This research will investigate the protest songs of Gerhard Gunderman, an open-pit miner and simultaneously a highly acclaimed musician who died prematurely in 1998 at the age of 43. Emerging out of the GDR state-controlled political singing movement Gundermann was particularly active in the peaceful revolution of autumn 1989. He subsequently spoke to the so-called ‘losers of German unification’ with his songs about deindustrialisation, globalisation and the environment.

As well as research publications, Dave’s activities will involve translating a selection of Gundermann’s songs into English and recording them for a CD and website.