Interview with Wolfgang Heichel
With their hits Dschinghis Khan – Moskau – Hadschi Halef Omar – Rocking Son of Dschinghis Khan – Pistolero — Mexiko and many more, the German-speaking pop group Dschinghis Khan conquered the world till this day as THE CONQUEROR IN MUSIC.
It began in 1979. The composer and producer, Ralph Siegel, and the lyric writer, Dr. Bernd Meinunger wrote the song DSCHINGHIS KHAN. The group with the same name DSCHINGHIS KHAN presented the song as the German contribution for the EUROVISION SONG CONTEST – A SONG FOR ISRAEL – on March 17th, 1979 at the Rudi-Sedlmayr-Halle in Munich. The names of the artists of DSCHINGHIS KHAN were: Wolfgang Heichel, Steve Bender, Leslie Mandoki, Louis Hendrik Potgieter, Edina Pop und Henriette Strobel. Within 6 weeks only – thus under immense pressure of time and with extreme financial effort the first single record production Dschinghis Khan and Sahara was recorded in the Siegel studios. The hip costume designer, Mark Manó, created the exotic costumes. The internationally acclaimed makeup artist, Heidi Moser, created the distinctive makeups. The professional television choreographer, Hannes Winkler, developed the show for stage dancing and the Dschinghis – Khan — artists worked every day in the studio and rehearsed continuously until the show was perfect.
Then the big day arrived. On March 17th 1979, the premiere took place at the Rudi-Sedlmayr-Halle in Munich. The pop group Dschinghis Khan participated at the German pre selection for the EUROVISION SONG CONTEST – A SONG FOR ISRAEL — with the correspondent title DSCHINGHIS KHAN. Dschinghis Khan had only three minutes time to show the German television viewers and the members of jury that they had the best song to represent Germany in Israel. For the counting method the organization had chosen a special procedure. 600 television viewers, that were previously contacted were allowed to vote by phone and computers of an independent institute at Allensbach summed up all the results.
The first votes that were made late at night at the Rudi- Sedlmayer-Halle in Munich, on that memorable March 17th 1979 overran DSCHINGHIS KHAN completely. Almost everything was decided after only one minute. Second and third place changed several times, but the winner was: DSCHINGHIS KHAN.
So the newcomer DSCHINGHIS KHAN won first place and was selected to represent Germany in Israel at the 24th EUROVISION SONG CONTEST.
— Tell us how you spend your time in quarantine, did you manage to do creative work, something useful?
— First of all, we have created a new concept for a new show. We have created a program based on the principle of National cohesion, which we are going to show after the end of all quarantine measures throughout Russia and not only in Moscow, but even in the outback. Since the Russian audience is very fond of the Dschinghis Khan group, I would like to show this program not only in large cities, but also in provincial ones so that the audience there can also see this show and even those who cannot simply come to Moscow. Another idea is youth football! Thanks to the sponsors that we have and who may come to us in the future, we want to provide them with certain equipment, sports equipment in small sports clubs, football clubs, starting from some balls, exercise equipment, it is quite possible that there will be clothes and shoes too.
— Why football?
-I really love Russian people, and through football I want to establish communication in this way and support it in this direction. And we are preparing another children’s project, these are children’s songs, recording of children’s songs, which can later be used to study the German language, used in schools, among Russian youth, Russian-speaking youth. These are simple children’s songs with common musical instruments, so that it is as easy, intelligible and understandable as possible. I’m still the head of a charitable society and my main task, my idea is to engage young people, so that they do not just roam the streets, sit at the computer, but so that the maximum number of young people is attracted to some kind of creativity, business, sports, etc. The very idea of a friendship tour is not just coming to the city with a performance, but visiting some schools, some youth associations after the show, where you could show, to do this work.
— When are you planning to visit Russia and how are you going to please us?
— It all depends on the Covid restrictions, whether there will be serious indulgences or restrictions will be lifted altogether, then it will be possible to plan something specifically, and so far this is all very unpredictable. Maybe some offer will come before long, and we will come. We are ready to leave at any time, as soon as we are called.
— General creative plans of the Dschinghis Khan group, will there be a tour?
— FIRST of all, it is important for us when this whole story with the coronavirus ends, it is to show the real Dschinghis Khan group, since Wolfgang is the only original performer and member of group. Unfortunately, over the past 1.5-2 years, certain cover groups have appeared that are trying to impersonate the Dschinghis Khan group, moreover, they are already appearing on the Show bills, we want to show that, guys, we are real and if you really want a show from the Dschinghis Khan group, then it’s just us.
— As far as I understand, this is a project that is currently being led by Stefan.
— Absolutely. Wolfgang threw Stefan out for a number of, unfortunately, very ugly reasons, now lawyers are dealing with this case. Stefan violated contractual obligations, it came to the point that he acted under the name of Dschinghis Khan without Wolfgang’s participation at all, there is a number of deception on his part and now the criminal police and lawyers are already doing this, he is charged with fraud, the use of someone else’s name, etc. He has no right to perform under the name of Dschinghis Khan. He has no legal rights. All this is already the public information. And Wolfgang is really the only member of the group who is currently working, and it’s him who only has the right to call himself the Dschinghis Khan group.
—You have recently released a new video clip, Wolfgang has sent it to me. Is there anything else in your plans if, God forbid, the pandemic drags on, some filming, new music?
-Yes, we are planning, of course. Now we are preparing, recording a new song and a video for it. The song will be dedicated to the city of St. Petersburg. Naturally, we do not stop, we strive to show some new works. Dschinghis Khan exists and continues to work, and does not just live in the past
— Tell something for your fans.
-Wolfgang thanks MT for contacting him, for showing great interest in him. Wolfgang: ‘I want to wish my fans that this whole story with coronavirus ends as soon as possible, so that we can please them with our live performance as soon as possible, and there is a dream this year, at least by Christmas, to be on the Red Square, on the skating rink, because I am also good at skating. We hope for a fairy tale for the new year! I would also like to appeal to everyone who wants to invite the Dschinghis Khan group, so as not to fall for fakes, so that they contact me directly or the new management of Stars Liga (Dmitry) about any performances, now this is a very sore subject for us, since Stefan, in addition to other things, has greatly undermined the image and reputation of the group. Even those posts in his Instagram and Facebook under the name of Dschinghis Khan (for example, from the last birthday), well, this simply does not correspond in any way to the group’s image itself, this is a shame for us’.
Wolfgang and Dmitry (Stars Liga management) interviewed by Lil Safonova, october 2021