Gerhard Rüdiger Gundermann, who generally performed as simply Gundermann (F… Read Full Bio ↴Gerhard Rüdiger Gundermann, who generally performed as simply Gundermann (February 21, 1955 — June 21, 1998), was a German singer-songwriter and rock musician. An excavator operator, his musical career began in the former East Germany, where he became known for his clever, often melancholy lyrics imbued with social commentary. After the German reunification, he became especially popular among former East Germans who felt disenfranchised in the reunited country.

Career
Born in Weimar, Gundermann moved with his family to Hoyerswerda in 1967. After completing his secondary education, he studied for a year at the military academy in Löbau, but was expelled in 1975, after which he was forced to seek work in the coal mining area of the Spreetal (in today's Brandenburg). In 1976 he began night school, and was Stasi (codename "Grigori") angeworben. In 1977 he applied to join the ruling party, the SED, but was asked to leave the following year (after expressing contrary opinions), although this was reduced to a "strong rebuke" after he appealed. In 1983 he married Conny. The following year he was again expelled from the party and also from the Stasi.

Gundermann's first appearances as a singer-songwriter came in 1986, and a year later he won the grand prize and a recording contract in the East German national song contest. His first LP Männer, Frauen und Maschinen (Men, Women, and Machines) appeared in 1988, but in contrast to his solo acoustic performances it was a rock record with a backing band, with uptempo numbers like "Halte durch" (Keep Up). It included an ode to his hometown, Hoyerswerda, "Hoy Woy."

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Gundermann ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Volkskammer in the March 1990 elections, running for the leftist alliance Aktionsbündnis Vereinigte Linke.

Gundermann lived an aescetic lifestyle, eschewing drugs, alcohol, and smoking, and was a committed vegetarian. However, he was a workaholic, and slept little; besides a full recording and performing schedule, Gundermann continued to work operating a giant excavator, digging up seams of brown coal; he was worried that his music would lose its authenticity if it became his sole way of life. Perhaps because of overwork, Gundermann died of a stroke on June 21, 1998 at the age of 43 at his home in Spreetal. He left behind four children. His death followed that of his friend and collaborator Tamara Danz, also 43, by less than two years.

Einmal
Gerhard Gundermann Lyrics

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Einmal bleiben morgens meine Schuhe leer,
einmal hilft mir auch Dein Fliedertee nicht mehr.
Einmal fall ich in den schwarzen Trichter rein,
einmal lass ich dich allein.

Einmal fall´n im Haus alle alle Spiegel aus,
einmal fällt mein Bild aus dem Rahmen raus.

Einmal wächst die Hecke zum Fenster rein,
einmal lass ich Dich allein.

Manchmal werd´ ich wiederkommen nach dir zu sehn,
manchmal lass ich die Kellertüre angelehnt.

Manchmal findet sich´ne fremde Katze ein,
manchmal werde ich das sein ...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gerhard Gundermann's song "Einmal" depict a person's contemplation of their own mortality and the fleeting nature of life. The singer acknowledges that there will be a day when they will no longer be able to rely on certain comforts, such as their shoes or their partner's tea. They also acknowledge that there will be a day when they will fall into the "black funnel," a metaphor for death. The singer tells their partner that they will one day leave them alone and face these changes and challenges on their own.

The second verse amplifies the sense of impermanence and change. The singer predicts that one day all of the mirrors in their house will fall down and their own image will fall out of its frame. The hedge will grow to cover the window. These changes suggest the passage of time and the transience of material possessions.

The final verse is more abstract, with the singer describing their potential future actions in hypothetical terms. They may return to visit their partner, but they may also leave the door unlocked, suggesting that they may not come back. They also mention the possibility of a stranger entering the picture, though they acknowledge that they themselves may be that stranger.

EinmalGerhard Gundermann Lyrics

Einmal
Gerhard Gundermann Lyrics