NDR program "My Song, Our History" features Fehlfarben classic

November 23, 2024

With their iconic hit “Ein Jahr (Es geht voran)”, the band Fehlfarben struck a chord with an entire generation in 1980 - and the parallels to today are frighteningly clear. In episode 3 of “My Song Our History”, the band describes the period of upheaval back then, which was characterized by themes that seem to be repeating themselves today: “There are irrational politicians who suddenly want to come to power. There is environmental fear. There is fear of crisis. There is fear of terrorism.” These lines reflect the mood in West Germany in the early 1980s, an era that oscillated between awakening and resignation.

In West Germany, society is divided: between punk and poppers, between the hope for change and the feeling of powerlessness. These are the last years of Helmut Schmidt's government, while a new conservative era is already dawning with Helmut Kohl. Fears of RAF terror, the Cold War and a nuclear catastrophe are omnipresent. Movements such as the anti-nuclear protests, squats and violent street riots reflect the discontent and the feeling of “no future” that many young people felt at the time.

While the actor Ronald Reagan is elected US President and the Cold War continues to escalate, the feeling of insecurity intensifies. Fehlfarben manage to process all these contradictions in their song “Es geht voran”: a bitter, sarcastic commentary on a society in upheaval, torn apart by fears of the future and social conflicts. For “My Song Our History”, Fehlfarben members Peter Hein and Thomas Schwebel go back to the key places in their band's history and reveal the secrets of the cult song.

Today, “Ein Jahr (Es geht voran)” sounds almost frighteningly topical. At a time when new populists are entering the political stage, environmental crises and global uncertainties dominate the news, the song remains an anthem for all those who find themselves in the fluctuations between hope and frustration.

Watch the episode via the ARD Mediathek. 

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