From Cultural Arrogance to Respect: A Personal Reckoning
For a long time, I regarded Roberto Blanco as a curious anomaly in German popular culture. Here was a Black entertainer, born in Tunisia with Cuban roots, who had become a beloved figure especially among conservative audiences, including in Bavaria, a region known for its strong sense of tradition and cultural identity. I found it remarkable, almost paradoxical that someone representing the polished, television-friendly Schlager genre could be so warmly embraced by people who prided themselves on preserving local customs, dialects, and folk music. The Schlager world he embodied seemed far removed from Bavarian brass bands, Trachtenvereine, and deeply rooted regional traditions. And yet, he was not merely tolerated; he was cherished. In my younger years, I reacted to this phenomenon with a mix of irony and condescension. I found his music irritating, simplistic, repetitive, emotionally unambiguous. To my ears, it lacked depth. Worse, I looked down on the people who consumed it. I consid...