As of: February 22, 2024 4:37 p.m
Together with drummer Klaus Selmke, guitarist Fritz Puppel founded the band City in 1972. He died unexpectedly on February 10th at the age of 79. City singer Toni Krahl confirmed this to the German Press Agency.
He was the founder of one of the most important GDR rock groups: Fritz Puppel, guitarist and composer of the Berlin band City. “We are at a loss for words and are stunned that we are losing our friend and comrade-in-arms for over five decades,” said Toni Krahl. “The German music world is missing another creative mind who has enriched all of our lives with his art and his songs and touched millions of people.”
City: Successful in the GDR and in Europe
Puppel founded the band in East Berlin in 1972 with drummer Klaus Selmke. City not only had many fans in the GDR, but also in non-socialist countries – for example through the hit “Am Fenster”. A few years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Berliners’ success continued. There have been different line-ups in the band’s history, but Puppel was there for five decades. “He always put his own personality, free of musical vanities, on the back burner and was inspired by the idea of creating City as a band,” says Krahl. “With a cool head, Fritz was a constant inspiration for the challenges ahead and was valued for his loyalty throughout the music scene.”
Videos
5 Min
After 50 years of band history, it’s supposed to end at the end of the year. They are on stage again at the Landesfunkhaus in Schwerin. 5 mins
City texts on the edge of what is permitted
Whether “Am Fenster”, “The King of Prenzlauer Berg”, “Wand an Wand” or “Glastraum”: many texts were on the edge of what was permitted in the GDR. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, their career took a hit, but after a few years the fans returned in their thousands, the band filled large halls again and a new album was released almost every year. After the death of drummer Klaus Selmke in 2020, the remaining four band members decided to end City at the end of 2022. “We want to try to stop when it’s best. And not waste the whole thing,” said Puppel at the time. In addition to Puppel and Krahl, the last band line-up also included violinist Joro Gogow and keyboarder Manfred Hennig.
Further information
3 Min
Just in time for the final tour, the Ostrockmuseum in Kröpelin wants to dedicate its own room to the band. 3 mins
This topic in the program:
NDR 1 Radio MV | Culture Journal | 22.02.2024 | 7:00 p.m