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.

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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?

How Their "Hadschi" Poster Was Created

This article came to me in two pieces, unfortunately; seems it was published across the binding. It is interesting because it provides a neat look at how the iconic "Hadschi Halef Omar" poster was created -- I for one had no idea that so much work went into it!

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It was the most expensive Single-Cover-Production of the year! For their new single, "Hadschi Halef Omar," Dschinghis Khan rented the film studio in Puchheim near Munich where shows such as "Der Alte" and "Derrick" are filmed. An artist painted on the wall a 15 metre wide desert horizon. Three truckloads of sand for the "desert" were brought in. It had to be mixed with paint so it would be desert-yellow. From the "Schuberth" travelling circus, a camel and a pony were brought in, and then the six savages threw on their new costumes and posed for the camera for BRAVO-photographer Bubi Heilemann. The result is what you see in this magazine...

***

Captions, clockwise starting from the top.

- An artist paints "desert" on the wall.

- Louis makes "Hadschi Halef" Leslie beautiful.

- Leslie "on horeseback" in front of an artistic sand dune.

- Henriette makes up her husband Wolfgang.

- Steve polishes his freshly-shaved scalp.

- Louis feels great on the "Desert-Ship"

- Hump hump -- the camel was unloaded.

Dschingis Khan: Earlier

I paid entirely too much for this article, but it is worth it just for the shot of young Leslie. Am I the only one who thinks he must have come out of the womb with a moustache and long hair? (Okay, now that's a horrifying mental image. Seriously.)
This article is mainly worth it for the pictures, however, because some of the information I've never heard of before, particularly Leslie's, and I wonder how accurate it is.

Clockwise, from top:

Dschingis Khan:

Where are the six "Wilds" from? What did they do earlier? BRAVO shows you a different way...

Wolfgang Heichel (top, as a Confirmant at 14) has been married to Henriette for three years. Studied art and went to a hotel-managing school. Was bos and singer of "New Blue Heaven." Studied four semesters of dentistry. He is the spokesperson of the band. There is no boss.


Steve Bender has the most musical career behind him of the Dschinghis Khan members. When he had hair (small photo), he had 17 singles and 4 LPs. Steve has been married for 10 years and has a four year old daughter. For a professional, he was a painter. He has sung with Donna Summer.


Edina Pop has over the years brought 15 singles and an LP to the market. Comes from Hungary and has been widowed for four years. She was married to the actor Gunther Stoll.


Henriette Heichel wanted to be an ice skater. She even took part in the Bavarian Championships. At 16, she suffered a double fracture and had to give up the sport. She is a trained make-up artist.


Leslie Mandoki is a professional drummer. He was born in Budapest and has been married for two years. He has studied Psychology for three semesters. The amateur-photographer also visited the Music-Conservatorium. He is the funniest one in Dschinghis Khan.


Louis Hendrik Potgieter is the Genghis Khan of the group. Privately, as the trained Solo-dancer (small photo), he appears not at all so terrifying. Louis was born in South Africa, he is single, and studied graphic arts. He has given up his theatre job.

Bravo: Dschingis Khan Interview

The interview page came to me already damaged, unfortunately, but it's still readable. There's quite a bit of text on the both pages

Left Page (The Interview)

(Photos from top, going clockwise)

Leslie Mandoki plays on the stage the "Rocking Son of Genghis Khan."

Henriette Heichel had never publically sung, before joining the group.

Wolfgang Heichel is the boss of the group, and is married to Henriette

Steve Bender plays in Dschinghis Khan the "Wild" Man.

Edina Pop also had success as a solo singer.

Group picture caption: Dschinghis Khan in Action: Where the group performs, it is jubilant. There are hardly any days off for Wolfgang, Henriette, Louis, Leslie and Steve (left to right)

Interview:

Bravo: You meet every day in a small room in Munich-Bogenhausen. Everything is very mysterious. What's going on behind those closed doors?

Wolfgang Heichel: We're rehearsing for our new big Germany Tour, that we're starting in the new year next year. We want to surprise our fans with a new 90-minute show.

Bravo: Can you explain this more?

Leslie Mandoki: We will not just sing and dance. Each of us will play one or more instruments.

Bravo: Do you get "reinforcements" for this tour, or do you travel alone?

Edina Pop: We get an accompanying orchestra. Whether or not this is possibly a choir, is not yet fixed.

Bravo: How long will this tour last? Will it only be in the big cities?

Steve Bender: How long we will be on the road, we also don't know yet. But it will be at least two months. This means that we will make appearances in small and middle cities too.

Bravo: You were recently in Israel and recieved an award...

Henriette Heichel: We have received the "Golden Oscar" of Israel for best foreign Pop group. This prize has us, of course, very pleased.

Bravo: Next year finds the Summer Olympics in the city of Moscow. Your last hit was called "Moskau." Will you be there?

Louis Henrik[sic] Potgieter: We have already received an official invitation to Moscow. A friend of mine, a dancer who lives in Moscow, wrote to me that we are already very well known in Russia, and many pictures of us already hang on the walls in record stores.

Bravo: You are constantly on the move. Does a make-up artist travel with you, to do your make-up?

Henriette Heichel: No. Edina and I do our own make-up. I also make-up my husband, Wolfgang. Louis Hendrik takes care of not only his own make-up, but that of Leslie and Steve as well. The whole process takes about an hour.

Bravo: How many TV-Appearances have you had in Germany this year?

Steve Bender: If we only take the regional programs, it was 21. We went on almost every major TV-show. Our next TV events are on December 17, on "Disco." We do a skit with Ilja Richter on the New Years Show, and on January 8, 1980 in "Pyramide."

Bravo: And when will you have vacation time?

Wolfgang: Christmas. We're all looking forward to this festival. Everyone will of course celebrate with their family. But after the holidays, we must immediately go back to work.

Right Page

(Clockwise, starting at the top)

Henriette on a hot "Ofen." She cannot drive it, however.

Privately, Leslie loves these clothes: casual overalls and T-shirts

Wolfgang studied also art for a time. These paintings he has completed himself. He has a lot of talent.

So appears "Dschinghis Khan" Louis Hendrik Potgietr un-made-up.

Edina is a funny girl.

The four-year-old Melanie is the pride of Steve Bender. He plays with his little daughter for hours.

Dancer Louis Hendrik Potgieter was a solo-dancer with a Munich Theatre, before he slipped into the costume of Genghis Khan.

BRAVO Series: Louis Potgieter

In honour of World AIDS Day, I bring to you Louis' article from the BRAVO series covering each of the band members.

From this article, we can see that he had an extraordinary ballet career. He must have had some incredible talent, not to mention ambition and sheer determination, to not only have made it as a professional ballet-dancer after never taking a lesson until he was 21, and then to go from the very back row (a VERY bad placement, in a ballet dance) to a solo dancer in only 2 years. Such a thing is pretty much unheard of!

RIP, Louis...if only you'd been able to open that ballet-school...

Louis Hendrik Potgieter: The Genghis Khan from Africa

Well, I must be completely honest: when I jump over the stage as Genghis Khan in our newest hit “Moskau,” I sometimes yearn back to my theatre days on the big stage. All the big roles I've danced, in the last five years, come to mind, with the most famous partners, such as Margot Fonteyn, in my arms. That was my world. “Swan Lake,” or “Shah and Scheherezade.” Now I'm just Genghis Khan, with a few steps to rehearse.

But I can't complain. I willingly became Genghis Khan, and I don't regret it. I earn more money now than as a Solo-dancer. I am particularly strained: we travel constantly throughout the world.

I think our group will last a long time. We have with the founder of Dschinghis Khan, Ralph Siegel, a five year contract. It is important to me now to meet people I can later help. Maybe one day I'll even have my own ballet-school.

I am a South African national. My father's forefathers came from Holland, my mother's from France. My father is in Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, a sales director of a construction firm. I have five siblings: a brother (Johan), and four sisters (Analiese, Karin, Erna and Talana). I haven't seen my family in four and a half years.

I speak on the telephone often with my parents. I sang for them “Dschinghis Khan” and “Moskau.” I always send them whatever the newspapers say about us. My parents are very proud of me, although my father was not very enthusiastic at first, when I became a dancer.

Dancing has always fascinated me. In school, I danced at school festivals and even made my own choreography. After I was finished with school, I studied Graphic Arts for two years. I had many ideas in my head: I wanted to be a fashion designer, a musician, or even a dancer.

At 21, I had not taken a single ballet class. I was introduced to the Ballet-Director of the Johannesburg Theatre. He saw that I had talent, and gave me a three-month probationary period. During those three months, I worked like an animal. Six, seven hours daily in the practise room. Afterwards, I could not feel my bones.

But it was worth it. I was hired. Although I was only in the group, and in the last row, I was there. And after two years, I was a solo dancer. My biggest wish was fulfilled.

One of my friends went to Ulm, Germany, as a ballet-chief. He invited me to meet him there. So I left my home and family just under five years ago. I spent a year in Ulm, and a year in the Swiss town of St. Gallen. But I wanted to be on a major stage. I travelled to Frankfurt where three or four times a year, many ballet dancers audition for ballet directors and heads of large houses. There I was hired as a soloist for the Munich Garden Place Theatre.

I had a great time at the Garden Place Theatre, although I had to appear in operettas, which I do not like so much. Incidentally, I was allowed to appear in various TV shows. I owe that to my role as Genghis Khan. The famous choreographer William Millie brought me to Ralph Siegel's attention when he was looking for a dancer.

At first I was curious about what would happen. I thought this might be a job for a few days. I had never seen the other members of Dschinghis Khan before. We were all pretty nervous. If you asked me then, if I ever would have believed in the success of our group, I would have said a thousand times, no. We six have it together. Of course, now and then we have differences of opinion, but they are smoothed over quickly.

As far as I know, we all have the same contract. As a dancer, I earn no more and no less than the others who sing.

I have a small advantage over my colleagues: On the street, no one recognizes me. Unmasked, I have my privacy.

How They Live...: Edina Pop

This concludes the "How They Live" series, ending off with Edina Pop. I love Edina Pop. I want to be just like her when I grow up.

Edina Pop: For Two Years She Hid Her "Little Prince"

Edina has the longest show-experience of the group. Already in 1969 was the cute Hungarian from Budapest on international stages. As a Pop-singer she enjoyed great success.

"Then I stood alone on stage. Today, however, is what's going on. That's life on stage with Dschinghis Khan."

With an expensive three-room home in Munich's noble quarter, she has the most exclusive address of the group. Her house also has a swimming pool.

She lives here with her eight-year younger boyfriend Attila Teri. They met each other two years ago in Budapest.

"We spend a long time concealing our friendship. When we went out, I put him down as our piano-player. Today, we laugh about this secrecy."

Lovingly, she calls him the "Little Prince," after the French novel by Saint Exupery, her favourite book.

How They Live...: Leslie Mandoki

Another entry from the Bravo article about the band members' houses. What I have learned from this one: I really, really would not have wanted to be Leslie's neighbour.

Leslie Mandoki: He Owns Seven Drumsets.

Leslie Mandoki is, as a trained drummer, the full-blooded musician of the group. He is 27 years old, and has composed some songs for Dschinghis Khan. Privately, Leslie is very different.

"I write and compose a mixture of rock and jazz. Together with my Hungarian countrymen, we have rented a studio here in Munich. There sit my six drumsets. The seventh, I have in my home. We meet two or three times in the week and make music. I have recorded countless tapes of them."

Leslie has already played the drums in school bands in Budapest and finally came with his own group to Germany. He is proud of his German passport, that he finally got three months ago, and his black Golf GTI. When his life becomes too hectic, then he writes poetry in his Schwabing bachelor pad.

How They Live...: Henriette and Wolfgang Heichel

It seems I have now learned how to size images a little better, so hopefully this will become a little more visually appealing and less WOAH MONSTER PICTURES EVERYWHERE D:

Tonight's subject is the lovely Henriette "Jette" Heichel, and her husband, Wolfgang.

Henriette and Wolfgang Heichel: Country Life in Switzerland

Wolfgang and Henriette (nickname "Jette") recover from occupational stress in Switzerland. They own a house in Davos, where they first met seven years ago:

"I had then with my band Heavy Rock an engagement there," explains Wolfgang. "On the stage, I knocked a tooth out with the microphone. In the hall sat a dental assisstant, who took me to a doctor. It was Jette. It sparked both of us at once." [Trans: We were both interested in each other at once?]

Small wonder, then, that they bought a picturesque farmhouse right next to the hotel where Wolfgang was performing at the time.

Henriette: "We have a very romantic interior, with a fireplace and cozy wing chairs. In the evenings, local friends often visit us, including a forester, mechanics, bar and boutique-owners from Davos. I cook them my favourite Swiss specialties. On nice days, we go with at least ten people in two Jeep Renegades, down to the pasture and make snacks."

When the Heichels are not on the road with their friends, they are very athletic: Football with the local youth, cycling, or jogging.

Dschinghis Khan: How They Live...: Louis Potgieter

(BRAVO Magazine, circa 1980-1981)

I apologize for the size of the images; I wanted to stitch them together in photoshop and then isolate Louis' section, but as it turns out, I don't know how to do that.

A couple things are interesting about Louis' part of the article.

First off, this Madlein Davis business. Who was she? Why is there almost no other references to her in any other DK press-articles? (I can think of exactly two others, besides this one, in which she appears or is mentioned.)

Secondly, I guess we finally learn the reason why he cut his hair short. There's no date on the magazine, but clearly it's after Steve left, and around the time of "Wir Sitzen Alle im Selben Boot"

Translation is as follows, to the best of my ability:

Louis Potgieter: For Madlein, He Sacrificed his Mane.

Louis Potgieter, long the long-haired "Mongol-lord" poster-child of the group, is barely recognizable: he wears his hair newly short.

"My girlfriend Madlein wanted it so. Otherwise, she wouldn't move into my apartment. I've just come from the hairdresser."

Louis was the first in Dschinghis Khan. The producer and mental father of the groupe, Ralph Siegel, searched namely for the Dschinghis-Khan-concept first a dancer. When he was at a ballet-evening at the Gartnerplatz at Munich's State Theatre, he discovered a young Louis Potgieter in the [ballet] troupe, and had found his type.

Louis: "At 190 cm, I was almost too tall, and therefore could not wear on stage any shoes with a high heel."

After two and a half years with the group, his life has completely changed for him:

"Earlier, I was only the poster-child of the group. Today, I sing the songs with them. I also do the choreography for our performances."

Louis lives in an apartment on Viktualienmarkt [farmer's market] in Munich. If you want to visit during the day, you must go through a flower shop in the backyard:

"I love flowers, and I look forward every morning, when I first go through a sea of flowers before I get to the street."

He has lived here together with his dark-skinned girlfriend, Madlein, since March, in this three-room apartment. He has even set up and assembled the furniture from all over Europe. An Italian mirror is an art object with volute-mounted neon tubes in the hallway. Louis is proud of the zebra skin under his Plexi-glass coffee table in his living room. His father, a passionate hunter, shot it for him on his 18th birthday, in his homeland of South Africa.

Louis has always had a penchant for the unusual. He does not drive a car. Every day he runs more than ten kilometers through the English Gardens to keep fit, listening with headphones to hot Funk music on the radio.