Schlager, Songs, and Hits of the ’50s and ’60’s

The German Schlager Music in the fifties mainly was happy songs. The era of the “Wirtschaftswunder” gave much hope, which is reflected in the music. In the sixties, the German Schlager Music was influenced by competition from foreign countries. The content of the lyrics consisted of the wish of travel and the desire for harmony. To find the Schlager of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s click here.

What is a Schlager?

It isn’t easy to describe German Schlager Music. In Germany and most European countries, Schlager defines the song, but there is no comparable genre available in the USA. The catchy music accompanies lyrics about happy-go-lucky life and love and can also tell a story. The melody and song can stem from older songs, folk songs, operettas, and movies. The Schlager is easy-to-listen-to music, with a sound encouraging one to dance, sway (schunkeln), sing-along, or clap the hands with the rhythm.

How Singing runs in our Family

Music has played a significant role in my family for generations. During WWII, my uncle August was killed, as was his brother Rudolf four weeks later. Rudolf sang opera, and my parents compared him with Josef Schmidt and his friend, Richard Tauber, both singing tenors. I never met my uncles because I was born later after they had died. One of my brothers inherited the voice talent and sang like an angel. It was a delight to listen to him.

My oldest daughter is a great singer too and auditioned for American Idol in Memphis in 2007. We stood in line with hundreds of singers the whole night through. When I got tired, I just laid down on the street, not giving up my space, and slept. My daughter couldn’t believe it and still brings it up from time to time. I explained to her that’s what you do when you are tired, you sleep. Her two-year-old daughter also sings. When she takes a nap or has to go to bed in the evening, she sings before falling asleep. Her favorite is “La, Le, Lu nur der Mann im Mond schaut zu.” The talent skipped me, but I sing anyway without having a singer’s voice and enjoy listening to the music.

I memorized most of the traditional German songs (Lieder) during my childhood and still know them by heart. My father played the accordion and taught me the lyrics of the older songs while playing in the evenings after dinner. One of the songs my Papa taught me was “Es steht ein Soldat am Wolgastrand,” which is not necessarily a song for an eight-year-old girl. Still, those memories of my Dad’s Singing are precious, and I remember it like it was yesterday.

Singing in School

In school, we had music class once a week, beginning in first grade. Here we learned the traditional “German Volkslieder” folk songs. Every child owned the “Mundorgel,” a small book consisting of the most popular folk songs. My favorite folk song always was and will be “Die Gedanken sind frei.”

Radio and German Schlager Music

As a child, we often listened to the radio’s special music shows. Some of the same songs were sung by different artists and in other languages. On Monday evenings, I would go to my Oma, who lived in the same house, and we listened to the sounds of Ernst Mosch and his Egerländer Musikanten. We sat on simple wooden chairs, and while my Oma was knitting her stockings, all in black yarn, I crocheted chain stitches by the hundreds.

Saturday afternoon, my mom cleaned the floors. At the same time, I sat at the corner bench in the room, drawing, and we listened to the music of the “Strassenkehrer” playing on the radio. Later, when we owned a television, we watched “Musik aus Studio B,” a 45-minute weekly music show with Schlager.

Four Hours of German Schlager Music and Hits

Wednesday evenings were the best. Between 8:00 pm and 12:00 midnight, the radio station SWF broadcast the show “Vom Telefon Zum Mikrofon.” Listeners could publicly call in and request a song to be played. We could not wait to hear the signature tune indicating the beginning of the broadcast! The show had no commercials and was only interrupted at 10:00 pm for the news. When I was younger, I had to go to bed at 10:00 pm, but I soon managed to stay up to listen to the entire show. During these 4 hours of music, my siblings and I sat at the kitchen table and played cards, mostly Rommé (Rummy). When my mother left the room, we would sneak in a poker game, which my mischievous older brothers taught me. We recorded some of the music on tapes, which I still have.

Growing up with Singing

Growing up, it was a tradition that people sang at family get-togethers, festivities, restaurants, and on holidays and hiking trips. You could always hear the sound of music during sports events in the stadium and at summer camps sitting around a campfire. We also sang during overnight school and church trips, or just because people felt like it. The language of music indeed brought people together. There was no show, no competition, and no money to be made from this music. It was pure music that came from the hearts of the people singing and playing it.

Music and Songs in the States

When I came to the United States in 1989, I widened my songs’ repertoire with American folk songs and listened to the oldies daily. I was surprised when I recognized so many melodies, knowing the German lyrics to the songs.

I continued introducing my children to most of the Volkslieder (folk-songs) as I have learned them. After they went to bed, they left the doors of their rooms open. I sat in the hallway on a red wooden child’s chair, singing them the German folk songs. I did the same with my younger sister, with whom I shared a room when we were kids. She could only fall asleep with me singing to her. My children, all four of them, didn’t experience a single car ride with me without singing or listening to oldies and country music.

Conclusion

Having the knowledge and information about German Schlager, the idea grew, creating a chart of the last century’s Schlager. While researching the songs and artists, I realized that in the 50s and 60s, many artists came from all over Europe and the United States. They sang in our language to the delight of the Germans. Each decade had its own great songs, which go back to a variety of sources and inspirations. Many pieces are still played and known today and have lasted for generations.