium on “Contemporary Opera Interpretation” in Leipzig


November 10, 1965

Premiere of Friedrich Goldmann’s “Schweriner Serenade” in Schwerin


November 23, 1965

Decision of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED on “Ideological Questions in the Field of Culture”


November 24, 1965

Decision of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the SED on “Ideological Questions in the Field of Culture”


November 25, 1965

Walter Ulbricht’s Talk with Politicians and Writers in the Official Seat of the Council of State


December 13, 1965

The Department of Culture of the Central Committee of the SED provides an “Expert Opinion on Beat Music”


December 16, 1965

The 11th m meeting of the Central Committee of the SED began in Berlin (December 16–18, 1965)

1966


January 12, 1966

Appointment of Klaus Gysi as Minister of Culture


January 16, 1966

Musicologist Veit Ernst advocates the recognition of traditional forms of dance music in the “Neues Deutschland”


January 25, 1966

Hoch- und Fachschulrat (Council for Higher Education and Universities of Applied Sciences) constituted as an advisory body to the Staatssekretariat für das Hoch- und Fachschulwesen (State Secretariat for Higher Education)



February 15, 1966

Founding of the Hootenanny Club Berlin, later the October Club


March 1966

New edition of “Komponisten und Musikwissenschaftler der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik“ published (March 1966)


March 1966

In an essay, the party-loyal literary scholars Erwin Pracht and Werner Neubert call for adherence to the theory of Socialist Realism


March 23, 1966

Ernst Hermann Meyer advocates the recognition of beat music in “Neues Deutschland”


March 26, 1966

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


March 31, 1966

Fachschule für Tanz Leipzig, Staatliche Ballettschule (Technical School for Dance Leipzig, State Ballet-School) founded


April 25, 1966

World premiere of the cantata “Die Asche von Birkenau” (“The Ashes of Birkenau”) by Günter Kochan (text: Stephan Hermlin) in Berlin


May 03, 1966

Decision of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED “Problems of Youth Work after the 11th Session of the Central Committee of the SED”


June 04, 1966

A performance by the Danish pop singing duo Jan & Kjeld in Cottbus triggers riots by young people


June 17, 1966

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 17, 1966 – June 19, 1966

The 8th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Potsdam


June 18, 1966

Admission of the Music Council of the GDR to the International Music Council (IMC)


June 19, 1966

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


June 24, 1966 – June 26, 1966

1st Festival of Sorbian Culture in Bautzen


June 25, 1966 – June 27, 1966

World premiere of the Sorbian opera “Jakub a Kata” by Korla Awgust Kocor in Bautzen


September 06, 1966

The Central Council of the FDJ adopts the “Beschluss zur Entwicklung des Singens in der Freien Deutschen Jugend” (“Resolution on the Development of Singing in the Free German Youth”)


September 18, 1966

Document of the VDK published


September 20, 1966

World premiere of the oratorio “Deutsches Miserere” (German Miserere) by Paul Dessau (based on Bertolt Brecht’s “War Primer”) in Leipzig


September 22, 1966 – September 27, 1966

Guest performance of the Berliner Ensemble with “Die Dreigroschenoper” (“The Threepenny Opera”), “Der aufhaltsame Aufstieg des Arturo Ui” (“The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui”) and “Coriolan” (“Coriolanus”) during the Venice Biennale


October 1966

3rd International Meeting of Young Composers and Musicologists from Socialist Countries in Ohrid (Yugoslavia) (October 1966)


October 02, 1966 – October 15, 1966

10th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 06, 1966

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1966


October 10, 1966

Ring premiere of the opera “Esther“ by Robert Hanell at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, also in Frankfurt (Oder) and Zeitz


October 16, 1966 – October 27, 1966

4th Robert Schumann International Competition for Pianists and Singers in Zwickau


October 28, 1966

Working Consultation of the VDK and the German Cultural Association in Leipzig


November 05, 1966 – November 13, 1966

Days of Soviet Culture


December 04, 1966

Re-opening of the restored Komische Oper Berlin with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Don Giovanni”


December 04, 1966

Re-opening of the restored Komische Oper Berlin with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Don Giovanni”


December 09, 1966

The 1st Theoretical Conference of the VDK begins in Berlin (December 9 and 10, 1966)


December 10, 1966 – December 11, 1966

Foundation of the Association of Theater Professionals of the GDR in Berlin

1967


January 08, 1967 – January 13, 1967

Guest performance of the Dresdner Philharmonie (Dresden Philharmonic) in the United Arab Republic and Lebanon


January 14, 1967 – February 05, 1967

Festival weeks on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the Staatstheater Dresden (Dresden State Theaters)


January 23, 1967

Agreement between the Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Culture and the VDK


February 21, 1967

A Working Conference of Music Critics Begins in Leipzig (February 21 and 22, 1967)


February 24, 1967

Renaming of the Hootenanny-Klub Berlin to Oktober-Klub


February 25, 1967

A statement against the Swingle Singers’ interpretation of Bach appears in “Neues Deutschland”


March 04, 1967 – March 12, 1967

1st Berlin Music Biennale

The first music biennial (4.–12.5.1967) begins in East Berlin, a festival of new music that alternates with the GDR Music Days, which also take place every two years.

Author


March 04, 1967

Banning of the concert “Jazz und Folksongs” in the Berlin Volksbühne


March 11, 1967

Concert Hall “Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach” opened in Frankfurt (Oder)


March 12, 1967

World premiere of Günter Kochan’s cantata “Aurora” (text: Stephan Hermlin) in Berlin


April 04, 1967

Meeting on the occasion of the formation of the Lied Commission at the Ministry of Culture


April 11, 1967

Discussion about the new song creation


April 17, 1967 – April 22, 1967

7th Party Congress of the SED in Berlin


May 13, 1967 – May 14, 1967

Whitsun meeting of the FDJ in Karl-Marx-Stadt


May 13, 1967 – May 15, 1967

Sängertreffen (Singers’ Meeting) at the Wartburg in Eisenach


May 21, 1967

First song sheet “DT-64-Liedblatt” in the program magazine “FF-dabei” appears


May 26, 1967

The People’s Chamber passes the law on the perspective plan for the development of the national economy of the German Democratic Republic until 1970


June 16, 1967

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 16, 1967 – June 18, 1967

The 9th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Dresden


June 25, 1967

World premiere of the opera “Die Blumen von Hiroshima” (“The Flowers of Hiroshima”) by Jean Kurt Forest at the Deutsches Nationaltheater (German National Theater) Weimar


June 27, 1967

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


August 11, 1967

The documentary film “Paul Dessau” (written and directed by Richard Cohn-Vossen) opens in theaters


September 24, 1967 – September 30, 1967

1st workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Halle (Saale)


October 01, 1967 – October 14, 1967

11th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 02, 1967

World premiere of “Einleitung und Ode” (“Introduction and Ode”) for orchestra by Rudolf Wagner-Régeny in Berlin


October 02, 1967

World premiere of the ballet “Ballade vom Glück” (“Ballad of happiness”) by Kurt Schwaen at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin


October 06, 1967

Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1967


October 14, 1967

World premiere of the “Orchestermusik Nr. 2 ‘Meer der Stürme’” (“Orchestral Music No. 2 ‘Ocean of Storms’”) by Paul Dessau in Berlin


October 31, 1967

World premiere of Wolfgang Lesser’s cantata “Ein Tag in unserer Stadt” (“A day in our city”) (Text: Manfred Streubel) in Berlin


November 02, 1967 – November 13, 1967

Days of Soviet Culture in the GDR


November 03, 1967

World premiere of the opera “Der letzte Schuss” (“The Last Shot”) by Siegfried Matthus (based on a story by Boris Lavrenyov) at the Komische Oper Berlin


November 14, 1967

Musicological Conference in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the October Revolution in Leipzig


November 30, 1967

The 5th meeting of the State Council of the GDR takes place in Berlin, at which the resolution “The Tasks of Culture in the Development of the Socialist Human Community” is adopted

1968


January 12, 1968

The 2nd Theoretical Conference of the VDK begins in Berlin (January 12 and 13, 1968)


February 20, 1968

The 3rd Seminar of Young Composers begins in Halle (Saale) (February 20–25, 1968)


February 27, 1968

Resolution of the Central Council of the FDJ “Für ein kulturvolles Leben der Jugend in der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik” (“For a culturally rich life of the youth in the German Democratic Republic”)


March 1968

Start of the song booklet series “Oktav” of the youth magazine “Neues Leben”


March 07, 1968

Gisela May receives the “Grand prix du disque” in Paris


March 12, 1968

World premiere of the 3rd Symphony by Fritz Geißler in Leipzig



April 22, 1968

Funeral service for Nathan Notowicz in the Apollo Hall of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin


April 22, 1968

The 4th Meeting of Young Composers and Musicologists of Socialist Countries begins in Eger (Hungary) (April 22–27, 1968)


May 08, 1968

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


May 18, 1968 – May 26, 1968

2nd Festival of Sorbian Culture in Bautzen


May 30, 1968

Demolition of the Leipzig University Church of St. Pauli


June 05, 1968 – June 20, 1968

3rd International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig


June 14, 1968

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 14, 1968 – June 16, 1968

The 10th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Halle


June 15, 1968

Inauguration of the reconstructed historic spa facilities and the Goethe Theater in Bad Lauchstädt


June 16, 1968

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


June 20, 1968

Protest action against the demolition of the Leipzig University Church of St. Pauli at the final concert of the 3rd International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in the Congress Hall at the Leipzig Zoo


June 21, 1968

Premiere of the DEFA film “Heißer Sommer” (“Hot Summer”) in Rostock


July 04, 1968

The Hanns Eisler Prize is endowed and awarded for the first time in Leipzig


July 04, 1968

Rat für Kultur (Council for Culture) constituted at the Minister of Culture


July 06, 1968

GDR premiere of the cantata “Die Mutter” (“The Mother”) by Hanns Eisler (text: Bertolt Brecht) in Berlin


July 31, 1968

The ND publishes an essay by the composer Siegfried Köhler on the “Tasks for Young Composers”


August 18, 1968

The ND publishes an essay on the “fairy tale of a unified culture”


August 27, 1968

VDK composition contest announced


September 1968

Consulting for dance musicians in Berlin (September 1968)


September 03, 1968

Prohibition of the Gesellschaft für Musikforschung in the GDR

The Gesellschaft für Musikforschung (GfM), founded in 1946, which had retained its status throughout Germany after the division of Germany, is deprived of its basis of existence in the GDR by a joint decision of the self-proclaimed “DDR Section”" of the GfM and the Commission of Musicology of the Verband Deutscher Komponisten und Musikwissenschaftler (VDK). The East German members are invited to join the VDK. The GfM branch office in Leipzig, headed by Frieder Zschoch, is subsequently closed. The decision is the result of a fundamental decision by the SED leadership: on 5 April 1967 the secretariat of the ZK of the SED decided “that there is no longer any basis for the existence and activity of so-called all-German societies and for the membership of GDR citizens in West German societies”.

Author


September 04, 1968

The Council of Ministers of the GDR passes the resolution on the formation of the State Committee for Television at the Council of Ministers and the State Committee for Radio at the Council of Ministers


September 04, 1968

Constituent meeting of the Council for Cultural and Artistic Studies at the Minister for Culture in Berlin


September 13, 1968

The documentary film “Lieder machen Leute” (“Songs make the man”), directed by Gitta Nickel, about the political music group “Oktober-Klub” opens in movie theaters


September 23, 1968

Start of the DT-64-Jugendliedparade (DT 64 Youth Song Parade)


September 29, 1968 – October 12, 1968

12th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 1968

The Oktober-Klub publishes a position paper in “Forum” No. 19 entitled “Nachdenken über Vorlauf” (“Reflecting on advance”)


October 03, 1968

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1968


October 12, 1968 – October 19, 1968

Festival of German and Soviet Song and 2nd Workshop Week of FDJ Singing Clubs in Karl-Marx-Stadt


October 18, 1968

The 13th session of the State Council of the GDR is held in Berlin


October 22, 1968 – October 25, 1968

The 9th Session of the Central Committee of the SED takes place in Berlin


October 22, 1968

Resolution of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED “Die weitere Entwicklung der marxistisch-leninistischen Gesellschaftswissenschaften in der DDR” (“The further development of Marxist-Leninist social sciences in the GDR”)


October 31, 1968

The Central Delegates Conference of the VDK begins in Leipzig (October 31–November 2, 1968)


December 02, 1968

6th meeting of the Central Council of the FDJ on cultural issues


December 05, 1968 – December 07, 1968

2nd Central Folk Art Conference in Cottbus


December 13, 1968

Hanns Eisler Conference in Berlin

1969


February 1969

The Leipzig party aesthete Erhard John publishes an essay in the SED journal “Einheit” entitled “Kultur- und Kunstwissenschaften als Leitungswissenschaften” (“Cultural and Art Studies as Leadership Sciences”)


February 21, 1969 – March 01, 1969

2nd Berlin Music Biennale


February 23, 1969

GDR premiere of the opera “Die Nase” (“The Nose”) by Dmitri Shostakovich (after Nikolai Gogol) in Berlin


February 28, 1969

World premiere of the “Sinfonie in B” (“Symphony in B-flat”) by Ernst Hermann Meyer in Berlin


April 28, 1969 – April 29, 1969

10th Session of the Central Committee of the SED


April 30, 1969

World premiere of the opera “Maître Pathelin oder Die Hammelkomödie” by Rainer Kunad (libretto: Rainer Kunad) in Dresden


May 1969

Verlag Neue Musik Berlin publishes Volume I of the new series “Sammelbände zur Musikgeschichte der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik“ (May 1969)


May 1969

Walther Siegmund-Schultze publishes an essay in the SED journal “Einheit” entitled “Die Musik im geistig-kulturellen Leben der DDR” (“Music in the spiritual-cultural life of the GDR”)


May 05, 1969

Speech by the Minister of Culture, Klaus Gysi, to the Artistic-Scientific Council of the Ministry of Culture


May 10, 1969

First TV program in “Notenbank”


May 22, 1969

Roswitha Trexler performs as a singer in Leipzig


May 22, 1969

Plenary Session of the German Academy of Arts


May 25, 1969

Forum “Vindication and summary of the concert plan discussion in Halle”


May 28, 1969 – May 30, 1969

6th German Writers’ Congress in Berlin


June 06, 1969 – June 08, 1969

5th Dance Festival of the GDR in Rudolstadt


June 13, 1969

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 13, 1969 – June 15, 1969

The 11th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Karl-Marx-Stadt


June 14, 1969

Prize of the FDGB awarded


July 05, 1969 – July 11, 1969

3rd workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Berlin


July 11, 1969

Scientific Council for Cultural and Artistic Studies at the Institute for Social Sciences at the Central Committee of the SED constituted


July 11, 1969 – July 13, 1969

1st Chanson and Song Festival of the GDR in Dresden


August 25, 1969

“Open Day” at the Schwerin Broadcasting Studio


August 28, 1969 – August 31, 1969

1st Central Festival of Young Talents in Magdeburg


September 11, 1969

World premiere of the musical “Karambolage” by Conny Odd (libretto: Maurycy Janowski)


September 18, 1969 – September 29, 1969

Cultural Days of the GDR in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic


September 21, 1969 – October 12, 1969

13th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 1969

“Modellfall Singeklubs” (“Model Case Singing Clubs)”, a study by cultural studies students at Humboldt University in Berlin, published


October 02, 1969

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


October 03, 1969

Opening of the 2nd television program of the GDR television station “Deutscher Fernsehfunk”


October 03, 1969

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1969


October 07, 1969

Clashes between rock fans and security forces in East Berlin over rumor that the Rolling Stones were playing on the roof of the Springer skyscraper in West Berlin


October 07, 1969

Opening of the Kulturpalast at Dresden’s Altmarkt with a performance of the overture “The Consecration of the House” and the 9th Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven


October 14, 1969

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


November 1969

Walter Ulbricht publishes an essay in the SED journal “Einheit” on “the development of socialist culture in the German Democratic Republic”


November 09, 1969 – November 20, 1969

5th Robert Schumann International Competition for Pianists and Singers in Zwickau


November 13, 1969

The 3rd Theoretical Conference of the VDK begins in Berlin (November 13 and 14, 1969)


December 11, 1969

Resolution of the Central Council of the FDJ “Kämpft und singt mit uns!” (“Fight and sing with us!”)


December 19, 1969

World premiere of the opera “Lanzelot” (“Lancelot”) by Paul Dessau (libretto: Heiner Müller, based on the play “The Dragon” by Evgeny Schwartz) at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin


December 19, 1969

Art Prize of the FDGB for works of visual art awarded

1970


January 21, 1970 – February 03, 1970

1st Leistungsschau (Performance Show) of the Entertainment Art of the GDR in Leipzig


January 24, 1970

GDR premiere of the opera “Porgy and Bess” by George Gershwin at the Komische Oper Berlin


January 27, 1970

In Leipzig begins the 1st performance show of the entertainment art of the GDR (January 27–February 2, 1970)


February 15, 1970 – February 21, 1970

1st Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 23, 1970

Plenary Session of the German Academy of Arts on “Die Aufgaben der Akademie der Künste bei der Verwirklichung der Kulturpolitik der DDR im Jahre 1970” (“The Tasks of the Academy of Arts in the Realisation of the Cultural Policy of the GDR in 1970”)


March 06, 1970

First event of the OKK (Oktoberklub-Klub) in the “Klub International” in the Berlin Kino International


March 26, 1970

Constituent Meeting of the Beethoven Committee of the German Democratic Republic in Berlin


April 1970

The head of the Cultural Department of the Central Committee of the SED, Arno Hochmuth, publishes an essay on “Leninism and Socialist Cultural Policy in the GDR” together with Werner Kahle in the SED journal “Einheit”


April 16, 1970 – April 23, 1970

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Lenin’s birth, numerous celebratory meetings, cultural events and scientific conferences are held


May 09, 1970

The 5th Meeting of Young Composers of Socialist Countries begins in Weimar (May 9–15, 1970)


May 16, 1970

World premiere of “Orchestermusik Nr. 3 ‘Lenin’” (“‘Lenin’, music for orchestra no. 3”) by Paul Dessau in Berlin


June 05, 1970 – June 07, 1970

6th Dance Festival of the GDR in Rudolstadt


June 12, 1970

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 12, 1970 – June 14, 1970

The 12th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Rostock


June 14, 1970

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


July 1970

Colloquium of the German Cultural Association on Development Problems of Socialist Culture in the Seventies


July 04, 1970 – July 11, 1970

4. Werkstattwoche der FDJ-Singeklubs in Brandenburg an der Havel


July 06, 1970

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


August 22, 1970 – August 28, 1970

1st Poetenseminar (Poetry Seminar) of the FDJ in Schwerin


August 28, 1970

Start of a joint production of the record companies of the USSR and the GDR (Melodiya and Eterna)


September 17, 1970 – September 21, 1970

2nd International Bach Festival in Leipzig with scientific conference


September 27, 1970 – October 11, 1970

14th “Berliner Festtage” festival


September 29, 1970

World premiere of the opera “Joe Hill” by Alan Bush at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin


October 02, 1970

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


October 06, 1970

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1970


October 10, 1970

Ceremonial act and concert on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the Staatskapelle Berlin


November 1970

The Presidium of the German Writers’ Union disapproves of the awarding of the Nobel Prize for Literature to Alexander Solzhenitsyn


November 22, 1970 – November 29, 1970

Festival week on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Dresdner Philharmonie (Dresden Philharmonic)


December 10, 1970 – December 16, 1970

Beethoven honor of the GDR on the 200th anniversary of the composer’s birth


December 18, 1970

GDR premiere of the musical “Hello, Dolly!” after Thornton Wilder (“The Matchmaker”) by Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart at the Metropol Theater Berlin

1971


1971

With “Rhythmus 71” the “Aktion ‘Rhythmus’” of the Committee for Entertainment Art of the GDR takes place for the first time


January 14, 1971

Ideas consultation with writers and visual artists in the State Council of the GDR


January 19, 1971 – January 21, 1971

Consultation of literary scholars and critics of the USSR and the GDR in Berlin on current tasks of literary criticism


January 23, 1971

Premiere of the musical “Der Fiedler auf dem Dach” (“The Fiddler on the Roof”) by Jerry Bock and Joseph Stein at the Komische Oper Berlin


January 25, 1971 – February 01, 1971

2nd Leistungsschau (Performance Show) of the Entertainment Art of the GDR in Leipzig


February 01, 1971

4th International Seminar of Marxist Musicologists in Sofia (February 1971)


February 07, 1971 – February 13, 1971

2nd Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 12, 1971 – February 21, 1971

3rd Berlin Music Biennale


March 17, 1971

Scientific Conference “Cultural Studies and the Working Class” of the Institute for Social Sciences at the Central Committee of the SED in Berlin


April 02, 1971

World premiere of “Bagatellen für B” (“Bagatelles for B”) for piano and orchestra by Reiner Bredemeyer in Berlin


April 06, 1971

Ceremonial meeting of the Central Board of the VDK on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Association


April 13, 1971 – April 14, 1971

International Symposium at the German Academy of Arts “Paul Robeson and the Struggle of Working Class and Black Americans of the United States against Imperialism”

Read Decade Article

1971


1971

With “Rhythmus 71” the “Aktion ‘Rhythmus’” of the Committee for Entertainment Art of the GDR takes place for the first time


May 03, 1971

16th Session of the Central Committee of the SED


May 03, 1971 – May 07, 1971

Guest performance of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin and Gisela Mays at La Scala in Milan with “Die sieben Todsünden der Kleinbürger” (“The Seven Deadly Sins of the Petty Bourgeoisie”) and a solo program


May 07, 1971

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


May 25, 1971 – May 30, 1971

5th workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Berlin


May 26, 1971

Colloquium on “Working Class and Culture” in Leipzig


May 29, 1971

First broadcast of the television documentary “Walter Felsenstein” (Director: Gitta Nickel)


May 30, 1971

1st Dixieland Festival in Dresden


May 31, 1971

Concert “Rhythmus 71” at the Friedrichstadtpalast in Berlin


June 1971

In an essay published in the SED journal "Einheit," cultural official Alexander Abusch explains how GDR artists should deal with conflicts in their works


June 04, 1971

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 04, 1971 – June 06, 1971

The 13th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Leipzig


June 06, 1971

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


June 09, 1971

In an ND article, the writer and journalist Erik Neutsch, who is loyal to the party, interprets the letters to the editor printed in GDR newspapers as a way of the working people exercising power


June 15, 1971

The 8th Party Congress of the SED begins in Berlin (June 15–19, 1971)


June 18, 1971 – June 20, 1971

7th Dance Festival of the GDR in Rudolstadt


July 06, 1971

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


July 07, 1971

Rudolf Singer is appointed the new chairman of the State Broadcasting Committee


August 1971

Cultural official Friedhelm Grabe comments on ideological guidelines for commissioning artists


August 01, 1971

A “Methodical Center for Entertainment Arts” is formed at the Ministry of Culture


August 15, 1971

In preparation of the 2nd Music Congress, Ernst Hermann Meyer and Wolfgang Lesser publish an article in ND


September 1971

Eterna record series “unsere neue musik”, containing works by GDR composers, is completed with the 50th long-playing record


September 14, 1971

At the 4th General Assembly of the Music Council of the GDR, Dieter Zechlin is elected as the new president


October 01, 1971 – October 17, 1971

15th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 04, 1971

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


October 04, 1971

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1971


October 14, 1971

Conference of Social Scientists of the GDR in Berlin


October 14, 1971 – October 17, 1971

Guest performance of the Grand Theatre in Warsaw at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, including Giuseppe Verdi’s “Otello” and Karol Szymanowski’s “Król Roger” (“King Roger”)


October 18, 1971 – October 25, 1971

Days of Culture of the GDR in the CSSR


October 19, 1971 – October 21, 1971

1st Schlager Festival of Socialist Countries “Dresden ’71”


November 05, 1971

Advisory Board for Intellectuell and Cultural Life at the Ministry of Culture constituted


December 16, 1971

The 4th Session of the Central Committee of the SED Begins in Berlin (December 16 and 17, 1971)

1972


January 1972

An anonymous essay on the “Tasks of Cultural and Artistic Studies after the 8th Party Congress of the SED” appears in the “Weimarer Beiträge”


January 1972

In the magazine “Musik-Forum” published by the Central House for Cultural Work of the GDR, the “Main Tasks for the Composing Labourers in the Years 1971–1975” are published


January 31, 1972 – February 01, 1972

1st Interpreter Competition in Berlin


February 13, 1972 – February 19, 1972

3rd Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 19, 1972

World premiere of “Gesänge des Abschieds” by Rudolf Wagner-Régeny based on poems by Hermann Hesse in Dresden


February 29, 1972

Conference on questions of social commissioning in the field of music in Berlin


March 1972

The SED magazine “Einheit” publishes an interview with the composer Günter Kochan



March 09, 1972

At the plenum of the Academy of Arts on the topic “Problems and Tasks of the Creative Partnership between the Working Class and the Arts” Kurt Hager gives a speech “Working Class and Artists”


April 16, 1972

World premiere of the opera “Noch ein Löffel Gift, Liebling?” (“Another Spoonful of Poison, Darling?”) by Siegfried Matthus at the Komische Oper Berlin


April 24, 1972

A dance music conference begins in Berlin (April 24 and 25, 1972)


May 13, 1972

Guest performance of the State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR in Berlin


May 15, 1972

Order No. 2 on the music schools enacted


May 15, 1972

Dmitri Shostakovich is awarded the Order “Stern der Völkerfreundschaft” (“Star of Friendship of Nations”) in gold


May 26, 1972 – May 28, 1972

3rd Festival of Sorbian Culture in Bautzen


June 01, 1972 – June 04, 1972

8th Dance Festival of the GDR in Rudolstadt


June 03, 1972 – June 19, 1972

4th International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig


June 06, 1972

Lessing Prize awarded to Heinz Kahlau and Horst Seeger


June 06, 1972

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


June 16, 1972

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 16, 1972 – June 18, 1972

The 14th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Schwerin


June 18, 1972

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


June 23, 1972

Lenin Peace Prize presented to Ernst Busch in Berlin


July 05, 1972

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


July 06, 1972

The 6th Session of the Central Committee of the SED Begins in Berlin (July 6 and 7, 1972)


July 08, 1972 – July 14, 1972

6th workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Neubrandenburg


September 1972

The party-loyal cultural theorist Hans Koch publishes an essay in the “Weimarer Beiträge” on “the cultural policy of the SED”


September 29, 1972

Plenary Session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR on the topic “Our Tasks after the 8th Party Congress of the SED”


September 29, 1972 – October 15, 1972

16th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 1972

An article by Ursula Apel and Werner Rackwitz on “music in the intellectual and cultural life of the GDR” appears in the SED journal “Einheit”


October 1972

The party-loyal literary scholar Werner Neubert publishes an essay on the cultural-political line of the 6th meeting of the Central Committee of the SED


October 1972

The party-loyal cultural theorist Hans Koch publishes an essay in the “Weimarer Beiträge” on “Culture in the Developed Socialist Society”


October 06, 1972

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1972


October 18, 1972 – October 20, 1972

2nd Schlager Festival of Socialist Countries “Dresden 72”


October 21, 1972

In Frankfurt (Oder), the 1st FDJ Workshop Week “Youth Dance Music” begins (October 21–28, 1972)


October 28, 1972 – November 06, 1972

Festivities for the 125th anniversary of the death of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy in the GDR


November 05, 1972 – November 11, 1972

On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of Heinrich Schütz’s death, festivities take place in Dresden


November 11, 1972 – November 30, 1972

Days of Soviet Theater Art in the GDR


November 15, 1972

Vereinbarung zwischen dem Verband VDK und dem Zentralhaus für Kulturarbeit der DDR Agreement between the VDK and the Zentralhaus für Kulturarbeit (Central House for Cultural Work) of the GDR


November 17, 1972

The 2nd Music Congress of the GDR begins in Berlin (November 17–19, 1972)


November 17, 1972

Renaming of the VDK to “ Verband der Komponisten und Musikwissenschaftler der DDR” (VKM)


December 1972

In the journal „Probleme des Friedens und des Sozialismus“ (“Problems of Peace and Socialism”) Kurt Hager explains the cultural policy of the SED after the 8th Party Congress


December 21, 1972

Basic Treaty signed between the two German states

1973


1973

Foundation of the Committee for Entertainment Art of the GDR


January 1973

Wolfgang Harich publishes a polemical essay in “Sinn und Form” against Heiner Müller


January 1973

“Sinn und Form” publishes a reader’s discussion of Ulrich Plenzdorf’s “Die neuen Leiden des jungen W.” (“The new Sorrows of Young W.”)


January 26, 1973

World premiere of the opera “Der verrückte Jourdain” by Fritz Geißler (after Mikhail Bulgakov) at the Volkstheater Rostock


January 27, 1973 – February 07, 1973

3rd Leistungsschau (Performance Show) of the Entertainment Art of the GDR in Leipzig


February 14, 1973 – February 18, 1973

Workshop 73 of the FDJ Singing Clubs in Berlin


February 16, 1973 – February 25, 1973

4th Berlin Music Biennale


March 18, 1973 – March 24, 1973

Max Reger Festival on the occasion of the composer’s 100th birthday in Meiningen


March 26, 1973

The 5th International Seminar of Marxist Musicologists (March 26–30, 1973) begins in Budapest


March 27, 1973

World premiere of the opera “Levins Mühle” (“Levin’s Mill”) by Udo Zimmermann in Dresden


March 29, 1973

World premiere of the opera “Das alltägliche Wunder” (“The Ordinary Miracle”) by Gerhard Rosenfeld (after Evgeny Schwartz) in Stralsund


April 05, 1973

Committee for Entertainment Arts constituted by the Minister of Culture


May 05, 1973 – May 09, 1973

FDJ workshop of young talents in Magdeburg


May 06, 1973

The weekly cultural-political newspaper “Sonntag” publishes a speech of the Minister of Culture, Hans-Joachim Hoffmann


May 17, 1973

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


May 28, 1973 – May 29, 1973

The 9th Meeting of the Central Committee of the SED takes place in Berlin (28 and 29 May 1973)


June 06, 1973

Order on the formation of the General Directorate at the Committee for Entertainment Arts


June 07, 1973

In a speech, Politburo member Hermann Axen defines the “socialist nation in the GDR”


June 26, 1973

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


July 06, 1973

Ceremony to honour Hanns Eisler on the occasion of the composer’s 75th birthday


July 06, 1973

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


July 28, 1973 – August 05, 1973

10th World Festival of Youth and Students in Berlin


August 15, 1973

Discotheque regulations enacted


August 18, 1973

The ND publishes an article by Kurt Hager on “the rapprochement of the cultures of the brother countries”


September 01, 1973

In the GDR, the Hochschullehrerberufungsverordnung (HBVO) now also applies to artistic universities


September 12, 1973

Bach House in Eisenach reopened after reconstruction


September 29, 1973 – September 30, 1973

1st Days of Chanson in Frankfurt (Oder)

Author


October 1973

Hans Koch, a cultural theorist loyal to the party, explains the SED’s cultural policy in a lecture to the Presidential Council of the Cultural League of the GDR


October 03, 1973 – October 21, 1973

17th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 05, 1973

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1973


October 29, 1973 – November 30, 1973

The international colloquium “Hanns Eisler heute” takes place in Berlin on the occasion of the composer’s 75th birthday


November 11, 1973

World premiere of the opera “Reiter der Nacht” (“Rider of the Night”) by Ernst Hermann Meyer at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin


November 14, 1973 – November 16, 1973

7th Writers’ Congress of the German Democratic Republic in Berlin

1974


January 1974

Event series “Eintopp” [“Eintopp” = “Eintopf” (“Stew”) in Berlin dialect] with Bettina Wegner at the Berlin Haus der jungen Talente


January 19, 1974

Kurt Hager lectures at the “Parteihochschule ‘Karl Marx’” (Party Academy Karl Marx) on “ideological problems of our time”


January 28, 1974

Youth law adopted


February 07, 1974

Publication of the “Bibliothek deutscher Klassiker” (“Library of German Classics”) completed


February 10, 1974 – February 16, 1974

4th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 11, 1974 – February 13, 1974

3rd Folk Art Conference of the GDR in Dresden


February 16, 1974

World premiere of the opera “Einstein” by Paul Dessau (libretto: Karl Mickel) at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin


February 26, 1974

The 1st Bezirksmusikkonferenz (District Music Conference) takes place in Frankfurt (Oder) as part of the 9th Festtage der Musik (Festival of Music)


April 17, 1974

ND publishes Kurt Hager’s essay on “The Politics of the Party and the Tasks of Marxist-Leninist Philosophy” published in the Soviet journal “Voprosy Filosofii” (“Problems of Philosophy”)


April 19, 1974

World premiere of the musical “Eine Frau nach Maß” by Siegfried Schäfer at the Metropol Theater Berlin


April 25, 1974

Plenary session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR with election of new members


May 14, 1974

First performance of the 1st Symphony by Friedrich Goldmann in Leipzig


May 16, 1974

ND publishes Kurt Hager’s article on the coordination of the ideological work of the socialist “brother parties” published in “Pravda”


May 31, 1974 – June 03, 1974

9th Dance Festival of the GDR in Rudolstadt


June 1974

In an essay in the SED journal “Einheit,” cultural politicians Hans-Joachim Hoffmann and Werner Kühn comment on artistic commissions


June 01, 1974

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 01, 1974 – June 09, 1974

The 15th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Erfurt


June 09, 1974

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


June 19, 1974

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


June 30, 1974

An editorial in the ND on artistic commissions emphasizes the “democratic scope of commissioning” and the “creative cooperation” between client and artist


July 15, 1974 – July 21, 1974

7th workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Frankfurt (Oder)


August 23, 1974

The “Dance Music Festival of Youth” begins in Plauen (August 23–25, 1974), during which young people clash with the police


September 13, 1974 – September 15, 1974

1st GDR Music Days in Berlin


September 14, 1974

Extraordinary Delegates Conference of the VKM in Berlin


September 27, 1974 – October 20, 1974

18th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 04, 1974

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1974


October 20, 1974 – October 22, 1974

3rd Schlager Festival of Socialist Countries “Dresden 74”


October 27, 1974 – November 08, 1974

6th Robert Schumann International Competition for Pianists and Singers in Zwickau


November 21, 1974

1st Meeting of the Musicologists of the GDR in Berlin


November 29, 1974 – December 01, 1974

2nd Days of Chanson in Frankfurt (Oder)


December 1974

An essay by Horst Slomma on “Entertainment Culture in Our Lives” appears in the SED journal “Einheit”


December 12, 1974 – December 14, 1974

13th Session of the Central Committee of the SED in Berlin (December 12–14, 1974)

1975


January 24, 1975 – January 26, 1975

1st Championship in Ballroom Dancing of the Socialist Countries in Karl-Marx-Stadt


January 24, 1975 – February 02, 1975

4th Leistungsschau (Performance Show) of the Entertainment Art of the GDR in Halle and Leipzig


February 09, 1975 – February 15, 1975

5th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 14, 1975 – February 23, 1975

5th Berlin Music Biennale


February 26, 1975

Premiere of the opera “Die Hochzeit des Figaro” (“The Marriage of Figaro”) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the Komische Oper Berlin


April 24, 1975

Workshop on issues of written and spoken concert introductions in Berlin


April 26, 1975

GDR premiere of Arnold Schoenberg’s opera “Moses und Aron” at the Dresden State Opera House


May 1975

Chamber Music Composition Competition (May 1975)


May 01, 1975

Foundation of the Center of Harz Folk Art in Magdeburg


May 05, 1975 – May 10, 1975

1st Festival of amateur artistic creation of Socialist Countries in 14 Cities of the GDR


May 06, 1975 – May 10, 1975

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the liberation, numerous cultural events and festive performances will be held, including a guest performance by the Alexandrov Ensemble


May 09, 1975 – May 23, 1975

1st Vogtland Music Days in Markneukirchen, Klingenthal and Plauen


June 12, 1975

The conference “Music and Criticism” begins in Berlin (June 12 and 13, 1975)


June 12, 1975

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


June 28, 1975

GDR premiere of the opera “Lulu” by Alban Berg at the Komische Oper Berlin


July 04, 1975

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


July 05, 1975 – July 07, 1975

10th Dance Festival of the GDR in Rudolstadt


July 11, 1975 – July 12, 1975

FDJ Cultural Conference in Weimar


August 31, 1975

World premiere of the opera “Der Schatten” (“The Shadow”) by Fritz Geißler (libretto: Günter Lohse after Evgeny Schwartz) in Leipzig


September 02, 1975

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


September 12, 1975 – September 14, 1975

4th Schlager Festival of Socialist Countries “Dresden 75”


September 16, 1975 – September 23, 1975

3rd International Bach Festival of the GDR in connection with the 50th Bach Festival of the Neue Bachgesellschaft (New Bach Society) in Leipzig


September 18, 1975 – September 19, 1975

Scientific conference on the occasion of the 3rd International Bach Festival of the GDR in Leipzig


September 22, 1975

Prohibition of Klaus Renft Combo

The six members of the rock band Klaus Renft Combo, founded in 1958, banned several times, renamed and with critical lyrics, received written notice from the Department of Culture at the Leipzig District Council: “With effect from 22 September 1975, the dance music formation Klaus Renft Combo is regarded as dissolved”. In the following years, some band members voluntarily left the GDR. Two of the band members, Gerulf Pannach and Christian Kunert, were expatriated after nine months in the central remand prison of the MfS in Berlin-Hohenschönhausen.

Author


September 26, 1975 – October 12, 1975

19th “Berliner Festtage” festival


September 27, 1975

World premiere of the ballet “Schwarze Vögel” by Georg Katzer at the Komische Oper Berlin


October 01, 1975

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1975


October 04, 1975

GDR premiere of the opera “Die Teufel von Loudun” (“The Devils of Loudun”) by Krzysztof Penderecki at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin


October 09, 1975

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


November 07, 1975

Monika Hauff and Klaus-Dieter Henkler receive the “Grand prix de Paris” for foreign participants at the International Chanson Competition in Paris


December 05, 1975 – December 06, 1975

3rd Conference of Club and Culture House Directors in Karl-Marx-Stadt

1976


January 21, 1976

Tribute to E. T. A. Hoffmann on the occasion of the 200th birthday of the poet with a commemorative event of the Academy of Arts of the GDR


February 07, 1976 – February 14, 1976

6th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 20, 1976

The 2nd Conference of Musicologists of the GDR begins in Berlin (February 20 and 21, 1976)


February 20, 1976 – February 24, 1976

2nd GDR Music Days in Berlin


February 20, 1976 – February 22, 1976

1st central performance comparison of wind orchestras in Magdeburg



April 1976

Lutz Kirchenwitz publishes “Theses on the FDJ Singing Movement”


April 16, 1976 – April 23, 1976

Premiere of Richard Wagner’s opera cycle “Der Ring des Nibelungen” (“The Ring of the Nibelung”) as the first complete performance at the Leipzig Opera House


May 14, 1976 – May 31, 1976

5th International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig


May 18, 1976 – May 22, 1976

The IXth Party Congress of the SED takes place in Berlin


May 26, 1976

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


May 27, 1976 – May 30, 1976

4th Festival of Sorbian Culture in Bautzen


June 01, 1976 – June 05, 1976

10th Parliament of the FDJ in Berlin


June 03, 1976 – June 06, 1976

Festivities in Dresden on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the death of Carl Maria von Weber


June 04, 1976 – June 07, 1976

1st Chanson Days in Kloster Michaelstein (Michaelstein Monastery)


June 25, 1976

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 25, 1976 – June 27, 1976

The 16th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Dresden


June 27, 1976

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


July 09, 1976

In Altenburg, the 1000-year celebration of the city begins (July 9–11, 1976), during which there are riots by youthful rock fans


July 12, 1976 – July 18, 1976

9th workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Cottbus


September 07, 1976

World premiere of the opera “Omphale” by Siegfried Matthus (libretto: Peter Hacks) at the German National Theater in Weimar


September 10, 1976

World premiere of the musical “Casanova” by Gerd Natschinski (libretto: Helmut Bez and Jürgen Degenhardt) at the Metropol Theater Berlin


September 11, 1976

Concert by Wolf Biermann in Prenzlau (Biermann’s last public appearance in the GDR before his expatriation from the GDR)


September 16, 1976 – September 18, 1976

5th Schlager Festival of Socialist Countries “Dresden 76”


September 23, 1976 – September 24, 1976

Conference on the Establishment of the Multilateral Commission of Socialist Countries for Problems of Cultural Theory, Literary and Artistic Sciences in Berlin


October 01, 1976 – October 17, 1976

20th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 03, 1976

Ring premiere of the opera „Meister Röckle“ by Joachim Werzlau (libretto: Günther Deicke) at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin (October 3) and in Karl-Marx-Stadt (October 21)


October 05, 1976

Guest performance of the Dresdner Philharmonie (Dresden Philharmonic), the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester (Berlin Symphony Orchestra), the Komische Oper Berlin and other ensembles for the Days of GDR Music Culture in the USSR


October 06, 1976

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1976


October 10, 1976

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


October 14, 1976

Premiere of the DEFA film “Beethoven – Tage aus einem Leben” (“Beethoven – Days from a Life”) (written by Günter Kunert and directed by Horst Seemann)


October 29, 1976 – October 31, 1976

First folk workshop, organized by the group Folkländer in Leipzig


November 04, 1976 – November 13, 1976

Guest performance of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, the Omsk Folk Choir and many soloists on the occasion of the Days of Musical Culture of the USSR in the GDR


November 05, 1976 – November 07, 1976

1. Central Performance Comparison of the Amateur DJs


November 13, 1976

In Cologne Wolf Biermann gives the first concert of his tour through the Federal Republic of Germany


November 16, 1976

Wolf Biermann’s GDR citizenship is revoked


November 17, 1976

Twelve prominent writers protest to the GDR government against the expatriation of Wolf Biermann


November 20, 1976

A press campaign begins in the GDR in support of Wolf Biermann’s expatriation, in which numerous artists participate

The newspaper “Neues Deutschland” publishes statements by supporters of the expatriation of Wolf Biermann, including a statement by Paul Dessau. What is remarkable about this statement is that Dessau expressed in it what shocked him most about Biermann’s statements in his Cologne concert (which provided the occasion for expatriation), namely that Biermann spoke of a “socialist experiment” being conducted in the GDR. Dessau thus followed the view of the SED, which in contrast to West German left-wing intellectuals never regarded socialism as an “experiment”: “The GDR, in which I have worked since its foundation, is a historical law and not an experiment. We owe the fact that today we are a globally recognized, highly developed state to all those who have never let up in their unshakable conviction and their politically founded struggle for peace and progress. Knowing and proud, I can say that our artists, each in his own way and with the understanding support of our State, have contributed to this development. It is our duty to see through the dirty methods of the class enemy and to stand united against them”. (ND, A- and B-issue, Vol. 31, No. 277 of 20./21.11.1976, 3)

Author


December 10, 1976 – December 11, 1976

Beethoven Conference of the Cultural Association of the GDR in Berlin


December 30, 1976

World premiere of the opera “Der Schuhu und die fliegende Prinzessin” (“The Bird-Man and the Flying Princess”) by Udo Zimmermann (libretto: Peter Hacks) at the Dresden State Opera House

1977


January 28, 1977 – February 06, 1977

5th Leistungsschau (Performance Show) of the Entertainment Art of the GDR in Leipzig and Halle


February 03, 1977

Decision of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the SED “Measures for the Promotion of Amateur Artistic Creation”


February 12, 1977 – February 19, 1977

7th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 18, 1977 – February 27, 1977

6th Berlin Music Biennale


February 27, 1977

World premiere of the opera fantasy “R. Hot bzw. die Hitze” (libretto: Thomas Körner, based on the drama “Der Engländer – Eine dramatische Phantasey” by Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz) by Friedrich Goldmann in the Apollosaal of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin


March 11, 1977

Meeting of the Board of the Writers’ Union in Berlin


March 19, 1977

Establishment of a folklore initiative committee by representatives of folk groups


March 20, 1977 – March 27, 1977

Beethoven tribute in the GDR on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the composer’s death


March 29, 1977

Council of Ministers Decision on the “Nationale Forschungs- und Gedenkstätten Johann Sebastian Bach der DDR” (“Foundation of the National Research and Memorial Sites Johann Sebastian Bach of the GDR”)

The Council of Ministers of the GDR decides to form the “Nationale Forschungs- und Gedenkstätten Johann Sebastian Bach der DDR” [National Research and Memorial Sites Johann Sebastian Bach of the GDR] (NFG Bach), which are under the direction of Werner Felix, musicologist and functionary appointed as general director. The Bach Archive Leipzig, founded in 1950, is thus integrated into the NFG Bach.

Author


April 09, 1977 – April 10, 1977

1st Jazzbühne Berlin (Berlin Jazz Stage), organised by the Rundfunk der DDR (Radio of the GDR)


April 13, 1977 – April 14, 1977

Consultation of the Central Committee of the SED with leading cultural and art scholars of the GDR on research and cadre issues


April 16, 1977

World premiere of the “Sinfonia für Orchester” “Kontraste – Konflikte” by Ernst Hermann Meyer in Dresden


April 26, 1977 – May 12, 1977

Guest performance of the State Song and Dance Ensemble “Mazowsze” from Poland in the GDR


April 27, 1977

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


April 30, 1977 – May 03, 1977

1st International Folklore Festival in Karl-Marx-Stadt


May 08, 1977 – June 28, 1977

Guest performance of the chamber orchestra “Camerata musica” in Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Brazil and Venezuela


May 11, 1977

The VKM Delegates Conference begins in Berlin (May 11 and 12, 1977)


May 13, 1977

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


May 19, 1977 – May 20, 1977

Guest concerts of the Thomanerchor Leipzig conducted by Hans-Joachim Rotzsch at the 12th International Bach Festival of the International Bach Society in Schaffhausen (Switzerland)


May 27, 1977

Opening of the Singekeller (Singing Cellar) in the Berlin Haus der jungen Talente as the new venue of the OKK (Oktoberklub-Klub)


June 05, 1977 – June 19, 1977

7th Robert Schumann International Competition for Pianists and Singers in Zwickau


June 22, 1977

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


July 01, 1977 – July 03, 1977

11th Dance Festival of the GDR in Rudolstadt


July 05, 1977

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


July 06, 1977

At a consultation with cultural workers in Berlin, Kurt Hager speaks about the cultural development of the GDR after the 9th party congress of the SED


July 14, 1977 – July 16, 1977

1st International Song Festival “Menschen und Meer” (“People and Sea”) in Rostock


July 15, 1977

Tilo Medek released from GDR citizenship

The composer Tilo Medek (1940–2006) is released from GDR citizenship and moves to Germany. In November 1976, he was the only composer to be one of over 100 signatories to the protest against the expatriation of Wolf Biermann initiated by Stephan Hermlin.

Author


July 15, 1977 – July 20, 1977

10th workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Merseburg


September 01, 1977

Decree of the Minister of Culture on the creation of centers for the cultivation of folklore in amateur artistic creation


September 17, 1977

Opening of the concert hall “Georg Philipp Telemann” in the reconstructed monastery church “Unser Lieben Frauen” in Magdeburg with a guest performance by Igor Oistrakh


September 20, 1977 – September 23, 1977

6th International Schlager Festival of Socialist Countries “Dresden 77”


September 22, 1977 – September 24, 1977

9th Congress of the Cultural Association of the GDR in Berlin


September 30, 1977 – October 16, 1977

21th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 01, 1977

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


October 06, 1977

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1977


October 07, 1977

Riots between youths and the Volkspolizei on Alexanderplatz in Berlin


October 27, 1977

Premiere of the concerto for orchestra “Responso” by Siegfried Matthus in Dresden


November 08, 1977

Decision of the Politburo on the “Tasks of Literary and Art Criticism”


November 21, 1977 – November 23, 1977

Scientific conference of the Multilateral Commission of Socialist Countries for Problems of Cultural Theory, Literary and Artistic Sciences in Schwerin


December 02, 1977

The 3rd Conference of the Musicologists of the GDR begins in Halle (Saale) (December 2 and 3, 1977)


December 08, 1977

Consultation of members of parliament, scientists and cultural functionaries from the districts of Rostock, Schwerin and Neubrandenburg in Güstrow about the cultivation of folklore in Mecklenburg


December 11, 1977

Premiere of the TV film “El Cantor” about the Chilean folk singer and theater director Víctor Jara in Berlin

1978


January 18, 1978 – January 22, 1978

Guest performance of the Dresden State Opera in Hamburg for the 300th anniversary of the Hamburg State Opera


February 03, 1978 – February 07, 1978

3rd GDR Music Days in Berlin


February 10, 1978 – February 15, 1978

Brecht-Dialog 1978 “Kunst und Politik” (Brecht Dialogue 1978 “Art and Politics”) on the poet’s 80th birthday


February 13, 1978 – February 20, 1978

8th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 16, 1978

Resolution of the Office of the Central Council of the FDJ “Experiences and Points of View on the Political Leadership of the FDJ Singing Clubs by the Leaderships of the FDJ”


February 16, 1978

Resolution of the Office of the Central Council of the FDJ “Experiences and Points of View on the Political Leadership of the FDJ Singing Clubs by the Leaderships of the FDJ”


March 13, 1978 – March 14, 1978

Conference on the Entertainment Art of the GDR in Berlin


April 06, 1978

Manifestation of the Academy of Arts of the GDR on the occasion of Paul Robeson’s 80th birthday in Berlin


April 07, 1978 – April 09, 1978

For the first time, “Days of Folk Art” take place in the Palace of the Republic in Berlin, designed by folk artists from the Dresden district


April 16, 1978

Guest performance of the Vienna Boys’ Choir in the GDR with a concert in the Palace of the Republic in Berlin


April 30, 1978

First broadcast of the television film “Über sieben Brücken musst Du gehen” (“You must cross seven bridges”), based on a story by Helmut Richter


May 10, 1978

Election Plenum of the Academy of Arts of the GDR in Berlin


May 12, 1978

In an interview with the West German weekly newspaper “Die Zeit”, the writer Franz Fühmann complains about a lack of publicity in the GDR


May 20, 1978 – June 04, 1978

The Dresden Music Festival takes place for the first time


May 23, 1978

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


May 29, 1978 – May 31, 1978

8th Writers’ Congress of the German Democratic Republic in Berlin


June 01, 1978

Advice on problems of film music in Berlin


June 03, 1978 – June 04, 1978

1st Folklore Festival at the Berlin Haus der jungen Talente



June 06, 1978 – June 09, 1978

Guest performance of the German State Opera Berlin in Hamburg and Wiesbaden with the operas “Julius Cäsar” (“Giulio Cesare in Egitto”) by George Frideric Handel, “Die Nase” (“The Nose”) by Dmitri Shostakovich and “Einstein” by Paul Dessau


June 28, 1978 – July 06, 1978

Hanns Eisler Days on the occasion of the composer’s 80th birthday with a festive event (July 6) and an international colloquium (June 29–30)


June 30, 1978

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


June 30, 1978 – July 02, 1978

The 17th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Suhl


July 02, 1978

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


September 20, 1978 – September 23, 1978

7th International Schlager Festival in Dresden


September 20, 1978 – September 30, 1978

1st Gottfried Silbermann Days in the Karl-Marx-Stadt district to honor the work of the organ builder on the occasion of the 225th anniversary of his death


September 29, 1978 – October 15, 1978

22th “Berliner Festtage” festival


September 30, 1978

World premiere of the opera “Das Land Bum-Bum” by Georg Katzer (libretto: Rainer Kirsch) at the Komische Oper Berlin


October 01, 1978

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


October 03, 1978

Johannes R. Becher Diplomas of the Kulturbund awarded for the first time


October 07, 1978

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1978


October 15, 1978 – October 21, 1978

4st FDJ Workshop Week Youth Dance Music in Suhl (October 15–21, 1978)


October 16, 1978 – October 20, 1978

11th Workshop Week of the FDJ Singing Clubs in Leipzig


November 12, 1978

At the Tokyo International Song Festival “World Popular Song Festival 78”, Hans-Jürgen Beyer receives a silver medal for his entry


November 19, 1978

Schubert tribute on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the composer’s death at the Berlin State Opera


November 24, 1978 – November 25, 1978

Conference of the Cultural Association of the GDR “ ‘Unterhaltungsmusik’ und ‘Ernste Musik’ – Isolation oder Integration?” (“‘Entertainment Music’ and ‘Serious Music’ – Isolation or Integration?”) in Dresden


December 06, 1978 – December 08, 1978

Conference of the Ministry of Culture and the Council for Culture with the members of the Councils for Culture in the districts, counties, cities and boroughs in Magdeburg


December 10, 1978

Premiere of the opera “Tannhäuser” by Richard Wagner at the Dresden State Opera House


December 13, 1978 – December 14, 1978

The 9th Meeting of the Central Committee of the SED takes place in Berlin (13 and 14 December, 1978)

1979


January 26, 1979 – February 04, 1979

6th Leistungsschau (Performance Show) of the Entertainment Art of the GDR in Halle and Leipzig


January 28, 1979

Central active meeting of FDJ singing clubs in Berlin


January 28, 1979

1st Central Active Meeting of the FDJ Singing Clubs in Berlin


February 05, 1979

Premiere of Friedrich Schenker’s “Missa Nigra”


February 10, 1979 – February 18, 1979

9th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 10, 1979 – February 23, 1979

Guest performance of the Bach Orchestra of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in eight cities in Sweden


February 16, 1979 – February 25, 1979

7th Berlin Music Biennale


February 21, 1979

The 1st Workshop Days of GDR Music Theatre begin in Berlin


February 22, 1979

The 4th Conference of the Musicologists of the GDR begins in Berlin (February 22–24, 1979)


February 27, 1979

Plenary Session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR “Wie höre ich Musik?” (“How do I hear music?”)


March 02, 1979

Meeting of the Scientific Council for Marxist-Leninist Cultural and Art Studies


April 19, 1979 – April 29, 1979

First Days of Sorbian Music in the Bautzen District


April 21, 1979

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


May 11, 1979

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


May 13, 1979

The cultural-political weekly “Sonntag” prints a conversation about literary issues


May 14, 1979

Semper tribute by the GDR on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the architect’s death


May 19, 1979 – June 04, 1979

Dresden Music Festival 1979


May 22, 1979

The ND publishes a letter from the writer Dieter Noll to Erich Honecker


May 23, 1979

Meeting of the Presidium of the Writers’ Association of the GDR in Berlin


May 30, 1979

Board Meeting of the Writers’ Association of the GDR in Berlin


May 31, 1979 – June 03, 1979

[1st] National Youth Festival of the GDR in Berlin


June 01, 1979

The first Blues Mass takes place in the Samariterkirche in East Berlin


June 01, 1979 – June 03, 1979

“Liederpark” as part of the National Youth Festival of the GDR in Berlin


June 07, 1979

The General Assembly of the Berlin District Association of the Writers’ Association of the GDR expels nine authors from the Association


June 07, 1979 – June 18, 1979

Guest performance of the dance and song ensemble of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the GDR


June 14, 1979

World premiere of the 9th Symphony by Fritz Geißler in Leipzig


June 15, 1979

Foundation of the “Nationale Forschungs- und Gedenkstätten Johann Sebastian Bach der DDR” (“National Research and Memorial Sites Johann Sebastian Bach of the GDR”) (NFG Bach) in Leipzig


June 15, 1979 – June 17, 1979

1st Festival of Choral Symphonic Music of the GDR in Jena


June 22, 1979

Erich Honecker’s consultation with cultural and artistic workers of the GDR


June 28, 1979

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


July 03, 1979 – July 08, 1979

1st International Amateur Choir Festival of the Revolutionary Workers’ Song “Hanns Eisler” in Leipzig


July 05, 1979

Burial of Paul Dessau at Dorotheenstadt Cemetery (Berlin)


July 06, 1979

Concert in honor of Paul Dessau at the German State Opera Berlin


July 06, 1979

World premiere of the GDR’s first rock opera “Rosa Laub” at the Volkstheater Rostock


July 06, 1979 – July 08, 1979

12th Dance Festival of the GDR in Rudolstadt


July 13, 1979

The second Blues Mass takes place in the Samariterkirche in East Berlin


July 20, 1979

Article by Fritz Geißler in “Neues Deutschland”


August 29, 1979

Horst Seeger is inaugurated as General Director of the Dresden State Opera


September 01, 1979

Sorbian Folklore Centre formed at the House of Sorbian Folk Art in Bautzen


September 07, 1979

The composer Reiner Bredemeyer is still called a “young composer” when he is 50 years old


September 19, 1979 – September 22, 1979

8th International Schlager Festival in Dresden


September 20, 1979

Manifestation of cultural workers and scientists on the 30th anniversary of the GDR in Berlin “Der sozialistische Staat ist unsere Heimat und unser Vaterland” (“The socialist state is our homeland and our fatherland”)


September 23, 1979

World premiere of Günter Kochan’s oratorio “Das Friedensfest oder Die Teilhabe” (“The Peace Feast or The Participation”) in Berlin


September 25, 1979

The third Blues Mass takes place in the Samariterkirche in East Berlin


September 27, 1979

Festive meeting of the Central Board of the VKM in Berlin


September 29, 1979 – October 21, 1979

23th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 1979

“Musikgeschichte der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik 1945–1976” published (October 1979)


October 01, 1979

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


October 01, 1979

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1979


October 10, 1979 – October 18, 1979

Days of Friendship and Culture of the GDR in the USSR


October 23, 1979 – November 20, 1979

First guest performance of the Dresdner Staatskapelle in 22 cities in the USA


November 14, 1979 – November 18, 1979

5th Days of Chanson in Frankfurt (Oder)


November 21, 1979

Plenary Conference of the Academy of Arts of the GDR in Berlin on the topic “Aktuelle Prozesse in den Künsten und in der Kulturpolitik – Tendenzen, Perspektiven” (“Current Processes in the Arts and in Cultural Policy – Tendencies, Perspectives”)


November 24, 1979

World premiere of Paul Dessau’s opera “Leonce und Lena” after the comedy of the same name by Georg Büchner at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin

Read Decade Article

1980


January 11, 1980 – January 13, 1980

1st Central Workshop of Music Folklore Groups in Leipzig


January 17, 1980

Premiere of the DEFA film “Solo Sunny” by Konrad Wolf


February 09, 1980 – February 17, 1980

10th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 22, 1980 – February 26, 1980

4th GDR Music Days in Berlin


February 29, 1980

The fourth Blues Mass takes place in the Samariterkirche in East Berlin


March 16, 1980

In an essay, Gregor Schirmer, deputy head of the Science Department of the Central Committee of the SED, tries to prove Honecker’s thesis that in the GDR spirit and power are united


March 18, 1980

Resolution of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED “Aufgaben der Universitäten und Hochschulen in der entwickelten sozialistischen Gesellschaft” (“Tasks of the Universities and Colleges in the Developed Socialist Society”)


March 23, 1980

Festive Plenary Session on the Occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the Academy of Arts of the GDR


April 23, 1980

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


April 25, 1980

The fifth Blues Mass takes place in the Samariterkirche in East Berlin



May 1980

Information sheet of the VKM published (May 1980)


May 04, 1980 – May 19, 1980

6th International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig


May 09, 1980

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


May 12, 1980 – May 20, 1980

Days of Friendship and Culture of the USSR in the GDR


May 14, 1980 – May 16, 1980

Guest performance of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in Latin America


May 24, 1980 – June 08, 1980

Dresden Music Festival 1980


May 28, 1980 – June 01, 1980

5th Festival of Sorbian Culture in Bautzen, Cottbus and Kamenz


June 13, 1980

The sixth Blues Mass takes place in two East Berlin churches (Samariterkirche and Auferstehungskirche)


June 13, 1980

Constitution of the Martin Luther Committee of the GDR for the preparation of the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s birth


June 16, 1980

Cultural agreement and agreement on cultural centres between the GDR and France signed in Berlin


June 19, 1980

Plenary Session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR on the theme “Zukunftslinien” (“Future Lines”)


June 25, 1980

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


June 27, 1980 – June 29, 1980

The 18th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Rostock


July 03, 1980

The Law for the Protection of Cultural Property of the GDR (Cultural Property Protection Law) enters into force


July 04, 1980

The seventh Blues Mass takes place in two East Berlin churches (Samariterkirche and Auferstehungskirche)


July 14, 1980 – July 20, 1980

12th workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Neubrandenburg


September 12, 1980

The eighth Blues Mass takes place in two East Berlin churches (Samariterkirche and Auferstehungskirche)


September 16, 1980 – September 20, 1980

9th International Schlager Festival in Dresden


September 18, 1980

A National Council of the GDR for the Care and Dissemination of German Cultural Heritage is formed at the Council of Ministers


September 18, 1980

Constituent meeting of the National Council of the GDR for the Care and Dissemination of German Cultural Heritage, subordinate to the Council of Ministers of the GDR, in Berlin


September 26, 1980 – October 12, 1980

24th “Berliner Festtage” festival


September 30, 1980

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


October 06, 1980

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1980


October 11, 1980 – October 14, 1980

Guest performance of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra in Leipzig and Berlin on the occasion of the “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 23, 1980

World premiere of the Concerto for Organ and Orchestra by Hans Jürgen Wenzel


November 06, 1980

Barbara Thalheim makes public in FRG media that the GDR cancels guest performances of GDR artists in the FRG


November 14, 1980

The ninth Blues Mass takes place on the grounds of the Erlöserkirche in East Berlin


November 15, 1980

Tour of the Kammerorchester Berlin through 22 cities in Japan begins


November 17, 1980

Meeting of Kurt Hager with representatives of the artists’ associations and other cultural institutions


November 19, 1980 – November 23, 1980

1st Workshop Lied & Theater (Song and Theater) in Dresden


November 19, 1980 – November 23, 1980

1st Workshop “Lied und Theater 80” (“Songs and Theatre 80”) in Dresden


November 20, 1980

Plenary Session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR on the theme “Kunst und Nationalbewusstsein” (“Art and National Consciousness”)


November 21, 1980

The 5th Conference of the Musicologists of the GDR begins in Zwickau (November 21 and 22, 1980)


December 18, 1980

Conference of the Social Scientists in Berlin

1981


January 19, 1981

World premiere of the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra by Kurt Schwaen


January 22, 1981 – January 28, 1981

Guest performance of the Dresdner Staatskapelle in Paris


January 29, 1981

Peter Czerny is inaugurated as the new artistic director of the Metropol-Theater Berlin


February 01, 1981

Werner Rackwitz appointed artistic director of the Komische Oper Berlin


February 07, 1981 – February 15, 1981

11th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 13, 1981 – February 22, 1981

8th Berlin Music Biennale


March 12, 1981

Opening of the “Georg Philipp Telemann Honour of the GDR 1981” in Magdeburg


March 12, 1981 – March 16, 1981

Plenary session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR in Rostock-Warnemünde on the theme “Kunst und Gesellschaft im Jahr 2000” (“Art and Society in the Year 2000”)


March 16, 1981

Meeting of the Music Section of the Academy of Arts of the GDR on „The Future of Music“


April 11, 1981 – April 16, 1981

10th Party Congress of the SED in Berlin


April 24, 1981

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


April 30, 1981 – July 09, 1981

Cultural Days of the GDR in Japan


May 21, 1981

Ernst Busch Archive of the Academy of Arts of the GDR founded in Berlin


May 23, 1981

The group “Silly” receives the international prize at the festival of light music “Bratislavská lýra” in Bratislava


May 23, 1981 – June 08, 1981

Dresden Music Festival 1981


June 05, 1981 – June 20, 1981

8th Robert Schumann International Competition for Pianists and Singers in Zwickau


June 10, 1981

At the international song contest “Golden Orpheus” at Slanchev Bryag (Sunny Beach, Bulgaria), Dagmar Frederic receives the “Grand Prix” for the best interpretation of a Bulgarian pop song


June 26, 1981

The tenth Blues Mass takes place on the grounds of the Erlöserkirche in East Berlin


June 29, 1981

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


June 30, 1981

Plenary session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR


July 03, 1981 – July 07, 1981

13th Dance Festival of the GDR in Rudolstadt


July 19, 1981 – July 25, 1981

13th workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Potsdam


September 15, 1981 – September 20, 1981

10th International Schlager Festival in Dresden


September 21, 1981

Renaming of the Staatliche Schauspielschule Berlin (Berlin’s State Drama School) to the Hochschule für Schauspielkunst “Ernst Busch” (Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts)


September 24, 1981 – September 25, 1981

Cultural conference of the NVA (National People’s Army) of the GDR in Berlin under the motto “Mit sozialistischer Kultur und Kunst für hohe Gefechtsbereitschaft” (“With socialist culture and art for high combat readiness”)


October 01, 1981

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


October 02, 1981 – October 18, 1981

25th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 07, 1981

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1981


October 08, 1981

New Gewandhaus Leipzig opened as the home of the Gewandhaus Orchestra


November 10, 1981 – November 11, 1981

4th Theoretical Conference of the VKM (at the same time 6th Conference of Musicologists of the GDR) in Magdeburg


November 11, 1981 – November 15, 1981

6th Days of Chanson in Frankfurt (Oder)


November 25, 1981 – December 04, 1981

Gewandhaus Festival in Leipzig on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the first Gewandhaus concert


November 27, 1981

The eleventh Blues Mass takes place on the grounds of the Erlöserkirche in East Berlin


December 06, 1981 – December 12, 1981

4th International Bach Festival of the GDR in conjunction with the 56th Bachfest (Bach Festival) of the Neue Bachgesellschaft (New Bach Society) in Leipzig


December 13, 1981

The “Berliner Begegnung zur Friedensförderung” begins in East Berlin (December 13 and 14, 1981)

1982


January 08, 1982

Discussion of the Music Section of the Academy of Arts of the GDR about Alfred Schnittke’s 3rd Symphony


January 08, 1982 – January 10, 1982

The rock music festival “Rock für den Frieden” (“Rock for Peace”), organized by the FDJ, is held for the first time in Berlin’s Palast der Republik


January 23, 1982 – February 11, 1982

Guest performance of the ballet ensemble of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin (German State Opera Berlin) in Italy with the ballet “Coppelia” by Léo Delibes


January 25, 1982

Meeting of the party active of artists and cultural workers of the Academy of Arts of the GDR, the artists’ associations and cultural institutions


January 29, 1982

Colloquium on “Sozialistische Ideologie und Unterhaltung” (“Socialist Ideology and Entertainment”) on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Zentralhaus für Kulturarbeit der DDR (Central House for Cultural Work of the GDR) in Leipzig


February 07, 1982

World premiere of the ballet programme “Tanz aus der Kiste” by Waldemar Wirsig at the Komische Oper Berlin


February 13, 1982 – February 21, 1982

12th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 18, 1982 – February 19, 1982

Delegates Conference of the VKM in Berlin


February 18, 1982 – February 23, 1982

5th GDR Music Days in Berlin


February 19, 1982

World premiere of the 2nd Concerto for Violin and Orchestra by Günter Kochan


March 18, 1982

World premiere of the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra by Siegfried Köhler in Dresden


March 25, 1982 – March 30, 1982

The Multilateral Commission of Socialist Countries for Problems of Cultural Theory, Literary and Artistic Sciences meets in Berlin


April 23, 1982

The twelfth Blues Mass takes place on the grounds of the Erlöserkirche in East Berlin


April 28, 1982

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


April 29, 1982

World premiere of the 3rd Symphony by Mikis Theodorakis in Berlin


May 04, 1982

Otmar Suitner receives the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art, First Class, in Vienna


May 11, 1982 – May 17, 1982

Hans Werner Henze Days in Rostock


May 18, 1982

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


May 22, 1982 – June 06, 1982

Dresden Music Festival 1982


May 23, 1982

The “Ensemble für neue Musik Berlin” presents itself for the first time at the German State Opera Berlin under the direction of Oleg Markevitch


June 17, 1982 – June 18, 1982

10th Congress of the Cultural Association of the GDR in Dresden


June 22, 1982

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


June 25, 1982 – June 27, 1982

The 19th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Neubrandenburg


July 02, 1982

The thirteenth Blues Mass takes place on the grounds of the Erlöserkirche in East Berlin


July 07, 1982

Plenary Session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR


July 18, 1982 – July 25, 1982

14th workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Gera


July 21, 1982

Resolution of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the SED “Aufgaben der Kulturhäuser und Klubs in der entwickelten sozialistischen Gesellschaft” (“Tasks of the Houses of Culture and Clubs in the Developed Socialist Society”)


August 07, 1982 – August 14, 1982

12th Poetry Seminar of the FDJ in Schwerin


August 12, 1982

Guest performance of the Großer Rundfunk-Kinderchor Leipzig in Bulgaria begins


September 10, 1982

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


September 21, 1982 – September 25, 1982

11th International Schlager Festival in Dresden


September 25, 1982

GDR premiere of the opera “Die wundersame Schustersfrau” (“The Shoemaker’s Prodigious Wife”) by Udo Zimmermann after the stage play of the same name by Federico García Lorca at the Leipzig Opera House


September 29, 1982 – October 11, 1984

Guest performance of the opera ensemble of the State Academic Theatre for Opera and Ballet “Nava'i” Tashkent in the GDR on the occasion of the Berliner Festtage” festival


October 01, 1982 – October 17, 1982

26th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 02, 1982

GDR premiere of the play “Johann Faustus” by Hanns Eisler at the Berliner Ensemble


October 05, 1982 – October 15, 1982

Guest performance of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra in Leningrad and Moscow


October 06, 1982

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1982


October 07, 1982 – October 16, 1982

Gewandhaus Festival “Junge Künstler international” (“Young Artists International”) in Leipzig


October 15, 1982

Presidial Council Meeting of the Cultural Association of the GDR in Berlin


October 21, 1982 – October 22, 1982

FDJ cultural conference in Leipzig (October 21 and 22, 1982)


October 23, 1982

Foundation of a “Franz Liszt” working group in the Cultural Association of the GDR in Weimar


November 23, 1982 – November 24, 1982

Colloquium “Gesellschaftswissenschaften und Künste” (“Social Sciences and the Arts”) in Berlin, organised by the Scientific Council for Marxist-Leninist Cultural and Artistic Studies at the Academy for Social Sciences at the Central Committee of the SED


November 25, 1982 – November 26, 1982

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Karl Marx’s death and the 165th anniversary of his birth, the 5th session of the Central Committee of the SED declares 1983 to be the Karl Marx Year


November 28, 1982 – December 15, 1982

First broadcast of the television documentary “Busch singt” (“Busch sings”) about the singer and actor Ernst Busch


December 14, 1982

World premiere of the choral symphonic work “Pax questuosa (Der klagende Friede)” by Udo Zimmermann in West Berlin


December 17, 1982 – December 18, 1982

1st Paul Dessau Days at the Berlin Theater im Palast (TiP)

1983


January 09, 1983

World premiere of “Rockballade” by Thomas Bürkholz (libretto: Andreas Knaup) in Leipzig


January 25, 1983

Plenary Session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR in Berlin on the theme “Kunst und die Produktion von Frieden” (“Art and the Production of Peace”)


January 28, 1983 – January 30, 1983

The rock music festival “Rock für den Frieden” (“Rock for Peace”), organized by the FDJ, is held for the second time in Berlin’s Palast der Republik


February 01, 1983 – February 13, 1983

Richard Wagner Days of the GDR in Leipzig on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the composer’s death and 170th birthday


February 13, 1983 – February 20, 1983

13th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 18, 1983 – February 27, 1983

10th Berlin Music Biennale


February 24, 1983

World premiere of “Metamorphosen” for orchestra by Ruth Zechlin


March 27, 1983

Secret concert by the West German punk band Die Toten Hosen in East Berlin


April 01, 1983 – April 03, 1983

1st meeting of the youth chamber choirs of the GDR in Neuruppin


April 05, 1983 – April 12, 1983

10th International Conference of the European String Teachers Association (ESTA) in Dresden


April 06, 1983

Lecture by Walther Siegmund-Schultze to members of the Presidium of the Composers’ Associations of the Socialist Countries on the Occasion of the Karl Marx Year 1983 in Moscow


April 09, 1983

The fourteenth Blues Mass takes place on the grounds of the Erlöserkirche in East Berlin


May 17, 1983

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


May 21, 1983 – June 05, 1983

Dresden Music Festival 1983


May 31, 1983 – June 02, 1983

9th Writers’ Congress of the German Democratic Republic in Berlin


June 10, 1983 – June 12, 1983

14th Dance Festival of the GDR in Rudolstadt


June 11, 1983 – June 19, 1983

7th Leistungsschau (Performance Show) of the Entertainment Art of the GDR in Leipzig


June 22, 1983

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


June 24, 1983

The fifteenth Blues Mass takes place on the grounds of the Erlöserkirche in East Berlin


June 30, 1983

Plenary Session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR


July 17, 1983 – July 23, 1983

15th workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Halle (Saale)


July 25, 1983 – July 31, 1983

7th Gym and Sports Festival of the GDR in Leipzig


August 07, 1983 – August 21, 1983

1st Liedersommer (Song Summer) of the FDJ (open-air festival in the Berlin Stadtpark Lichtenberg)


August 07, 1983 – August 21, 1983

1st FDJ Song Summer in Berlin


September 07, 1983

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


September 10, 1983 – September 16, 1983

27th “Berliner Festtage” festival


September 20, 1983 – September 24, 1983

12th International Schlager Festival in Dresden


September 22, 1983

The 7th Conference of the Musicologists of the GDR begins in Berlin (September 22 and23, 1983)


September 30, 1983

The sixteenth Blues Mass takes place on the grounds of the Erlöserkirche in East Berlin


October 01, 1983 – October 25, 1983

1st FDJ International Song Tour


October 06, 1983

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1983


October 06, 1983 – October 16, 1983

Gewandhaus Festival “Internationale Orchester” (“International Orchestras”) in Leipzig


October 25, 1983

First appearance of Udo Lindenberg in the GDR


November 14, 1983

World premiere of the melodrama “Luther” by Günter Kochan (text: Johannes R. Becher)


November 23, 1983 – November 27, 1983

7th Days of Chanson in Frankfurt (Oder)


December 08, 1983

Plenary Conference of the Academy of Arts of the GDR on “Jugend heute – Erfahrungen, Probleme, Erscheinungen” (“Youth Today – Experiences, Problems, Phenomena”)


December 15, 1983 – December 16, 1983

Conference of Social Scientists of the GDR in Berlin

1984


January 01, 1984

Foundation of the Folkclub Leipzig


January 05, 1984

Constitution of the “Komitee für die Bach-Händel-Schütz-Ehrung der DDR 1985” (Committee for the Bach Handel Schütz Honoring of the GDR 1985)


January 13, 1984 – January 15, 1984

The rock music festival “Rock für den Frieden” (“Rock for Peace”), organized by the FDJ, is held for the third time in Berlin’s Palast der Republik


January 14, 1984

At “Rock for Peace,” the Puhdys fill in for the West German band BAP


January 23, 1984

Advising artists and cultural workers in Berlin on the effectiveness of cultural work


February 12, 1984 – February 19, 1984

14th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 20, 1984 – February 28, 1984

6th GDR Music Days in Berlin


March 23, 1984 – March 24, 1984

Conference of the entertainers of the GDR in Karl-Marx-Stadt


April 10, 1984 – April 30, 1984

“Liedercircus” (tour of songwriters and chanson singers through 18 cities of the GDR)


April 26, 1984

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


April 27, 1984

The seventeenth Blues Mass takes place on the grounds of the Erlöserkirche in East Berlin


May 19, 1984 – June 02, 1984

Dresden Music Festival 1984


May 20, 1984 – June 04, 1984

7th International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig


May 23, 1984

Start of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra’s tour of the GDR


May 25, 1984

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


May 29, 1984

Plenary Session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR on the theme “Realität und Realismus” (“Reality and Realism”)


June 01, 1984

Petra Zieger and the group “Smokings” receive the “Golden Lyre” at the “Bratislavská lýra” festival


June 08, 1984 – June 11, 1984

[2nd] National Youth Festival of the GDR in Berlin


June 19, 1984

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


June 22, 1984

First Concert as part of the Wutiker Steinberg Stadel (1984–1989)


June 22, 1984 – June 24, 1984

The 20th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Gera


July 05, 1984 – July 24, 1984

Guest performances of numerous ensembles and soloists at the festival “Music and Architecture of the GDR 1984” in L’Aquila (Italy)


July 07, 1984

André Heller stages his “Feuertheater mit Klangwolke” in West Berlin


July 30, 1984 – August 04, 1984

1st Berlin Rock Summer


August 12, 1984 – August 26, 1984

2nd Liedersommer (Song Summer) of the FDJ


August 22, 1984

Eva Maria Pieckert receives the main prize, the Amber Nightingale Award, at the 21st Sopot International Song Festival


September 20, 1984

Meeting of Erich Honecker with artists and cultural workers of the GDR


September 24, 1984

Reconstitution of the Committee for Entertainment Arts


September 25, 1984

Plenary session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR in Berlin on the topic “Kulturpolitik – Kontinuität und Dynamik – im Spiegel unserer Zeit” (“Cultural Policy – Continuity and Dynamics – In the Mirror of Our Time”)


September 29, 1984 – October 21, 1984

28th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 01, 1984

Reopening of the Schauspielhaus (today Konzerthaus Berlin) on Platz der Akademie (today Gendarmenmarkt) in Berlin as a concert hall


October 03, 1984 – October 31, 1984

2nd International Song Tour of the FDJ through 25 Cities of the GDR


October 06, 1984

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1984


October 06, 1984 – October 14, 1984

Gewandhaus Festival “Junge Künstler international” (“Young artists international”) in Leipzig


October 10, 1984 – October 19, 1984

Days of Culture of the GDR in the USSR


October 24, 1984

Guest performance of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Leonard Bernstein at the Schauspielhaus in Berlin


October 25, 1984

11th Conference of the Central Board of the Composers’ Association of the GDR in Berlin


November 01, 1984

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


November 04, 1984

Performance of the Alexandrov Ensemble in front of the reopened Schauspielhaus in Berlin


November 30, 1984 – December 01, 1984

4th Folk Art Conference of the GDR in Gera


December 02, 1984

World premiere of the 3rd symphony “Der Frieden” by Karl Ottomar Treibmann (text: Volker Braun) at the New Gewandhaus Leipzig


December 06, 1984 – December 13, 1984

Cultural Days of the GDR in Romania


December 12, 1984

Formation of a working group “Sorbisches Kulturerbe” (“Sorbian cultural heritage”) in Bautzen


December 14, 1984 – December 15, 1984

Conference in Suhl on the care, dissemination and appropriation of cultural heritage

1985


January 01, 1985

Foundation of the Singakademie Dresden


January 21, 1985

Lessing Prize awarded to Eberhard Rebling and Peter Ensikat


January 24, 1985

12th Conference of the Central Board of the Composers’ Association of the GDR in Berlin


February 01, 1985 – February 08, 1985

10th Berlin Music Biennale


February 01, 1985

Wolfgang Lesser is elected President of the Association of Composers and Musicologists of the GDR (VKM)


February 09, 1985 – February 17, 1985

15th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 13, 1985

Opening of the Semperoper in Dresden


February 22, 1985 – February 27, 1985

34th Handel Festival of the GDR in Halle (Saale), which also marks the start of the “Bach-Händel-Schütz-Ehrung der DDR 1985” (Bach Handel Schütz Honoring of the GDR 1985)


March 08, 1985

World premiere of the oratorio “Friedensgloria” by Gerhard Rosenfeld (text: Gerhard Hartmann)


March 08, 1985

First broadcast of the first part of the four-part TV film “Johann Sebastian Bach”


March 19, 1985 – March 27, 1985

5th International Bach Festival of the GDR in conjunction with the 60th Bach Festival of the Neue Bachgesellschaft (New Bach Society) in Leipzig


March 21, 1985

Bach celebration of the youth of the GDR in Eisenach


March 25, 1985 – March 27, 1985

International Scientific Conference “Weltbild, Menschenbild, Notenbild, Klangbild” in Leipzig


March 27, 1985

At the plenary session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Academy, the National Research and Memorial Centers of the GDR for German Art and Literature of the 20th Century are founded


April 01, 1985 – April 08, 1985

Guest performance of the Vienna State Opera in the GDR


April 09, 1985 – April 16, 1985

Days of Hungarian Culture in the GDR


April 13, 1985 – April 14, 1985

The rock music festival “Rock für den Frieden” (“Rock for Peace”), organized by the FDJ, is held for the fourth time in Berlin’s Palast der Republik


April 19, 1985

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


April 25, 1985 – May 02, 1985

Guest performance of the “Royal Ballet” from London in Berlin and Dresden


May 13, 1985 – May 23, 1985

Days of culture of the USSR in the GDR on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of liberation


May 21, 1985 – May 24, 1985

12th Parliament of the FDJ in Berlin


May 25, 1985 – June 09, 1985

Dresden Music Festival 1985


May 31, 1985 – June 02, 1985

6th Festival of Sorbian Culture in Bautzen


June 01, 1985 – June 17, 1985

9th Robert Schumann International Competition for Pianists and Singers in Zwickau


June 06, 1985

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


June 16, 1985

The eighteenth Blues Mass takes place on the grounds of the Erlöserkirche in East Berlin


June 25, 1985

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


July 03, 1985

of the 40th anniversary of the Cultural Association of the GDR in Berlin


July 14, 1985 – July 21, 1985

16th workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Magdeburg


July 21, 1985

Guest performance of the Komische Oper Berlin in Munich with the opera “Giustino” by George Frideric Handel for the Munich Opera Festival


August 04, 1985 – August 18, 1985

3rd Liedersommer (Song Summer) of the FDJ


August 21, 1985 – September 08, 1985

Guest performance of ensembles and soloists at the 18th Chamber Music Festival of Nations in Città di Castello (Italy)


September 21, 1985 – October 13, 1985

29th “Berliner Festtage” festival


September 23, 1985 – October 04, 1985

6th World Music Week of the International Music Council (IMC) with 59 music events in Berlin, Dresden and Leipzig


September 28, 1985

Premiere of the opera “Judith” by Siegfried Matthus (based on Friedrich Hebbel’s drama and texts from the Old Testament) at the Komische Oper Berlin


September 30, 1985

World premiere of the “Michelangelo Symphony” by Friedrich Schenker


October 05, 1985 – October 14, 1985

Gewandhaus Festival “Internationale Orchester” (“International orchestras”) in Leipzig


October 07, 1985

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1985


October 07, 1985 – November 08, 1985

3rd International Song Tour of the FDJ through 28 cities of the GDR


October 12, 1985 – October 14, 1985

Heinrich Schütz Festival in Dresden on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the composer’s birth


October 15, 1985 – November 25, 1985

CSCE Cultural Forum in Budapest


October 15, 1985

Opening of the research and memorial site in the Heinrich Schütz House in Bad Köstritz, the composer’s birthplace


October 24, 1985

Plenary Conference of the Academy of Arts of the GDR on the theme “Funktion und Niveau der Unterhaltung in den Künsten” (“Function and Level of Entertainment in the Arts”)


October 24, 1985

World premiere of “Excursion – Musica per orchestra con Henrico Sagittario” (1984) by Friedrich Goldmann


November 01, 1985

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


November 01, 1985 – December 15, 1985

Exhibition “Johann Sebastian Bach – Work and Effects” in Tokyo


November 20, 1985 – November 24, 1985

8th Days of Chanson in Frankfurt (Oder)


November 22, 1985 – November 24, 1985

1st meeting of young GDR composers in Weimar


November 23, 1985

Premiere of the ballet “Das verschenkte Weinen” by Günter Neubert based on the novel of the same name by Werner Heiduczek at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin


December 06, 1985 – December 08, 1985

1st Jazz Days of the GDR in Weimar


December 19, 1985

Premiere of the opera “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” by Richard Wagner at the Dresden Semperoper in a production by Wolfgang Wagner

1986


January 01, 1986

Foundation of the Institute for Cultural Research at the Ministry of Culture in Berlin


January 09, 1986 – January 12, 1986

The rock music festival “Rock für den Frieden” (“Rock for Peace”), organized by the FDJ, is held for the fifth time in Berlin’s Palast der Republik


January 12, 1986

World premiere of Reiner Bredemeyer’s opera “Candide” in Halle (Saale)


February 16, 1986 – February 23, 1986

16th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 21, 1986 – February 26, 1986

7th GDR Music Days in Berlin


February 27, 1986

Plenary session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR on “Arbeiterklasse als Gegenstand, Impuls und Adressat der Kunst” (“Working class as object, impulse and addressee of art”)


February 28, 1986

GDR Ring First Performance of the Chamber Opera “Weiße Rose” (“White Rose”) by Udo Zimmermann in Schwerin


March 04, 1986

The Staatskapelle Berlin, conducted by Siegfried Kurz, begins its tour of Australia and New Zealand in Perth


March 07, 1986

“Jugendradio DT 64” opened as new youth radio station of the GDR Broadcasting Corporation


March 30, 1986

Premiere of the opera “Die Zauberflöte” (“The Magic Flute”) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the Komische Oper Berlin


April 17, 1986 – April 21, 1986

11th Party Congress of the SED in Berlin


April 27, 1986

First of three art happenings on the Elbe organised by the Dresden organ builder Kristian Wegscheider between 1986 and 1988


May 1986

1st International Tanzhausfest (Dance House Festival) in Leipzig


May 03, 1986

World premiere of the Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra by Friedrich Schenker in Leipzig


May 05, 1986 – May 10, 1986

Franz Liszt tribute on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the composer’s death and 175th birthday by the “Weimar Liszt Days”


May 06, 1986

The cultural agreement between the two German states comes into force


May 14, 1986

The Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Thomanerchor Leipzig receive the Grand Prix of the “Symphony Hall” Music Award in Tokyo


May 23, 1986

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


May 24, 1986 – June 08, 1986

Dresden Music Festival 1986


May 30, 1986

Start of the Komische Oper Berlin’s guest performance at the Vienna Festival with “Die Zauberflöte” (“The Magic Flute”) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and “Lear” by Aribert Reimann


May 30, 1986 – June 06, 1986

Days of Culture of the People’s Republic of Poland in the GDR


June 01, 1986

The nineteenth Blues Mass takes place on the grounds of the Erlöserkirche in East Berlin


June 11, 1986

GDR premiere of the musical “Candide” by Leonard Bernstein in Weimar


June 18, 1986

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


June 20, 1986 – June 22, 1986

The 21th Workers’ Festival of the GDR takes place in the district of Magdeburg


June 26, 1986 – July 04, 1986

1st Festival of Choral Symphonic Music opens with five concerts at Schauspielhaus Berlin


July 01, 1986

Plenary session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR with the election of the president, vice-presidents and new members


July 13, 1986 – July 20, 1986

17th workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Leipzig


July 15, 1986

Premiere of the opera “Elektra” by Richard Strauss at the Semperoper in Dresden


August 03, 1986 – August 17, 1986

4th Liedersommer (Song Summer) of the FDJ


August 20, 1986 – August 22, 1986

The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra gives two concerts for the first time as part of the Salzburg Festival


September 01, 1986

First guest performance of the New Symphony Orchestra Moscow under the baton of Gennady Rozhdestvensky in the New Gewandhaus Leipzig at a mass concert


September 03, 1986

First guest performance of the New Symphony Orchestra Moscow under the baton of Gennady Rozhdestvensky in the Schauspielhaus Berlin


September 16, 1986 – September 20, 1986

15th International Schlager Festival in Dresden


September 18, 1986 – October 01, 1986

Guest performance of the ensemble of the German State Opera Berlin in Moscow and Alma-Ata (today Almaty)


September 20, 1986

The twentieth Blues Mass takes place on the grounds of the Erlöserkirche in East Berlin


September 25, 1986 – October 05, 1986

“Days of Dance” for the 20th anniversary of the Dance Theater of the Komische Oper Berlin


September 26, 1986 – October 12, 1986

30th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 01, 1986

“Dresdner Zentrum für zeitgenössische Musik” (“Dresden Center for Contemporary Music”) starts work


October 01, 1986 – October 30, 1986

4th International Song Tour of the FDJ through 29 cities of the GDR


October 03, 1986

Reopening of the Art Nouveau theater of the city of Cottbus after extensive reconstruction with the premiere of the opera “Der Rosenkavalier” by Richard Strauss


October 03, 1986

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


October 04, 1986 – October 12, 1986

Gewandhaus Festival “Junge Künstler International” (“Young Artists International”) in Leipzig


October 06, 1986

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1986


October 06, 1986

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


October 15, 1986

World premiere of the composition “Deutschland anno 1945. Vier Gesänge nach Gedichten von Ricarda Huch” for baritone and orchestra (1986) by Hansjürgen Schmidt in Jena


October 17, 1986 – October 24, 1986

Days of Culture of the GDR in the People’s Republic of Poland


October 20, 1986 – October 25, 1986

1st National Piano Competition “Franz Liszt” for Youth and Students in Weimar


October 22, 1986

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


October 30, 1986

Concerto for orchestra “Windsbraut” (second version) by Siegfried Matthus performed in Leipzig conducted by Kurt Masur


November 01, 1986

GDR premiere of the opera “Die englische Katze” (“The English Cat”) by Hans Werner Henze in Rostock


November 10, 1986 – November 13, 1986

On the occasion of Mary Wigman’s 100th birthday, three dance evenings by the Semperoper Ballett and a forum on the topic of “Mary Wigman in Dresden” will take place in Dresden


November 15, 1986

Reopening of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin after extensive reconstruction with the festive premiere of the opera “Euryanthe” by Carl Maria von Weber


November 15, 1986

Weber estate handed over by the composer’s great-grandson, Hans-Jürgen Carl Maria Freiherr von Weber, to the German State Library in Berlin


November 15, 1986 – November 22, 1986

Carl Maria von Weber Days of the GDR on the occasion of the 200th birthday of the composer


November 21, 1986 – November 22, 1986

5th Theoretical Conference of the VKM (at the same time 7th Conference of Musicologists of the GDR) in Neubrandenburg


November 24, 1986 – November 29, 1986

1st Workshop “Lied und Alltag” (“Song and Everyday Life”) in Berlin


November 28, 1986 – November 30, 1986

1st festival of dance music of the GDR in Gera


December 04, 1986

Agreement on cultural and scientific cooperation for the years 1987–1989 between the GDR and Great Britain signed in Berlin


December 10, 1986 – December 12, 1986

Conference of the Ministry of Culture in Dresden


December 12, 1986

Premiere of the opera “Die Hochzeit des Figaro” (“The Marriage of Figaro”) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the Komische Oper Berlin

1987


January 01, 1987

Festive concert to mark the opening of Berlin’s 750th anniversary at Schauspielhaus Berlin


January 01, 1987

Gerhard Klauß Appointed New General Director of the State Circus of the GDR


January 10, 1987

Premiere of the opera “Boris Godunov” in a production by Harry Kupfer with the ensemble of the Dutch Opera in Amsterdam


January 11, 1987

Recital by the Spanish tenor José (Josep) Carreras, accompanied on the piano by Vincenzo Scalera, at the Komische Oper Berlin


January 15, 1987 – January 17, 1987

The rock music festival “Rock für den Frieden” (“Rock for Peace”), organized by the FDJ, is held for the sixth (and last) time in Berlin’s Palast der Republik


January 26, 1987 – January 28, 1987

Days of Yiddish culture under the motto “Das Lied ist geblieben… – Versuch einer Annäherung an die ostjüdische Kultur” (“The song has remained… – An attempt to approach the Eastern Jewish culture”) in Berlin


February 12, 1987 – February 13, 1987

Congress of the Association of Composers and Musicologists of the GDR (VKM) in Berlin


February 13, 1987 – February 22, 1987

11th Berlin Music Biennale


February 14, 1987 – February 16, 1987

International Forum for Peace under the motto “For a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World, for the Survival of Mankind” in Moscow with more than 1,300 personalities from political and social life from 80 countries


February 15, 1987 – February 22, 1987

17th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 19, 1987 – February 24, 1987

Guest performance by the Martha Graham Dance Company from the USA at the Metropol-Theater and the Komische Oper Berlin, with choreographies from eight decades


February 26, 1987 – February 28, 1987

Days of Yiddish Culture take place in Berlin for the first time


March 02, 1987

DFD Literature Prize awarded to Gisela Steineckert


March 02, 1987 – March 04, 1987

Guest performance of Udo Jürgens with his program “Deinetwegen” (“Because of you”) at the Friedrichstadtpalast Berlin


March 07, 1987 – March 12, 1987

Festival week in Leipzig for the 775th anniversary of the Leipzig St. Thomas Boys Choir


March 09, 1987 – March 12, 1987

Guest performance of the West German rock singer Peter Maffay in the Werner-Seelenbinder-Halle Berlin


March 21, 1987

GDR premiere of the film “Johann Strauß – der ungekrönte König” (“Johann Strauss – The Uncrowned King”) in Berlin


March 24, 1987 – April 18, 1987

The German State Opera Berlin gives guest performances in the Japanese cities of Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka and Nagoya


April 05, 1987 – April 06, 1987

Guest performance by rock musician Carlos Santana (USA) and his band at the Palast der Republik in Berlin


April 23, 1987 – May 26, 1987

Guest performance of the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig under the baton of Kurt Masur in the USA and Japan


April 28, 1987

Prize for amateur artistic creation awarded


April 30, 1987 – May 02, 1987

Guest performance of the Belgian “Ballet du XXe siècle” (“Ballet of the 20th Century”) under the direction of Maurice Béjart at the Komische Oper Berlin


May 01, 1987 – May 03, 1987

“Berlin Days of Folk Art” at the Palace of the Republic


May 05, 1987 – May 06, 1987

International Writers’ Talk “Berlin – ein Ort für den Frieden” (“Berlin – a Place for Peace”) by the Writers’ Association of the GDR on the Occasion of the Berlin Anniversary


May 10, 1987

Concert of friendship “Jungs aus Moskau und Berlin” (“Boys from Moscow and Berlin”) of army ensembles of the USSR and the GDR on the Platz der Akademie (today Gendarmenmarkt) in Berlin


May 10, 1987 – May 31, 1987

11th “Duisburger Akzente” festival under the motto “Einblicke – Kultur und Kunst aus der DDR/Erbe und Gegenwart” (“Insights – Culture and Art from the GDR/Heritage and the Present”)


May 15, 1987 – May 16, 1987

Concert of the Central Music Corps of the FDJ and the Ernst Thälmann Pioneer Organisation with a laser light show on the Platz der Akademie (today Gendarmenmarkt) in Berlin


May 15, 1987 – May 17, 1987

Guest performance of the State Academic Theater for Opera and Ballet “Taras Shevchenko” from Kiev in Berlin with three opera productions


May 15, 1987 – May 17, 1987

Guest performance by Miriam Makeba with three concerts at the Palast der Republik in Berlin


May 18, 1987

Guest performance of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Schauspielhaus Berlin with the 6th Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven and the 2nd Symphony by Robert Schumann


May 20, 1987

Art Prize of the GDR awarded


May 21, 1987 – May 26, 1987

Chamber Concert Festival at Schauspielhaus Berlin


May 23, 1987

Premiere of the revue “Hallo, Berlin 7-5-0” at the Friedrichstadtpalast Berlin


May 23, 1987 – June 08, 1987

Dresden Music Festival 1987


May 24, 1987

Premiere of the Singspiel “Erwin und Elmire” in the Apollosaal of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin as the first performance of their newly established opera studio


May 27, 1987

At the international competition for amateur choirs “Let the Peoples Sing” of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), two choirs from the GDR receive first prizes


May 27, 1987 – May 28, 1987

Guest performance of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin with works by Russian composers


May 27, 1987 – May 28, 1987

Guest performance of the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch at the Metropol-Theater Berlin


May 27, 1987 – August 14, 1987

Exhibition “Künstler um Palucca” (“Artists around Palucca”) in the Kupferstichkabinett Dresden


May 28, 1987

GDR premiere of the musical “Evita” by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Dresden Semperoper


May 30, 1987

World premiere of the ballet “Puck” at the Komische Oper Berlin


June 05, 1987 – June 08, 1987

7th Festival of Friendship between the Youth of the GDR and the USSR in Gera


June 06, 1987

The rock festival “Concert for Berlin” begins in West Berlin (June 6–8, 1987)


June 06, 1987

Guest performance by Pinchas Zukerman and Marc Neikrug at Schauspielhaus Berlin


June 10, 1987

Open letter from Udo Lindenberg to Erich Honecker


June 11, 1987 – June 12, 1987

11th Federal Congress of the Cultural Association of the GDR in Karl-Marx-Stadt


June 12, 1987 – June 16, 1987

36th Handel Festival of the GDR in Halle (Saale)


June 16, 1987

Art Prize of the FDGB awarded


June 19, 1987 – June 21, 1987

Festival “FDJ-Treff Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz” in Berlin


June 19, 1987 – June 21, 1987

16th Dance Festival of the GDR in Rudolstadt


June 21, 1987 – June 28, 1987

Guest performance of the Staatskapelle Berlin under the direction of Otmar Suitner in Bulgaria


June 24, 1987 – June 28, 1987

Evangelical Church Assembly in Berlin


July 04, 1987

Historical parade for the 750th anniversary of Berlin from Brandenburg Gate to Strausberger Platz


July 10, 1987 – July 19, 1987

18th workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Erfurt


July 11, 1987 – July 12, 1987

festival “Rostock und Schwerin grüßen Berlin” (“Rostock and Schwerin greet Berlin”) with a fish market, a farmer’s market and numerous events in the Alexanderstraße Berlin


July 12, 1987 – July 13, 1987

Second of three art happenings on the Elbe organised by the Dresden organ builder Kristian Wegscheider between 1986 and 1988


July 14, 1987 – July 19, 1987

4th Berlin Rocksommer, the largest rock festival in the GDR to date on the Insel der Jugend and in Treptower Park


July 26, 1987

Concert of the International Student Orchestra of European Music Academies on the occasion of the Berlin Jubilee at the Schauspielhaus Berlin


July 30, 1987 – August 05, 1987

29th Conference of the International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM) in Berlin


August 04, 1987 – August 13, 1987

Guest performance of the Theater an der Wien under the direction of Peter Weck with the dance musical “Cats” by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Komische Oper Berlin


August 09, 1987 – August 23, 1987

5th Liedersommer (Song Summer) of the FDJ


August 15, 1987

Performance of Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem” at the Schauspielhaus Berlin with the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra conducted by Jeffrey Tate


August 22, 1987

Historical military concert of the united music corps and orchestras of the NVA and the border troops of the GDR at the Berlin Platz der Akademie (today Gendarmenmarkt)


August 24, 1987 – August 31, 1987

Guest performance of the Dresden Staatskapelle at the Athens Festival with Bruckner’s 4th Symphony and guest performance of the Dresden Semperoper with Wagner’s “Lohengrin”


August 27, 1987

SED-SPD policy paper handed over to the public


September 16, 1987 – September 19, 1987

16th International Schlager Festival in Dresden


September 17, 1987

Joint performance by Roger McGuinn, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Bob Dylan in East Berlin


September 22, 1987

Guest performance of the Halle Philharmonic Orchestra at the first international Babylon Festival in Iraq begins


September 22, 1987 – September 27, 1987

Guest performance by Herman van Veen (Netherlands) with the children’s opera “Die seltsamen Abenteuer der Ente Alfred Jodocus Kwak” (“The Strange Adventures of the Duck Alfred Jodocus Kwak”) at the Berliner Ensemble


September 25, 1987 – October 25, 1987

31th “Berliner Festtage” festival


October 01, 1987 – October 10, 1987

1st Dresden Days of Contemporary Music

The first “Dresdner Tage der zeitgenössischen Musik” [Dresden Days of Contemporary Music] begin in Dresden. They are organised by the “Dresdner Zentrum für zeitgenössische Musik” [Dresden Centre for Contemporary Music] (DZzM), founded by Udo Zimmermann in 1986, and will be held annually in the future. A scientific colloquium is always included in this festival of contemporary music.

Author


October 03, 1987 – October 18, 1987

For the first time the festival of art “Begegnungen ’87” takes place in Karl-Marx-Stadt


October 07, 1987

National Prize for Art and Literature awarded in 1987


October 07, 1987 – October 22, 1987

5th International Song Tour of the FDJ through 13 cities of the GDR


October 08, 1987 – October 19, 1987

Gewandhaus Festival “Internationale Orchester” (“International orchestras”) in Leipzig


October 16, 1987 – October 18, 1987

2nd Workshop “Lied und Alltag” (“Song and Everyday Life”) in Berlin


October 17, 1987

Concert of the West Berlin indie rock band Element of Crime in the East Berlin Zion Church


October 21, 1987 – October 25, 1987

“Fest junger Talente und junger Künstler” (“Festival of Young Talents and Young Artists”) in Dresden


October 21, 1987 – October 26, 1987

Guest performance of the Ballett of the Komische Oper Berlin (“Tanztheater der Komischen Oper”) in Moscow with several ballet productions


October 23, 1987

State act of the German Democratic Republic on the occasion of the 750th anniversary of Berlin


October 25, 1987

Guest performance by Peter Schreier (tenor) and Walter Olbertz (piano) at the Budapest Art Weeks with songs by Ludwig van Beethoven


October 27, 1987 – November 23, 1987

Autumn tour of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra through Luxembourg, Belgium, France, Switzerland and the Federal Republic of Germany


October 28, 1987 – October 29, 1987

Guest performance of the French chansonnier Gilbert Bécaud at the Friedrichstadtpalast Berlin


October 30, 1987

Hanns Eisler Prize awarded


November 07, 1987 – November 21, 1987

Joint performance “Zu Zweit” (“For Two”) of the Leningrad Music Hall and the Friedrichstadtpalast Berlin at the Friedrichstadtpalast


November 13, 1987

1st Music Festival Days of the Magdeburg District opened with a concert by the newly founded Ensemble for Contemporary Music


November 13, 1987

World premiere of the 5th symphony by Günter Kochan in Berlin


November 16, 1987 – November 19, 1987

Guest performance of the Japanese Shōchiku Kagekidan revue at the Palast der Republik in Berlin


November 16, 1987 – November 22, 1987

Plenary Session of the Academy of Arts of the GDR on “Künste und Künstler in unserer Zeit” (“Arts and Artists in Our Time”) in Berlin


November 18, 1987 – November 22, 1987

9th Days of Chanson in Frankfurt (Oder)


November 21, 1987

Guest performance of the Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini at Schauspielhaus Berlin


November 24, 1987 – November 26, 1987

10th Writers’ Congress of the German Democratic Republic in Berlin


December 19, 1987

Premiere of the opera “Orpheus und Eurydike” (“Orpheus and Eurydice”) by Christoph Willibald Gluck at the Komische Oper Berlin

1988


January 15, 1988 – January 24, 1988

The rock music festival “Jugend im Palast” (“Youth in the Palace”), organized by the FDJ and the successor to “Rock für den Frieden” (“Rock for Peace”), is held for the first time in Berlin’s Palast der Republik


January 17, 1988

Arrest of singer-songwriter Stephan Krawczyk before a planned protest action


February 14, 1988 – February 21, 1988

18th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


February 19, 1988 – February 25, 1988

8th GDR Music Days in Berlin


March 07, 1988

Concert of the English synth-rock band Depeche Mode in East Berlin


June 12, 1988

Third of three art happenings on the Elbe organised by the Dresden organ builder Kristian Wegscheider between 1986 and 1988


June 16, 1988

The rock festival “Peace Week of Berlin Youth” begins in East Berlin (June 16–19, 1988)


June 16, 1988

The rock festival “Berlin Rock Marathon” begins in West Berlin (June 16, 18 and 19, 1988)


July 01, 1988 – July 16, 1988

19th (last) workshop week of the FDJ singing clubs in Erfurt


July 19, 1988

Bruce Springsteen open-air concert in East Berlin


August 15, 1988 – August 27, 1988

6th Liedersommer (Song Summer) of the FDJ


November 15, 1988

The annual conference of the musicologists of the GDR begins in Weimar (November 15 and 16, 1988)


November 19, 1988

“Sputnik” ban


November 21, 1988 – November 26, 1988

3rd Workshop “Lied und Alltag” (“Song and Everyday Life”) in Berlin

1989


January 14, 1989 – January 21, 1989

The rock music festival “Jugend im Palast” (“Youth in the Palace”), organized by the FDJ and the successor to “Rock für den Frieden” (“Rock for Peace”), is held for the second time in Berlin’s Palast der Republik


February 07, 1989 – February 26, 1989

12th Berlin Music Biennale


February 12, 1989 – February 19, 1989

19th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


March 01, 1989

The Congress of the Entertainment Arts of the GDR begins in Berlin (March 1 and 2, 1989)


May 12, 1989 – May 15, 1989

Pentecost meeting of the FDJ in Berlin


June 10, 1989

Street music festival without state permission in Leipzig


August 06, 1989 – August 13, 1989

7th (last) Liedersommer (Song Summer) of the FDJ


August 17, 1989 – August 22, 1989

“Rock poet tour” of FRG artists through the GDR


September 01, 1989

Rock concerts in Dresden and Dortmund to commemorate the beginning of the Second World War


September 18, 1989

Resolution of rock musicians and songwriters


October 15, 1989

A “Concert against Violence” takes place in the Erlöserkirche in East Berlin


October 16, 1989

Extraordinary Plenary Meeting of the Rock Section of the Committee for Entertainment Art of the GDR in Berlin

Read Decade Article

1989


October 23, 1989

Consultation of the Presidium of the Committee for Entertainment Art of the GDR


October 24, 1989

The event “Hierbleiber für Hierbleiber” (“Remainers for Remainers”) takes place in the Berlin Haus der jungen Talente


November 04, 1989

Demonstration for democracy and media freedom at Berlin’s Alexanderplatz


November 09, 1989

Premiere of the film “Coming Out” at the Kino International in East Berlin


November 13, 1989

All Berlin rock concert in East Berlin


November 27, 1989 – December 01, 1989

4th (last) workshop “Lied und Alltag” (“Song and Everyday Life”) in Berlin


November 28, 1989

In an appeal “Für unser Land” (“For our country”), 31 GDR citizens call for the GDR to be preserved as an alternative to the Federal Republic of Germany


December 01, 1989

Concert by Wolf Biermann in Leipzig (first appearance in the GDR since his expatriation in 1976)


December 02, 1989

The event “Verlorene Lieder – verlorene Zeiten” takes place in the Berlin Haus der jungen Talente


December 08, 1989

The Extraordinary Party Congress of the SED and SED/PDS begins in Berlin (December 8–9 and 16–17, 1989)

1990


January 17, 1990

Foundation of the culture house "Im Eimer" in a squatted house in East Berlin


January 17, 1990

Self-dissolution of the “Lied und Kleinkunst” Section of the Entertainment Arts Committee


January 27, 1990

Berlin soccer fans sing together


February 11, 1990 – February 18, 1990

20th Festival of Political Songs in Berlin


March 11, 1990

Foundation of the ZwischenWelt-Förderverein für ein progressives Kulturfestival e. V.


June 27, 1990 – June 30, 1990

1st “Frankfurter Lied- und Kleinkunstmesse ‘Bunter Hahn’” (10th Days of Chanson) in Frankfurt (Oder)


July 21, 1990

British rock band Pink Floyd celebrates the fall of the Berlin Wall with a concert at the inner-German border in Berlin