Floh de Cologne

Floh de Cologne
Floh de Cologne in 1969: from left: Gerd Wollschon, Hansi Frank, Markus Schmid, Dick Städtler, Dieter Klemm
Background information
OriginCologne, Germany
GenresKrautrock, progressive rock
Years active1966–1983
LabelOhr
Websitehttps://www.enxing.de/flohmusik.html

Floh de Cologne (a wordplay on Eau de Cologne, 'floh' meaning 'flea') were a German band, active from 1966 to 1983, regarded as a pioneer of krautrock and Political Satire Music. After some success at the beginning of the 70s, the band separated finally in 1983.[1]

Founding Members

  • Jürgen Allef (Managing Director) until 1967
  • Udo Weinberger (Vocals, Speaker) until 1968
  • Britta Baltruschat (Vocals) until 1968
  • Markus Schmid (Bass Guitar, Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards) until 1974
  • Gerd Wollschon (Vocals, Keyboards) until 1976

Other Members

  • Hans-Jörg “Hansi” Frank (Drums, Keyboards, Vocals) since 1966
  • Dieter Klemm (Percussion, Speaker, Management) since 1967
  • Dick Städtler (Bass Guitar, Guitar, Vocals) since 1969
  • Theo König (Saxophone, Clarinet, Harmonica, Vocals) since 1972
  • Vridolin Enxing (Keyboards, Bass Guitar, Guitar, Cello, Vocals) since 1973

History

The group was formed in 1966 by a group of radical theatre students from the University of Cologne.[2] The band originated from the Cologne APO (Extra-Parliamentary Opposition) around the SDS (Socialist German Student Union), and their political orientation shifted over the years towards a dialectical-Marxist position.

Independently of one another, the band members joined the DKP (German Communist Party) between 1970 and 1973. Their first album, Vietnam, released in 1968, is a fierce criticism of the war in Vietnam.[2] The profits made from this album was donated to a Vietnamese charity. They satirised consumer society and sought to take their message to young workers and apprentices.[3][2] Impressed by their music and especially their lyrics, Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser decided to produce their next two albums: Rockoper Profitgeier (1971) and Lucky Streik (1972).

On September 6, 1970, the group performed at the Fehmarn Festival, following Jimi Hendrix. In 1973, Floh de Cologne performed as part of a West German delegation at the 10th World Festival of Youth and Students in East Berlin.[4] After Gerd Wollschon's departure (1976), the group increasingly collaborated with the lyricist Peter Maiwald, who contributed important songs for their stage shows and LPs. From 1980 onwards, members of the band (Vridolin Enxing as chairman) were active in Rock gegen Rechts; in the same year, the group received the German Cabaret Prize together with Gerhard Polt.

After more than 3,000 concerts in Germany and Europe, Floh de Cologne disbanded in May 1983 following a farewell tour. The farewell concert at the Cologne Sports Hall had 6,000 spectators and lasted 14 hours, featuring numerous musicians such as Hannes Wader, Dieter Süverkrüp, Franz-Josef Degenhardt, Hanns-Dieter Hüsch, Die 3 Tornados, Wolfgang Niedecken (BAP), and Ina Deter.[5][6] In 2023, the band received the Holger Czukay Honorary Award from the City of Cologne for their lifetime artistic achievements.[7][8]

Their musical style is considered to be krautrock.

Cabaret, Beat, Rock

After the originally conventional cabaret group Floh de Cologne experienced underground bands like the Mothers of Invention, the Fugs, and the Edgar Broughton Band at the Essen Song Days[9] in 1968 – where the group itself performed two special programs – they stylistically reoriented themselves with their 7. Programm, combining agitational texts with beat music and a stage show to create so-called "agitation revues"[10] and developing into one of the leading political rock bands.

In 1970, Floh de Cologne signed an exclusive record deal with the label Ohr/Metronome for the production Fließbandbabys-Beatshow and other releases. Metronome producer Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser was instrumental in the development of the so-called Krautrock scene of those years.[11] In 1971, Floh de Cologne created Profitgeier, the first German-language rock opera. In the three-movement Geyer Symphony of 1973, the band incorporated original excerpts from political speeches given at the funeral of the German industrialist Friedrich Flick into their music. [12]

With the cantata for rock band Mumien" (Mummies), the band responded to the 1973 coup in Chile, including a musical setting of the last speech by the ousted president Salvador Allende. That same year, the group collaborated with Hans Werner Henze [13] on alternative settings of the Chilean anthem (Dieser chilenische Sommer war süß; 1974), with lyrics by Rudi Bergmann (born 1950). The premiere took place on May 31, 1974, in Essen (Grugahalle: memorial concert for Víctor Jara, also a solidarity event for the resistance in Chile).[14]

Their collaboration with Mauricio Kagel at the "Cologne Courses for Political Music" (1975) also transcended national borders. In the rock opera Koslowsky, for which the band had researched on location for a year, Floh de Cologne traced the fate of a worker from the Ruhr area who comes to Bavaria to work at the Maxhütte steelworks in 1980.[15]

Theater

Less well-known, but essential for the band's development, were their works for the theater. These included collaborations with Roberto Ciulli at the Cologne Schauspielhaus: Ein Neuer Florentinerhut (A New Florentine Hat) after Eugène Labiche (published by Hartmann & Stauffacher, Cologne); with the Markgrafen-Theater Erlangen and the Staatstheater Wiesbaden: Rotkäppchen – ein Märchen mit viel Rock und Pop und Rumtata [16](Little Red Riding Hood – A Fairy Tale with Much Rock and Pop and Rumtata) after Yevgeny Schwartz (published by Hartmann & Stauffacher, Cologne).[17] Further works followed with a smaller lineup after the band's dissolution (Dick Städtler, Theo König, Vridolin Enxing): at the Grillo-Theater Essen, together with David Esrig, a new version of Carlo Goldoni's Der Krieg (The War) (1984, Sessler-Verlag, Vienna);[18] Babette oder peu à peu [19]with Helmut Ruge at the Markgrafen-Theater Erlangen (Babette or Little by Little) (1986); and also there: Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern (The Little Match Girl) (1986).[20]

Stage Programs

Each Floh de Cologne stage program was accompanied by a programmatic poster. The back contained the complete text of the program and, where applicable, "instructions" for action and references to literature for further "private revolutionary activity." The front was designed by friends such as HR Giger, Dieter Süverkrüp, Stefan Siegert, and Wolfgang Niedecken.

These posters and the LPs were sold by the group themselves after the performances, just as they did everything else themselves; there were no professional roadies. It was part of the group's code of honor to do their own work whenever possible, thereby keeping ticket prices low so that their target audiences (apprentices, young workers, students, and schoolchildren) could access the shows as easily as possible. A quote from a 1978 program booklet:

Floh de Cologne, that's no gold record and no easy money, no place in the charts or prime-time television, no art or cultural prize, and no subsidies. That's just bad luck.

Individual shows for the stage

  • Vor Gebrauch Kopf schütteln 1966
  • Tra-Ri-Tra-Ra, die Pest ist da 1966
  • SimSAlabimbambambaSAladUSAladim 1967
  • Zwingt Mensch Raus 1968
  • 7. Programm 1969
  • Fließbandbabys Beat Show 1969
  • Rockoper Profitgeier 1970
  • Rock-Jazz-Rakete Lucky Streik 1972
  • Geier-Symphonie in Rock-Dur 1973
  • Mumien, Kantate für Rockband 1974
  • Rock-Show TILT 1975
  • Rock-Revue Profitgeier & Co. 1976
  • Prima Freiheit 1978
  • Rockoper Koslowsky 1979
  • Faaterland 1982

Radio, Film, Television

  • 1967 The flea sketch SPDeia is cut from a broadcast about the Essen Cabaret Days.
  • 1969 A contractually agreed-upon television production of Zwingt Mensch raus is canceled by WDR due to its "more or less hardcore pornographic tendencies."
  • 1970 Radio play music for Das wunderbare Geträume von Taifun-Willi (The Wonderful Dreams of Typhoon-Willi) by Dick Higgins.
  • 1970 Radio Bremen plans to broadcast Fließbandbaby live from the concert hall but withdraws from the contract by telegram two days beforehand.
  • 1971 WDR Program Director Peter Scholl-Latour and WDR Television Director Werner Höfer cancel a planned production of "Profitgeier.
  • 1971 ORF cancels a planned program a few days before the recording date. The contractually agreed-upon fee is successfully claimed in court.
  • 1971 Radio play music for Schlußwort and Schlußwort 2 by Richard Hey
  • 1972 Music for the radio musical Ende gut, alles schlecht by Richard Hey
  • 1973 Music and songs for the radio play Das Kraftwerk by Jens Hagen and Günter Wallraff
  • 1973 Music and lyrics for the television film Das Trauerspiel by Peter Voigt
  • 1975 Music and title song for the television film Die Aufsteiger-Saga by Rolf Schübel
  • 1975 Music for the film Grüße aus Neckarsulm by Hannes Karnick and Wolfgang Richter
  • 1975 Music and lyrics for the radio ballad Good bye, GI (co-author: Jens Hagen)
  • 1975 Participation in the television film Die Gruppe Floh de Cologne by Peter Voigt
  • 1976 Music for the television film Südfrüchte aus Oberndorf by Wolfgang Landgraeber
  • 1977 Music and title song for the television film Das Betriebsjubiläum by Rolf Schübel
  • 1978 Music for the television film Panteon Militar by Wolfgang Landgraeber
  • 1978 Regular contributions (text, music, performance) to the political satire magazine Dreizack on WDR television
  • 1979 Music and participation in the television film Ein Mann von Gestern by Tom Toelle
  • 1980 Koslowsky – a WDR television production
  • 1980 Music for the television film Das Land der Rosen und Nachtigallen by Yoash Tatari
  • 1981 Music for the television film Mitbestimmung im Visier by Yoash Tatari

In 1977, DEFA filmed a two-part documentary about the group (directed by Rainer Ackermann, cinematography by Thomas Plenert).[21]

In 2019, Part 1 of the US DVD series Krautrock, titled Romantic Warrior IV, was released. The series presents extensive videos and interviews with representatives of the German Krautrock scene. Part 1 covers the Düsseldorf and Cologne groups, including CAN, Kraftwerk, and Floh de Cologne.[22][23]

In 2023, OK Projekt Berlin[24] produced a visualization of the Chilean cantata Mumien[25] and in 2025 of Fließbandbaby's Beat-Show.[26] That same year, Caro Gubig created a video for the ballad Ballade von Samstag auf Sonntag[27] from the rock revue Faaterland.

The 2025 film Köln 75 uses the song Sei Ruhig Fließbandbaby from Fließbandbaby's Beat-Show in its entirety.[28]

Discography

Floh de Cologne produced their LPs during their contract with OHR/Metronome at Dieter Dierks' studio, where Wallenstein, Embryo, Tangerine Dream, Witthüser & Westrupp, Ash Ra Tempel, Hoelderlin, Jeronimo, and other later German rock greats also recorded. After moving to Pläne Records, they recorded at one of the most important recording studios for German, and later international, pop avant-garde music, run by Conny Plank, considered the "midwife" of so-called Krautrock. There they met, among others, Holger Czukay, Can, Grobschnitt, Kraan, Zupfgeigenhansel, Gianna Nannini, and others. The LP Koslowsky was produced in 1980 at Martin Hömberg's Tonstudio am Dom. Another German Krautrock luminary, Zeus B. Held (Birth Control, Guru Guru), served as the sound engineer. Since 2024, ZYX Music has been releasing the former LPs on both vinyl and CD in a carefully edited edition. Releases so far include: Mumien (2024), Koslowsky (2025), Faaterland (2025).

LP, Double LP, Single

  • 1968: Vietnam (with Dieter Süverkrüp)
  • 1970: Fließbandbabys Beat Show
  • 1971: Rockoper Profitgeier
  • 1973: Lucky Streik
  • 1974: Geier-Symphonie
  • 1974: Mumien – Kantate für Rockband
  • 1975: Tilt
  • 1977: Rotkäppchen (nach Jewgeni Schwarz; with Hanns Dieter Hüsch, Franz Josef Degenhardt, Dieter Süverkrüp, Hannes Wader, Fasia Jansen, Fredrik Vahle, Perry Friedman u. a.)
  • 1978: Prima Freiheit
  • 1980: Koslowsky
  • 1983: Faaterland
  • Single: St.Pauli, du mein Loch zur Welt/Bruno-Lied
  • Single: Emil in Erkenschwick/Zahlen musst Du
  • Single: Der Löwenthaler/Bayerisches Heimatlied (with Dieter Süverkrüp)
  • Single: Hey Mama fix
  • EP: Dieser chilenische Sommer war süß
  • LP: Lehrlinge zusammenhalten (Floh de Cologne and others)
  • LP: Warum ist tdie Bananekrumm? (Floh de Cologne and others)
  • Double LP: Ohrenschmaus (Floh de Cologne and others)
  • Doppel-LP: Mitten ins Ohr (Floh de Cologne and others)
  • Double-LP: Konzert für Chile (Floh de Cologne and others)

Videography

Literature

  • Profitgeier und andere Vögel. Agitational Text, Songs, Reports (= Wagenbach Quarterly; 53). Klaus Wagenbach Publishing House, Berlin 1971.
  • Gerd Wollschon, Floh de Cologne: Sudel-Lexikon. Satirical Dictionary for Learned Germans. 250 Bits and Keywords with Many Practical Drawings. Satire Publishing House, Cologne 1977, ISBN 3-88268-001-6.
  • Rock gegen Rechts. Weltkreis Publishing House, Dortmund 1980.
  • Andreas Ciesielski: Für die Zukunft sehn wir rot. Report on “Floh de Cologne.” In: Ernst Günther, Heinz P. Hofmann, Walter Rösler (eds.): Kassette. An Almanac for Stage, Podium, and Circus Ring (= Kassette). No. 5. Henschelverlag Art and Society, Berlin 1981, pp. 7–15.

References

  1. ^ "Floh de Cologne macht Schluß". Der Spiegel (in German). 18 April 1983. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Scott Brown, Timothy (2013). West Germany and the Global Sixties: The Anti-Authoritarian Revolt, 1962–1978. Cambridge University Press. p. 187-190. ISBN 9781107022553.
  3. ^ Sack, Manfred (25 December 1970). "Lieber rot als doof". Die Zeit (in German). Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  4. ^ "Wer die Erde liebt; DDR-Dokumentarfilm 1973" (in German). DEFA-Stiftung. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
  5. ^ Barry Graves, Siegfried Schmidt-Joos: The New Rock Encyclopedia. Volume 1, 1990, p. 284
  6. ^ Michael Frank: Letzter Seufzer bei gehobener Stimmung. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung, 18. Mai 1983, S. 3; abgerufen am 25. Juni 2018
  7. ^ Schumann, Gerd (2023-08-02). "Rock: Nase zu, Augen auf". Junge Welt (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "Holger Czukay Preis 2023". Stadt Köln (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ Mahnert, Detlev (2008). Zappa, Zoff und Zwischentöne : die internationalen Essener Songtage 1968 [Zappa, conflict and nuances: the international Essen Song Days 1968] (in German). Essen: Klartext. p. 309. ISBN 978-3-89861-936-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  10. ^ Theaterlexikon 1, rowohlts enzyklopädie, 2007
  11. ^ Graves, Barry (1973). Rock-Lexikon [Rock Encyclopedia] (in German). Reinbeck bei Hamburg: Rowohlt. ISBN 978-3-499-16177-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  12. ^ "Politrock: Floh de Cologne beerdigt Flick". Der Spiegel. 50. 1973-12-09 – via Spiegel Online.
  13. ^ Kutschke, Beate (2008). Musikkulturen in der Revolte [Musical Cultures in Revolt] (in German). Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag GmbH. ISBN 978-3-515-09461-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  14. ^ plaene-records.de: Konzert für Chile (Web archive), de
  15. ^ Peinemann, Steve Bernhard (1980). Die Wut, die du im Bauch hast : polit. Rockmusik: Interviews, Erfahrungen [The anger you feel inside: political rock music: interviews, experiences] (in German). Reinbek bei Hamburg: Rowohlt. ISBN 978-3-499-14668-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  16. ^ "Rotkäppchen". TTX Theatertexte (in German). 2002-10-14. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  17. ^ Floh de Cologne (2025). "Verlag Hartmann&Stauffacher Köln" (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  18. ^ Theo König, David Esrig, Carlo Goldoni, Dick Städtler, Vridolin Enxing (1984). "Der Krieg". Thomas Sessler Verlag (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ Bormann, Hans-Friedrich (2020). "Theater in Erlangen: Orte - Geschichte(n) - Perspektiven". DokumenPUB (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  20. ^ theater erlangen, förderverein (2026-03-11). "Premieren der Spielzeit 1986/87:". Förderverein Theater Erlangen e. V. (in German).
  21. ^ "Floh de Cologne, Teil 1. / 2". DEFA Stiftung (in German). 2026-03-12. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  22. ^ Adele Schmidt, Jose Zegarra Holder, Floh de Cologne (2019). Zeitgeist Media Productions (ed.). "Romantic Warrior IV Krautrock Part 1". Procdocs. Retrieved 2026-03-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ Floh de Cologne (2019). "Romantic Warriors IV Krautrock Part 1". discogs. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  24. ^ Claudia Opitz, Sebastian Köpke (2025). Sebastian Köpke (ed.). "OK Projekt, Konzeption und Gestaltung". OK Projekt, Konzeption und Gestaltung (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  25. ^ OK Projekt, Floh de Cologne (2023). "Mumien". Youtube (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  26. ^ OK Projekt, Floh de Cologne (2025). "Fließbandbabys Beatshow". Youtube (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  27. ^ Caro Gubig, Floh de Cologne (2025). "Ballade von Samstag auf Sonntag". Youtube (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  28. ^ Floh de Cologne (2025). "Köln 75". Kunst+Film (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-12.
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