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The Rolling Stones’ first German concert proves that you don’t need hours onstage to cause a national headache. In Münster in September 1965, the band faces 5,000 excited fans, nervous authorities, four opening acts and enough parental anxiety to suggest someone has misplaced the apocalypse. The Stones play only 20 minutes, run through eight songs, skip the encore and still leave the Halle Münsterland buzzing. Satisfaction is in the set, Mick Jagger is doing his usual Mick Jagger thing, and photographers get remarkably close to the action. Meanwhile, police prepare for mayhem that, inconveniently for the headlines, largely never arrives.
September 11, 1965: Halle Münsterland, Münster, West-Germany (2 shows)
The Rolling Stones Rock Münster: September 1965 Madness
In August 1965, the youth magazine Bravo reported that the British rock band The Rolling Stones would be coming to Germany for the first time in September for a series of concerts. The opening concert was scheduled to take place on September 11th in Münster. While parents warned of riots and unrest, many young people eagerly awaited the Rolling Stones’ arrival in Germany. The first concert at the Halle Münsterland became a sensation. The huge rush for tickets led to the Rolling Stones playing in the afternoon and evening.
Short Set, Big Impact: The Rolling Stones Ignite Münster
Four opening acts musically warmed up the 5,000 concertgoers. The Rolling Stones’ performances lasted only 20 minutes each and included eight songs. The band gave no encores. Despite the musicians’ short set, their visit to the Halle Münsterland unleashed a storm of enthusiasm. Hit songs like Satisfaction and Mick Jagger’s unusual stage performance brought all concertgoers to their feet. Press photographer Willi Hänscheid and his son Wolfgang were able to move freely around the stage and photographed the Rolling Stones’ performance from close up. This resulted in many impressive portraits of the five young Brits.
Chaos Feared, Peace Delivered: Münster vs. Berlin
In addition to the atmosphere during the concert and the enthusiasm of the fans, Hänscheid also captured the nervousness of the law enforcement officers on camera. Fearing unrest, the management of the Halle Münsterland and the local police called in not only German police officers, but also Dutch and British military police, as well as German military police. However, the concert at the Halle Münsterland was largely peaceful, unlike what happened a few days later in Berlin, where the Waldbühne was completely destroyed.
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