Notice of Blog Closing and Moving!

Hi everyone! Just wanted to let you all know that as of today, this blog is CLOSED. I won't be updating here anymore.

But don't worry! It's not closed forever! It's moving here: http://dk-english.livejournal.com/

The main reason for the move was because I will finally be able to answer comments!

Once again, new URL: http://dk-english.livejournal.com/

Just incase you missed it: http://dk-english.livejournal.com/

No, seriously. Go here: http://dk-english.livejournal.com/

See you there! (http://dk-english.livejournal.com/)

Our Diary From Israel

(Note from the translator: If you leave me comments on this blog, I really appreciate it! Thank you! However, I am not able to respond to them because of how Blogger is set up. So if I don't answer you, I am not ignoring you, I just have no way of answering comments :))

Our Diary from Israel

For one week, the six were hitmakers in the “Holy Land.” They report about their triumph exclusively in ROCKY DAS FREIZEIT MAGAZIN.

Thursday: After a 3000 km flight, our Lufthansa-Jet lands in 25 degrees-in-the-shade Tel Aviv. We shine in the sun in the Sheraton-Hotel sipping fresh orange juice. Between unpacking and showers we miss the sunset. At 10:30 pm is our live show on the Israeli television program. Taxi driver Josef drives us into Jerusalem to the studio. He begins to wonder, because he does not recognize us immediately without our costumes. “We are the Hu-Ha’s!” Louis explains to him. His good wishes accompany us. In the studio we sing “Moskau” and come in second in the rankings [trans: this was unclear, but I think this is what it means] If this keeps up...

Friday: Henriette wakes with a fever, and has to go to the doctor. Sch...nice! [trans: unclear]. Steve and Leslie look for an interview in the famous pirate station “Voice of Piece [sic?]” and quit moaning about the high seas for fun. We learn that our singles are here, since the Eurovision is in the charts again. Next destination: Eilat - the Israeli “Riviera.” After a five hour bus ride through the Negev Desert in the dark, we reach the Red Sea. Steve looks for a razor when his “middle part” threatens to grow [trans: no idea...] Until the show it’s all blank again. Great Success! The slip of the day comes to Leslie: “Wow how we all cheered in Israel!” Our escape from the bus he’s even right. 2 am: now again a five hour bus drive.

Saturday: Arrival in Tel Aviv at sunrise. Wolfgang, Steven and Louis hit the beach, the rest in their beds. In the afternoon we met our choreographer Hannes Winkler together again. Who watches us in the “Yad-Elyaho” (Sports Palace) rehearsals guesses why we call him “Schinderhannes.” Henriette smiles bravely, but can’t get out a word. It makes us worried. In the evening we rejoice to 5000 people when we sing “Israel.”

Sunday: Reunion with Jerusalem. Stroll through the old town. Drum freak Leslie discovered ‘treasures’ in the bazaar, Edina a fur coat for the German winter. The “Wailing Wall” from a distance (we have nothing to complain about.) Souvenir photo at the Dome of the Rock. Adventurous eating in a hurry. Schinderhannes drives us further into the congress hall and the stage. Steve bitches, Wolfgang turns a deaf ear. But it runs the show. Memories of the Grand Prix in March. Then we came in 4th place [sic]. Today in Israel we are number one!

Monday: Sleep in! At noon we will enjoy Israeli champagne on the beach. Water temperature 25 degrees. Leslie laments that he is still too pale. Steve is already very dark [trans: paraphrased; original translation inappropriate.] Wolfgang has slept the night on his belly. Sunburn! In the evening we are guests on the Israeli “Top of the Pops.” The television show features a disco for a later date.

Tuesday: Big excitement: Wolfgang has lost his airplane ticket. Everyone looks in vain. at 12, the thing is in the hotel. Clear! The bus takes us along the coast to Haifa. Along the way we harvest oranges, bananas and grapes like in the land of plenty. Hannes warns of “resounding” success. Steve threatens to not appear: the sun has burned his beautiful bald head. Edina helps him with dark make up. The appearance in Haifa has been saved!

Wednesday: Since last night, a hot desert wind has been blowing. We prefer Munich weather! The excitement, we get the Israeli “Oscar” for best foreign group ’79. In the Mann Auditorium we are also decorated with the peace prize and a gold single for “Dschinghis Khan.” Afterward, the party continues in our honour at the Sheraton. Everyone wants to celebrate with us. By 4 am, our eyes fall. A week full of experiences, adventures, and encounters! We have the best feeling to have found a lot of friends in Israel.

Captions: (Clockwise from right-hand corner)

Shiny as the mosque (L.) is also Dschinghis Khan. The country by which the “Grand Prix” struck her birth, she was honoured with gold, an Oscar, and the Peace prize.

By bus a journey of discovery: when there’s a refreshment stop in the canister.

“Cheers!” call Wolfganf, Louis, Edina, Leslie, Henriette and Steve and they drink to their success.

Dschinghis Khan proudly presents upon return the awards at the Munich airport in Israel: a gold single and an Oscar.

Rehearsal before the Israeli “Top of the Pops” (L)

Hannes Winkler, jokingly named “Schinderhannes” startles his parishioners.

Leslie has bought drums. Dschinghis Khan gives a special performance on the road.

I Tamed Dschinghis Khan

This article chronicles the adventure of one lucky reader, Jutta Koch, who won a contest to spend a day with Dschinghis Khan.

***

When Magazin-winner Jutta Koch (17) came from the flower-roads of Trier with four bottles of wine for her meeting with Dschinghis Khan in Munich, they had no idea what right they had to celebrate: For on that day, their Grand-Prix song "Dschinghis Khan" hit #1 on the German music charts. In the huge villa of their music producer, Edina, Henriette, Louis, Wolfgang, Steve and Leslie met with Jutta for the the first time, and reported, in detail what all is behind the secenes in Jerusalem. "Sure, we were initially disappointed by our fourth place," said Henriette.

After Jutta, who has already created an entire folder of articles about Dschinghis Khan, had collected the autographs and even in addition, the home addresses of some of the members, they went into the super modern recording studio in which Dschinghis Khan had recorded their hit. There, the six with Jutta in the middle sang their hit song into the microphone. "Really a great voice," stated Leslie Mandoki, and Jutta got a red face. After some hesitation, she revealed that she had already rehearsed at home the dance steps of Dschinghis Khan. Of course, the group immediately wanted to see, so they danced outside on the porch with Jutta Koch, every dance step very precisely controlled. "No question," said Louis Henrik[sic] Potgieter. "If someone gets out with us, then we will pick up replacements."

After a cozy conversation, in which Dschinghis Khan revealed to their guest that they will soon also be admired in the cinema - they appear in the film "Sonnyboy and Sugarbaby" - they said goodbye with a kiss from Wolfgang, Louis, Leslie, Steve, Edina and Henriette to Jutta, and of course, "you really are a mad clique!"

The "Klabautermann" is About.

With much apologies for the delay, I present this piece from Bravo Magazine circa 1980, courtesy of metfanmatt :)

* * *

The "Klabautermann" is About

It is ten o'clock at night. The doors of the Munich museums have long since closed behind the last visitor. Spooky rise the masts of the boats on show in the half-darkness.

Suddenly comes life in the hall. Wind-and-fog machines are started, bright lights shine on. Five bold figures in three cornered hats, top boots, breeches and billowing skirts enter and board a fishing boat from the last century...

This was not a belated Carnival scene, rather a photo-session for the new Dschinghis Khan LP "Klabautermann," and the same-named single. Note for land-lovers - the Klabautermann is a ship's goblin which - as it says in the yarn - announces a ship's sinking with a hammer beating.

Wolfgang, Henriette, Edina, Louis and Leslie unearthed the pirate costumes in a Munich costume-rental. Wolfgang: "However, I do not care for when first used on the Gottschalk-program "Na Sowas," the trousers burst on the right thight. Bordered on pornographic."

In terms of sound, "Klabautermann" composer Ralph Siegel has adapted to the latest trends. The songs are built on synthesizer bases; bombastic strings like in "Rome" are out. Wolfgang: "From karaoke to make it a mixture of Falco and Rheingold. Simply by pressing rhythms to which you can dance well."

What else is happening with the Dschinghis Khans?

Wolfgang Heichel (his favourite saying: those who sleep longer, wake later) has fallen in love with a moss-green metallic 911er Porsche SC with "great sound" wants to be discovered by the Moderator talent on "Na Sowas": "In this institution the competition is very stiff." [Trans: This section wouldn't translate properly, I took a guess at what it was trying to say but this is probably wrong.]

Henriette Heichel, who has separated from her husband Wolfgang Heichel, is in fashion [modelling]. She received an offer at a Las Vegas fashion show, but had to cancel because Dschinghis Khan is paramount.

Edina Popp dedicated herself mainly to her Hungarian boyfriend Atila Terl and deals with real estate.

Louis Potgieter brings his artistic talent now also to paper. He paints ("mainly modern") and wants to arrange his first art showing soon.

Leslie Mandoki plans, encouraged by his solo-LP "Back to Myself" for this year with his four-man-band ten trial-shows and then beginning in 1983 going on tour.

Genghis Khan and His Brown Love

Not much to say about today's article other than, Wow.

***

The solo dancer of the famous popgroup was directed by his fiancee to a shared flat in Munich.

"The Wintergarden is our favourite place. We often eat breakfast here and watch the hustle and bustle of the Viktualienmarkt [farmer's market]."

Louis Potgieter and Madeleine Davis proudly lead each guest through the beautiful four-room apartment they have set up in the heart of Munich.

"A few little things that really make it comfortable are still missing," apologizes the dark-skinned New Yorker. "But we have simply not enough time, to go searching."

The couple is overly busy and frequently 'on the move.' "But always separated, because we are professional competitors," explains the 30-year-old Louis. He is the solo-dancer of the Disco formation Dschinghis Khan, the most successful singing troupe in Europe. Madeleine is the lead singer of the new girl-group "La Mama" who the Boney-M maker Frank Farian wants to make popular in the next months.

Louis, the native-born South African, already met his fiancee two and a half years previously. Then they both lost contact for months. "It wasn't love at first sight for us," he admits. "It only sparked when I saw Madeleine in a Munich disco. There she was performing with her band."

At the time, he was less impressed by the singing of the 29-year olds than by their smooth movements. The ex-solo dancer from the Munich Gartnerplatz Theatre immediately recognized: "Madeleine has the dance in her blood." This talent and the enthusiasm for music brought Dschinghis Khan and his brown love together. Now they are planning a common future, each reserving some private space. That, they think is the best recipe for long lasting happiness.

"And if we argue, we make peace again at the common breakfast."

Henriette: The Blonde One from Holland

This post is dedicated to MetFanMatt, because I've inadvertantly been torturing him for the past several days. Sorry!

***

Henriette: The Blonde One From Holland.

I dare not say it; because many trained singers will point the fingers at me. But it is true: my singing career began with Dschinghis Khan. I have not had gigs before (except in school), I have not sung in a band, and at eight years old learned piano only for a short time. That I am nonetheless in Dschinghis Khan, I have to thank my husband Wolfgang, the boss of the group. But more on that later...

I was born November 13, 1953 in Amsterdam. My father was a dentist, and for me it was clear that I would be a dental assistant for him. Then at five years old I was given my first pair of figure skates, and I was so thrilled with this sport-art that I was daily out on the ice for hours. At nine, I received my first training-hours (lessons?) and all had the opinion that I had talent to be a big ice princess. My role model was the American Peggy Fleming, World Champion and Olympian.

I must honestly admit, I had talent. As a nearly-13 year old, I was sent from Amsterdam to Oberstdorf to have training. I went to a private school, because every day figure-skating students must train for five hours. Morning three hours compulsory excercises, afternoon two hours free skating. My trainer was the father of the mutiple German champion Sepp Schoenmetzier.

In Oberstdorf I lived with my Grandma, who accompanied me. My parents wouldn't allow a young girl to live on her own.

I took part in small competitions and I could always win first place. Until I one day suffered a bad fall, that stopped my career. It was really, please excuse this expression, saubloeder [ed: could not find a translation for this, possibly a rude word for stupid?] accident. It happened during training. I ran to the boards to take off my sweater, and I stumbled and crashed with my right leg so badly into the hard boards that I had a double fracture of the leg and ankle. I spent six months in a cast.

When I was able to walk again, I tried again on the ice. But I continued to move my injury. I decided to quit the sport. The dream of the Ice Princess was blown.

I finished secondary school (I had to repeat one year because of my move to Germany) and began then to work for my father. We lived in the meantime in Klosters in Switzerland.

But I did not want to do dental health alone my whole life. Incidentally, I began to train as a beautician in Zurich. In this branch I met one person in modelling, and was hired as a model. For two years I had shown it all in a bikini and a fur mantel.

In this time came also the meeting with Wolfgang. Incidentally, it was a very comical thing. Wolfgang played with his band in a discothek, and I was a guest. Wolfgang played so wild a show, that he knocked out his tooth with a microphone. The owner knew I was a dental-asisstant and sent Wolfgang to me. I made an appointment for him with my father. So began our friendship, and then it was soon love.

A half year later we were married. For us it was clear, that we wanted always to stay with each other. My father was very content with my choice, then besides music, Wolfgang was studying dentistry.

Two years ago we moved to Munich because of Wolfgang's studies. To me it was at the start quite boring. Wolfgang studied and earned money on the side as a studio musician. I sat at home and was glad when I received a few modelling jobs.

One day Wolfgang explained to me that he was very proud, that Ralph Siegel had hired him for a new group. Wolfgang was very mysterious, then said that I should sing it with him. I got a red face and said at first no. I had only sometimes at home sung, and Wolfgang always said that I had a good voice.

Well, Wolfgang finally managed it, and dragged me to Ralph Siegel. There I was, and should sing. I thought: I cannot be shamed anymore, and sang straight on. To my great surprise, Ralph Siegel was thrilled and gave me a contract.

Today I am very happy. Mainly because now Wolfgang and I are standing together. And let's face it – I don't have such a bad voice. Or?

Autograph Card #1

I got this autogrammkarte (autograph card) on eBay for about 1 euro. It's worth it to note that this isn't a real autograph card; the auto's are just printed on. Still, it's a neat relic. Leslie's signature in particular intrigues me -- what exactly did he write? To me, it looks like "Leslie Lisuden," but since "Lisuden" is not a word in English, German or Hungarian, I have to say that I just don't know.

***

Dschinghis Khan

Given Name: Louis Hendrik Potgieter
Birthday: 4 April 1952[sic]
Birthplace: Johannesburg/South Africa
Eyes/Hair: Brown/Brown
Height: 1.90 metres
Trained profession: Solo dancer/ classical ballet

Given Name: Leslie Mandoki
Birthday: 7 January 1953
Birthplace: Budapest/Hungary
Eyes/Hair: Blue-green/brown
Height: 1.78 metres
Trained Profession: Music teacher [sic]
Married: to Romy Hempel since 1977

Name: Edina Pop
Given Name: Marika Kesmarki
Birthday: 4 February 1947
Birthplace: Budapest/Hungary
Eyes/Hair: Brown/light brown
Height: 1.70 metres
Trained Profession: Singing student/secretary
Married: to the actor Gunther Stoll since 1971 (till his death in 1977)

Given Name: Henriette Heichel
Maiden Name: Henriette Strobel
Birthday: 13 November 1953
Birthplace: Amsterdam/Holland
Eyes/Hair: Blue-green/dark blonde
Height: 1.71 metres
Trained Profession: Dental assistant/cosmetologist, was earlier a hobby-figure0skater.
Married: to Wolfgang Heichel since 1976

Name: Steve Bender
Given Name: Karl-Heinz Bender
Birthday: 2 November 1946
Birthplace: Mainz
Eyes/Hair: Blue/Bald
Height: 1.71 metres
Trained Profession: Painter
Married: to Elfriede Biegler since 1969
Child: Melanie (born 1975)

Given Name: Wolfgang Heichel
Birthday: 4 November 1951
Birthplace: Meissen/DDR (East Germany)
Eyes/Hair: Brown/brown
Height: 1.88 metres
Trained profession: Dental student (given up)
Married: to Henriette Strobel since 1976.