The local newspaper describes the Bröckemännchen Prize as an award for Hartnäckigkeit. What exactly is ‘Hartnäckigkeit? It’s a mixture of tenacity, stubbornness and obstinacy. I’ve known Ernst-Ludwig Hartz now for around 15 years, and all descriptions fit the man perfectly, and in the best possible sense. Hartz is Bonn’s premier concert promoter and, along with Martin Nötzel, responsible for putting Bonn on the map for major music stars at both Museumsplatz and now Kunstrasen. BAP frontman Wolfgang Niedecken was on hand to present a laudatio before the award in the Kunstrasen VIP lounge presented by Bonner Media-Club chairman Andreas Archut.
It seemed like even his award night was designed to test ‘Mr Kunstrasen’ Ernst-Ludwig Hartz. Outside the VIP tent was an assembly of Bonn politicians and inside an assembly of Bonn music promoters. Between the two a stage. I was reminded of the famous unveiling of the Beethoven statue where Queen Victoria famously found herself positioned behind the great man’s statue. It initially looked as though Bonn’s Lady Mayoress might get the same treatment this evening. Bonn City had, only days before, fined the Kunstrasen for going 1 decibel over the accepted sound limit and 8 minutes over the agreed concert time. Given that the Bröckemänchen prize is derived from a stone sculpture that was installed in 1889 during the construction of the original Rhine Bridge in the City. It famously has its backside facing the Beuel bank of the Rhine as a ‘recognition’ that the bridge was only financed by the Bonn side and not by them. It’s also the side where noise complaints have become regular events.
So how could Bonn’s Lady Mayoress contemplate being here this evening? It turned out that Katja Dörner and Mr Hartz had made peace with each other that very day, and Bonn City had agreed to support a Kunstrasen project in 2026, although there is of course a local election in between…
After addressing 9000 people at the BAP concert last week, Wolfgang Niedecken took the demands of a two-way audience with a pinch of Salt. In his laudatio he described Ernst-Ludwig as “a perfect example of a self-made Man” in the best sense. It all started in inBad Godesberg when a then 17 year old Hartz organized a concert for five school bands. Concerts progressed to Bonn’s Rheinterasse (including Niedecken’s own BAP) , Lorely, Museumsplatz (with the likes of Elton John (2003), David Bowie and The Who) and finally, in 2012, with Kunstrasen – opened in it’s first year by Lou Reed, and including Bob Dylan.
Wolfgang Niedecken
This is all well documented in the various other reviews of this evening’s award. I would like though to add my own recollections. I came to Museumsplatz concerts via a website, now defunct, titled ‘Bonn English Network’. The sites administrator, Caroline, asked if I might like to review some concerts. Even take some pictures. I said yes and stood in the photopit with knees knocking and a Panasonic Superzoom camera alongside Bonn’s premier photographers with the latest Nikon and Canon cameras – including the wonderful Horst Müller. Ernst-Ludwig Hartz was always very busy, always with a face that went with his name – Ernst. But always supportive too. In 2011 Italian Superstar Gianna Nannini played. I had lucked out with the photopass. Ernest said there was still a pass unclaimed. If I checked shortly before the show began maybe I could have it.
Five minutes before Nannini took the stage Ernest saw me, shook my hand, and went away. I looked down – in my hand was a photopass! It’s no exaggeration to say that without Ernst-Ludwig Hartz there would be no 3songsbonn.com. There would certainly be no photogalleries of BB King, Joe Cocker and Brian Ferry in it (to name just a few). A concert photographer gets assignments via a portfolio – and every future photoshoot is based on the building blocks of what came before. Ernst-Ludwig Hartz created the foundation of all those building blocks and for that I say a big THANK YOU! There is a small core of promoters for concerts here in Bonn. People who give their lifeblood to keep great music coming to the City despite what the City throws at them. They know who they are – thank you all – and may you keep showing a Bröckemänchen irreverence to the obstacles in your way!
