Works of fury and force: Udo's dickheads
14 December 2025The Udoverse is on display at the LUDWIGGALERIE until January 18th. A special auction also concludes on that day. A high-quality art print signed by Udo can be auctioned off to benefit Friedensdorf International. Udo brought the work, dating from 2000, with him to the exhibition opening and donated it to Friedensdorf for auction. The artwork is titled... Against right-wing violence – Dickheads I This is not unknown to connoisseurs of Udo's art: it is a powerful statement against right-wing violence.
Rock against right-wing violence
Besides the often witty, colorful, and cheerful characters that spring from Udo's canvases, a gray, somber group is also part of his work. These are the so-called "Pimmelköppe" – sluggish, dull figures with shaved heads, coarse features, and uniform physiognomy. In 2001, Udo released the single Dickhead! In the song, he confronts skinheads and the police and judiciary's inaction in the face of right-wing extremist violence. Udo, along with other artists, initiates concerts under the motto "Rock Against Right-Wing Violence," goes on tour, and, almost as an aside, designs promotional images for the event. The resulting artwork stands out sharply from the rest of his oeuvre. The backgrounds are gray, black, red, and brown, reflecting the bloody ideology and right-wing politics of those depicted. The choice of materials also connects to the subject matter. Udo uses blood and street grime. This not only creates a dirty, violence-inspired atmosphere but also metaphorically represents the blood and soil ideology of the National Socialists. The thickly applied colors create a three-dimensionality that makes the powerful message practically leap off the page. The exact subjects of the various images differ, but they all depict neo-Nazis whose attitude is recognizable by their appearance and poses. Armed with baseball bats and wearing combat boots, they express their blunt violence. Although the background appears menacing and dark, the figures themselves convey a rather pathetic impression. Downturned mouths, empty eyes, slumped posture: Udo skillfully writes his own dissatisfaction and ignorance onto their faces.
Exhibition view "Pimmelköppe" in the Great Castle © LUDWIGGALERIE Schloss Oberhausen
The human family: room for everyone
In contrast, a year later Udo put his dream of a humanity living together in harmony and peace on paper. Human family I It's reminiscent of a Where's Waldo? picture. People of all stripes mill about, embracing, smiling, and celebrating. A stark contrast to the monotony of the penis-headed characters: diversity instead of conformity, color instead of gray, joy instead of gloom. The image features several of Udo's alter egos, recognizable, as always, by their signature hats. Udo clearly feels at home in such a world. With his penis-headed characters, Udo evokes dark times and warns against a resurgence of right-wing extremism. With his human family, he presents a vision of how things can be done better.
Udo Lindenberg, Human Family I, 2001 © Udo Lindenberg Archive
A foundation for the Peace Village
Friedensdorf International supports various projects providing medical care for children from war zones and crisis areas. The organization is also committed to education and aims to contribute to global peace. The proceeds from the auction of the "Pimmelköppe" (Dickheads) image will benefit this goal. The artwork is an art print, the original of which can be seen at the LUDWIGGALERIE. The "Pimmelköppe" are depicted in their typical style. They stand in a row, one behind the other, their similarity in appearance and behavior merging them into a mass that obscures the individual. The background is divided into black and white. The Nazis emerge from the blackness of the past and march into the present, giving the Hitler salute. The baseball bats connect the two sides and make it clear: right-wing extremism is far from being overcome. Only Udo's handwritten message with hearts and a kiss mark on the lighter side of the image breaks the message and stands in contrast to the dark theme. The image is intended not only as a warning, but also as a call to action not to ignore extremist forces. The auction ends on January 18, 2026 at 18 PM – so hurry and participate and help make the idiots fade away with your contribution to a better world!
Art print with dedication: Udo Lindenberg, Against Right-Wing Violence – Dickheads I, 2000 © Udo Lindenberg Archive
Lena Elster
General