In an interview with ZEIT, Rolf Zuckowski discusses the enduring success of his hit 'In der Weihnachtsbäckerei', which holds its own against the dominance of English-language Christmas music in the charts. The 78-year-old composer emphasizes that communal singing is culturally more important than the language. He also reflects on faith and melancholy in his music.
Rolf Zuckowski, 78 years old, was interviewed in an elegant club at Hamburg harbor about his Christmas classic 'In der Weihnachtsbäckerei'. The song currently ranks 20th in the charts, behind 19 English-language titles, and has held strong for nearly 40 years. Zuckowski sings the first stanza whenever his compositions come up, smiling kindly.
Asked if the song has become a folk song, he replies: "In the musicological sense, folk songs are only called that once the author is no longer alive. But one can say that 'In der Weihnachtsbäckerei' is on its way there." The success was not intended to counter American music but arose from his advent mood. The song appeals not just to children but makes adults childlike again during Advent.
Similarly, his birthday song 'Wie schön, dass du geboren bist' was composed after his second child's birth, as he wondered why children are sung 'Happy Birthday' in English. Zuckowski sees the issue not primarily in language but in the decline of communal singing: "Communal singing is a cornerstone of our culture; it creates a higher mood that brings us together as a society."
English Christmas songs often serve as cozy background without a message, while German lyrics prompt reflection, especially Christian ones. His hits like 'In der Weihnachtsbäckerei' and 'Es schneit' are actually baking and snow songs capturing pre-Christmas euphoria, not religious Christmas songs about Christ's birth.
In more religious pieces like 'Wär uns der Himmel immer so nah' or 'Zeit der Wunder', optimism mixes with melancholy, influenced by Hungarian roots. Zuckowski follows Jesus' example in care and neighborly love but struggles with God amid suffering, such as in the Ukraine war. Still, it doesn't bother him to be seen as a cheerful children's entertainer.
