German singer Heino pushes back against the far-right AfD
Key takeaways
- A far‑right politician in Germany used schlager icon Heino in election advertising without his consent.
- Before sexual assault allegations surfaced against Rammstein's lead singer, Heino performed with the widely known German band, too.
- Heino's trademarks are his immaculate blond side‑part and his black sunglasses (worn, incidentally, to disguise an eye condition called exophthalmos).
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
A far‑right politician in Germany used schlager icon Heino in election advertising without his consent. Heino is now demanding compensation for pain and suffering.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Do OXHeino is one of Germany's most famous "Schlager" stars Image: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa/picture alliance Advertisement Heino is more than just a "Schlager" (German folk pop) star in Germany: with more than 55 million records and CDs sold and 1,200 songs recorded, the 87‑year‑old is a veteran and an icon of the German music industry. His hits still resonate with young people today. He has even sung at heavy metal festivals. Before sexual assault allegations surfaced against Rammstein's lead singer, Heino performed with the widely known German band, too.
Heino's trademarks are his immaculate blond side‑part and his black sunglasses (worn, incidentally, to disguise an eye condition called exophthalmos). But above all, it is his music: German language folk songs about love, homeland and an idealized German world sung in a deep voice with a typically Teutonic rolled "R" — that is what made his career, for a lifetime.