Mourning for Wolfgang Heichel: The singer of the German pop group Genghis Khan died unexpectedly at the age of 75.
02/13/2026, 07:4802/13/2026, 07:48
Robin Schmidt / t-online
He celebrated numerous musical successes with his band: Now Wolfgang Heichel, the lead singer of the German pop group Genghis Khan, is dead. The musician was found lifeless in his home on January 20th. The cause of death was initially not known, but his death was unexpected, as the singer’s management announced.
Wolfgang Heichel (left) died at the age of 75.Image: www.imago-images.de
The news of his death became public on the singer’s Instagram channel. It reads, among other things: “The Khan of Genghis Khan knocked on the gates of heaven and entered. But he will live on in his music.”
With “Genghis Khan” and “Moscow” to worldwide fame
With the song “Dschinghis Khan” Heichel celebrated his international breakthrough in 1979, the year it was founded Eurovision Song Contest in Israelwhere the group finished fourth for Germany. The follow-up hit “Moscow” made the band famous worldwide.
In addition to his musical career, Heichel was active as a philanthropist and cultural mediator. The Mongolian government appointed him as an official cultural ambassador and awarded him the “Medal of Friendship” – the country’s highest honor for foreign citizens.
Heichel lived and worked abroad for years
The native German lived and worked for many years California and Australia. He was considered a global citizen who was internationally valued for his diplomatic skills and warmth.
Even after his active time with Genghis Khan, Heichel remained successful as a music producer and composer. He kept the group’s musical legacy alive until the end.
After the band ended, some members tried to build on previous successes under the same or similar name, and this sometimes led to disputes. 2023 presented music producer Ralph Siegel then introduced a completely new cast.
With Heichel, the third member of the original formation died. Steve Bender (†59), who left the band in 1981, died in 2006 Lung cancer. The dancer Louis Potgieter was only 43 years old and died in 1994 as a result of AIDS.
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