[1] This chapter explores the debate over the political commitment and role of Deutsch Folk (German folk) music in the West German folk revival movement from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, focusing on its parallel structures. Based on a discourse analysis of a large corpus of historical sources, particularly contemporary magazines from folk revival and popular music protagonists as well as academic publications, this chapter presents the different core themes that shape this discourse. These include the folk revival‘s reference to the ideas of Hanns Eisler and Bertold Brecht, the progressive reframing of the term „people,“ the legitimation of German folk music in the face of conservative readings as well as the former Nazi usurpation and the dispute around how to adopt (German) folklore, with an emphasis on criticizing rock music (influences) and sentimental music genres such as Schlager. By the mid to late 1970s, this discourse increasingly focused on the popular so-called Deutsch Folkbands, arguing over them and denying them a progressive and grassroots democratic commitment. In return, these bands claimed these attributes for themselves and their music, referencing the communicative and therefore democratic nature of folk music. At the same time, they emphasized a historical responsibility towards a more progressive reading of folk and a historically evolved democratic repertoire of German folk music (as gathered by the East German ethnologist Wolfgang Steinitz), making the same arguments as their magazine peers.
„„Ästhetisch schön, aber völlig geschichtslos“. Politisierende Argumentationsstrategien im bundesdeutschen Folk-Revival 1975-1985“ weiterlesen„Ästhetisch schön, aber völlig geschichtslos“. Politisierende Argumentationsstrategien im bundesdeutschen Folk-Revival 1975-1985
