Diether Dehm

Diether Dehm (full name Jörg-Diether Dehm-Desoi; born 3 April 1950) is a German left-wing politician, musician and music manager. He was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, the PDS, and the Left Party.

Early life and education Dehm was born in Frankfurt on 3 April 1950. His father Otto Dehm was a mechanic, and played football for FSV Frankfurt, and his mother Inge (née Schulz) was a clerk. He studied remedial education, graduating in 1972,

Career as songwriter and music producer Dehm performed as a singer-songwriter in the 1960s under the pseudonym Lerryn, a portmanteau of his nickname, Larry, and Lenin. In 1971, he founded ('Songs in the Park'), a summer festival showcasing singer-songwriters, and organised ('Rock Against the Right Wing') events.

Dehm produced, wrote and played on Dutch folk rock band Bots's album ('Stand Up'). Included on the album is , the German version of Bots's best-known song, ('Seven Days Long'); the translation was done by Dehm and Günter Wallraff. Dehm, using the pseudonym N. Heirell, collaborated with Klaus Lage to write the song ('1000 and 1 Night'),

In 1988, Dehm wrote a new party anthem for the SPD, titled .

In the 1990s, Dehm wrote the screenplay for the musical film , starring Katharina Witt; Dehm had been Witt's manager for a time.

Stasi activities In 1970–1971, Dehm was recruited by the East German Stasi secret service, and both he and his wife Christa Desoi became unofficial collaborators (IMs). Dehm used the codename Willy. His most notable work for the Stasi came in 1976, after dissident East German songwriter Wolf Biermann was exiled while in West Germany. Dehm became Biermann's manager, and reported on Biermann's activities. In 1996, a court ruled that it was legal to refer to Dehm as a Stasi informer. He won re-election to that position twice,

From 2004 to 2010, Dehm was state chairman for Lower Saxony in the Left Party. and has advocated on behalf of businesspeople.