IFA Wartburg was a german band founded by two swedes (Magnus Michaeli and Nils Lundwall under the nicknames of Rolf Kempinski and Heinz Klinger) in the 80s that liked the german language.
The band was named after the east-german "Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau Wartburg" that produced cars.
The genre of music varied from bossa nova, pop/ska and jazz/swing.
What makes it special is that the vocabulary of the GDR is used in the songs, while the music stays apolitical and playful.
In total 2 Albums were released, with many unknown songs yet to be discovered.
Das Mauer Power - The Wall Power
Im Dienste des KGB - In service of the KGB
Sorbisches Fischerlied - Sorbian fishing song
Sessel aus Kassel is one of the "lost" IFA Wartburg songs that has been found again.
It was found after someone messaged Nils Lundwall directly on LinkedIn and just asked for the song.
Here it is:
Sessel aus Kassel - IFA Wartburg
An official webpage of the band exists, but it is mostly filled with jokes:
The site administrator has been hinting that new songs are going to be released:
Other things going on right now is that we've hired a sound engineer and he's now trying to get all those tape reels spinning.
Gunther - the site administrators' identity.
An official(?) YouTube Channel for IFA Wartburg also exists, which uploaded most IFA Wartburg songs and an audio recording from a concert they held in switzerland in 1999.
IFA Wartburg has also appeared in German Television:
"IFA Wartburg in german TV" - 'Communistmann' on YouTube
Even though this band seems "dead" a lot of people have actually atleast listened to their music once, reaching close to 2 million views on a music video featuring their song:
IFA Wartburg - The free German youth / IFA Wartburg - Freie Deutsche Jugend (FDJ)
