The Klaus Renft Combo is a veteran

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

rock band A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two guita ...

, formed in

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...

in what was then

East Germany East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...

, in 1958. Founded by , the band enjoyed significant success in

until banned by the authorities in 1975. The band was reunited in 1990.

Ban

The group was very successful, but seen by the

Stasi The Ministry for State Security, commonly known as the (),An abbreviation of . was the Intelligence agency, state security service of the East Germany from 1950 to 1990. The Stasi's function was similar to the KGB, serving as a means of maint ...

as far too radical. In September 1975, Renft were asked to play for the Ministry of Culture in order to have their license (a document necessary for any working musician or musical group) renewed. Klaus Renft decided to conceal a cassette recorder behind his guitar to preserve their session. However, the woman in charge of their meeting, Comrade Oelschlägel, informed them that they would not be performing because their music was insulting and libelous, and further told them that they " idn'texist anymore." She explained that it was not that they were banned, but that they simply did not exist any longer "as a combo."

Discography

* ''Klaus Renft Combo '' (1973) * ''RENFT'' (1974) * ''Rock aus Leipzig Renft-Combo live'' (1980) * ''Renft - Die frühen Jahre'' (1990) * ''RENFT LIVE 1990'' (1990) * ''Renft - Zwischen Liebe und Zorn'' (1993) * ''Das Erbe Renft - Wer die Rose ehrt'' (1994) * ''RENFT die schönsten Balladen'' (1996) * ''renft - live in concert'' (1996) * ''40 Jahre Klaus Renft Combo'' (1997) * ''Als ob nichts gewesen wär'' (1999) * ''Unbequem woll´n wir sein'' (2003) * ''Abschied und Weitergehen'' (2008) * ''RENFT GOES ON Live 2010'' (2010)

References

External links

* *
article in Italian on Il Sole24 Ore
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Klaus Renft Combo The Klaus Renft Combo is a veteran German rock band, formed in Leipzig in what was then East Germany, in 1958. Founded by , the band enjoyed significant success in East Germany East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; g ...