Book Tour 2026 — The true story behind one of the most influential and successful rock bands from the East. A book by Thomas Fritzsching, guitarist and founder of the band “Silly.”
Thomas Fritzsching is the initiator, founder, and namesake of the Berlin band “Silly.”
He had a vision for a band that would be distinctly different from all other GDR rock bands.
The early years were tough. Without Thomas Fritzsching, “Silly” would not have survived. Time and again, he sought and found solutions, even in seemingly hopeless situations. But in the end, his strategy paid off.
In this book, he describes the long road to success—the adversities and the emotional rollercoaster between euphoria and despair.
He recounts the attempts by powerful figures within government institutions to destroy the band by any means necessary. He describes the solidarity of a close-knit community, but also human weaknesses, disappointments, selfishness, and external temptations.
He addresses some things with brutal honesty and others with restraint, tact, and sensitivity. He also reveals his own vulnerabilities: the feeling of being bullied and not having fought back, as well as the self-doubt and depression that tormented him for several years.
The disappointments run deep. There was the unilateral breakup by his former bandmates, with the iconic Tamara Danz—whom he had once cast—playing a special role. But above all, it is the disrespectful way he has been treated, which continues even to this day.
Thomas Fritzsching has poured his heart out in writing. He tells his story with confidence, thoughtfulness, and without resentment. Yet the bitter feeling of loss—of what he calls his “baby and life’s work”—remains.
