»You’re Putting Out the Fire with Petrol«

The Diaries of Wolf Biermann – a landmark event in contemporary history

When Wolf Biermann was deprived of his citizenship after his concert in Cologne on 13 November 1976, it triggered a wave of protest both nationally and internationally. For many, the expatriation became a reason to fundamentally question the unjust regime of the GDR. The historian Dr Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk is publishing for the first time selected extracts from Wolf Biermann’s extensive diaries, a defining figure in modern German history. Presented as part of the »Berlin Freedom Week«, the opening volume »You Extinguish the Fire with Petrol« marks the beginning of a multi-year editorial project. It offers striking insights into the life and thinking of an artist who consistently challenged the GDR regime. His songs and poems have stood, and continue to stand, for freedom and self-determination for many people.

Book presentation and discussion:
Dr. Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk, Scientific Adviser at the DDR Museum

Moderation: Dr. Liza Soutschek, Research Associate at the DDR Museum

Admission is free.

Book cover featuring a black-and-white photograph of Wolf Biermann at a microphone. The title »You Are Putting Out the Fire with Petrol« and the subtitle »Diaries on censorship, expatriation and the fall of the Berlin Wall« are on an orange background.

13 November 2026, 6 pm

Conference Room, DDR Museum
Sankt Wolfgang-Str. 2
10178 Berlin

Here you can see the location.

The event will take place in German.