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"Gerd Knebel showed how clever and heartfelt humor can be in dialect"
The Hessian Minister of Art and Culture, Timon Gremmels, to the death of the Rodgau artist and comedian Gerd Knebel . For decades, Knebel shaped the Hessian cultural landscape – as a musician, cabaret artist, author, and above all as one half of the legendary comedy duo Badesalz .
"With Gerd Knebel's passing, Hesse's cultural landscape loses a defining voice," declared Minister Gremmels. As a member of the comedy duo Badesalz, a musician, and a cabaret artist, Knebel demonstrated "how clever and yet heartfelt humor in dialect can be." With irony and South Hessian charm, he always held a mirror up to people – "but never condescendingly, always with respect for people and their idiosyncrasies." In doing so, Knebel impressively demonstrated the cultural power inherent in regional identity.
Gerd Knebel was born in Rodgau and first gained recognition in the 1980s as the singer of the band Flatsch. He later achieved widespread popularity as part of the duo Badesalz, together with Henni Nachtsheim. Their second album, "Nicht ohne meinen Pappa" (Not Without My Dad), was the first German spoken-word album in years to reach the music charts in 1991. In 1998, the duo was awarded the Echo music prize. In addition to his stage work, Knebel was also an author.
Gerd Knebel died on January 24, 2026, at the age of 72.
RED/HMWK)
