Dagmar Frederic on 60 years of schlager and TV's repetitive guest lists
She's known the schlager business for 60 years—and has strong words for TV shows that keep inviting the same stars
MUNICH—Dagmar Frederic, 80, is a woman who knows how the entertainment industry works. For over six decades, the schlager singer and performer has graced the stage, captivating millions during the GDR era and remaining in the spotlight long after reunification. Now, she's speaking out with a refreshingly candid assessment—and she isn't mincing her words.
In an interview with news portal t-online.de, Frederic criticizes the guest policies of major schlager TV shows. "Of course, the same people keep appearing in these big television programs. That's a shame," she says. Yet she also understands the business behind it: while she's familiar with frustration and gossip among colleagues, she harbors no bitterness herself.
When schlager editors call the shots—and presenters take the flak
Notably, Frederic explicitly defends the hosts often blamed for the lack of variety, such as Florian Silbereisen, 44, and Giovanni Zarrella, 48. She places the responsibility elsewhere. "Those are decisions made by the editorial teams, not the artists. The people on screen aren't to blame," she makes clear. "I don't need them, and if they think they don't need me, that's fine."
The fact that she rarely appears on such shows doesn't bother her. As Mitteldeutsche Zeitung reported on her 80th birthday, Frederic—despite a modest pension—still performs tirelessly, up to 60 times a year. Her repertoire spans schlager classics like Was halten Sie vom Tango as well as musical and chanson numbers.
Back in 2018, she told Bild: "I've never been on Andrea Kiewel's show, and I've never been on Florian Silbereisen's either. But I'm still alive. The upside? I don't have to kiss up to anyone to get on a program." Recently, the schlager icon also made headlines with a witty remark about her husband.
