David Hasselhoff is still a huge star in Germany, 30 years after the Berlin Wall fell

David Hasselhoff's 1989 New Years Eve on the Brandenburg Gate after the fall of the Berlin Wall his changed life. Now, he's back 30 years later. Read more: wapo.st/2qZNUhS. Subscribe to The Washington Post on KZbin: wapo.st/2QOdcqK
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[@MarkusBmarkusonwheels]

Met him a couple of times, honestly a very nice guy, and in quite some points underrated. Shame so much hate is thrown at ANYONE to be honest. No matter if a celebrity or not.

[@RocStarr913]

It just shows how cynical and jaded people are, especially here in America, and I’m an American myself saying this. Some parts of the world just have a refreshingly different, humble, and more optimistic breed of people.

[@ractsninjas]

People make fun of David, but once you get over the cheese, you realize this dude was a monster in the 80s and 90s. He was HUGE! He had two shows that people will NEVER forget and then the Germany music. Most people don't have this type success.

[@maltimoto]

I remember when I was 10, many of my schoolmates went to the David Hasselhoff concert here in Hamburg. Nearly everyone was a fan at that time and everyone watched Knight Rider. He was a real star here in Germany and people still remeber and love him!

[@RocStarr913]

That’s a real gift. When Hasselhoff first tried to launch a music career in America back in the mid-1980’s, it was all but ignored here, yet enough of Germany and Austria particularly embraced his music from the start.

[@darrellrobinson9354]

Germans like Hasselhoff, but for many there’s an element of camp and irony.

[@pa3997]

And postive nostalgia, I mean he is a bit connected with the Fall of the Berlin Wall

[@RocStarr913]

But that’s part of Hasselhoff’s charm as an entertainer. He’s definitely a talented singer, otherwise the music career wouldn’t have lasted as long as it did.

[@Jenny-kt2gf]

Because he is funny and conveys a positive life. I loved him when I was a child and I still like him as a human and entertainer even if you can not take everything seriously.

[@ShawnVanden]

I attended UMBC with his Niece in Baltimore, she was nice, said he was a genuine guy. Always liked the "Hoff" because of what kind of person he is, regardless of any roles/songs he performed. That's the true measure of another human, their humanity & character !

[@redacted2275]

"Which once again proves my theory: Germans love David Hasselhoff!" - Norm MacDonald

[@norben1162]

No not really just the east germans who are born before the eighties.

[@charlesgreen8703]

“Or so the Germans would have us believe”... and the one German that doesn’t?...you guessed it...Frank Frank Stallone!”

[@aracelymoran2504]

@@norben1162 Shows how LAME the West Germans really are

[@Loknath009]

@@norben1162I was born after the 80‘s and I love him, so your point? Stop generalising.

[@rockefellersilva]

The Beatles were big in Germany even before they got famous in Britain. Germans know better.

[@janreuter7984]

That's not true. They were known in Hamburg from 1960 on. But the rest of Germany had no clue about them until 63/64, when they became famous world wide.

[@EnglishOrthodox]

Fun fact, Heino sold more records in Germany than the Beatles.

[@SamuelOliveira-ji2st]

Legendary Hoff! Made history and for many like me, dreams come true. A real emotional and natural man!

[@erichardzz]

You gotta respect him when he says that the chance to perform is a "gift." So many performers and actors lose sight of that.

[@Finland1965]

David Hasselhoff..and Scorpions..together..that was ...Berlin Wall

[@jayinghoy-zi8sm]

"which once again proves my theory, Scorpions loves David Hasslehoff"

[@AndyBudges]

Living legend

[@Justmyopinionlol]

his main appeal in Germany is that he´s ethnic German. It´s like Pacino going back to Italy always a big crowd. I am not even famous but when I go back to Kenya people treat me like a celebrity. America appeals to a lot of people around the world because America has always been an imagined symbol of culture and freedom. Many Germans in Germany try to speak English with an American accent.

[@venkmanny4100]

No, that’s actually not the case. We Germans love Knight Rider and that moment at the wall became a part of our history, we see it every year at october 3rd in tv or social media. I didn’t even know his ethnic is German till now😅✌🏻

[@RocStarr913]

@@venkmanny4100 Knight Rider was a television programme that translated to lots of countries and the same could be said for David Hasselhoff’s personality that he brought to the Michael Knight character.

[@LebenUSA]

As a German, I find this quite amusing. The portrayal of Hasselhoff as an iconic figure in Germany is actually a complete U.S. myth. Germans remember him from his roles in Knight Rider and Baywatch. The nickname 'The Hoff' is not commonly used, nor was he more popular for anything other than those shows.

[@gigicassel1804]

I loved Knight Rider as a kid and I am very very proud of being a german-american and my family is very proud of its German heritage

[@michaelknight2721]

David is awesome.He really cares for people.

[@VintageCR]

He gets hate, gets love, because people are emotional. if he can turn hate into neutral or even love then surely he means something to the people. If he sang a song about freedom and majority of Germany think its about bringing down that wall then i think you should let them enjoy the moment.. there is nothing wrong with it.

[@RocStarr913]

He was considered a likable personality to Germans and German-speaking people, particularly the Austrians, even before the fall of the Berlin Wall. That’s a real gift and he definitely was a good enough singer to boot.

[@catyhell724]

Well when we germans love soemthing we supporting it with constant loyalty ^^ thats why we have many artists still with 60 selling out concert halls 😁 and we proud of them. Fans go with you to your life but also respect you as artists and privat person ^^ and he is some kind of cult figure 😆 the hoff nightrider advertised was so funny

[@brianplum1825]

It confuses Americans when their celebrities with so-so talent become superstars in Europe. Two prime examples are Hasselhoff in Germany and Jerry Lewis in France. They became jokes on comedy shows when Americans want to laugh at questionable European tastes.

[@catyhell724]

@@brianplum1825 xd let say we also think this about some american celebrities 😂

[@RocStarr913]

It’s part of what makes Germany and the people there so special to me as an American. They take a different view of music entertainers than we do. Here, we tend to either mythologize celebrities and use them as divisive political symbols and avatars or we do what the Brits tend to do when we build them up for the sake of knocking them down. No offence to any Brits out there. I like their country and people very much as well.

[@jefm3598]

This is very wholesome

[@RocStarr913]

It’s frankly what is missing from American culture. Americans have become too jaded and cynical, and I’m an American myself saying this.

[@wilsonblauheuer6544]

Don't hassle the hoff

[@veraluciasilva8676]

David hasselhoff você é muito especial pra mim ❤

[@Guesswhokk]

1989 in Germany = Fall of Berlin Wall 1989 in China = Rise of of Tiananmen Square

[@roolio227]

Maybe David should have gone to China at that point , he would still be a chinese icon today !

[@erniehudson1]

Ich bin ein Hoff

[@olijadu]

funny when people get older, they begin to sound like where their roots are.

[@norben1162]

Errr... no? Just the east germans who are born before the 80-ties and when its the 3rd of october and 9th of november but in other times and generations.. a little bit but not really.

[@gehrkemike]

Who? The Hoff? Sorry guys here is no hype about him. 😂 We know he is a singer but my generation knows and loves him as Michael Knight from Night Rider with the famous K.I.T.T. And Bay Watch but this is because his coworker 😉

[@gabrielasimionescu9249]

Y love you!!! Kiss!!!

[@SpXPtwn]

Huh.... he kiiiiinda sounds like he's a little drunk.. 🤔

[@rowredround7206]

He goes back all the time, who gives a crap

[@RocStarr913]

It’s fascinating to us as Americans because his music was never successful here and he was never really associated with music here and there’s a campiness and kitschiness to his image that extended to his music as well.

[@derwolf9670]

No, he isn't. German here

[@catyhell724]

Oh come in he is kind of cult figure 😆

[@erniehudson1]

Liar, liar - your pants are on fire!

[@SpXPtwn]

Heheh, you folks are a trip

[@RocStarr913]

Probably not like he was back in the early 1990’s, but he did create quite a bit of a sensation in German-speaking Europe for a few years. Even before “Looking For Freedom”, he was a cult favorite musically in Germany and particularly in Austria.

[@xxMilakasiaxx]

he is, just not for the young germans anymore