Erik Silvester, born Erik Herschmann, was born on September 24, 1942, in Briesen in what was then the Reichsgau Sudetenland. He was a German pop singer, composer, lyricist, and music producer. After training as an actor, he studied harmony and composition and was proficient in several instruments. His first single was released in 1960. He made his breakthrough in the late 1960s with “Ich seh’ die Mädchen gern vorübergehn” and “Zucker im Kaffee.” In the 1970s, he was a regular guest on the ZDF-Hitparade. Among his most successful songs is also “Wenn die Trommel ruft,” which reached No. 11 on the Official German Singles Charts in 1976, marking his highest chart position. In addition to his work as a singer, Silvester also wrote and produced music for other artists. His most important studio albums include Oh lala (1968), Erik Silvester (1969), Dein Platz in meinem Herzen bleibt frei (1971), Eine Erik-Silvester-Party (1974), and Du liebst nur einmal (1976). His most influential singles include “Dann fiel die Tür zu,” “Ich seh’ die Mädchen gern vorübergehn,” “Zucker im Kaffee,” “Skandal um Rosi,” and “Wenn die Trommel ruft.” Later, he released the studio albums Verzeih’ mir meine Fehler (1995) and Komm, tanz mit mir (1997). Erik Silvester passed away on November 23, 2008, in Cologne.
