Wolf Biermann at 90: The singer who defied East Germany

His life is a reflection of contemporary German history, which Biermann has addressed via his songs and sharp wit. Turning 90, he’s as feisty as ever. He mocks Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as "political lovers," denounces the "endless fratricidal war" over the Palestinian territories, and repeatedly invokes "Lady Liberty." It is a celebration of the freedom he once so painfully lacked in the former East Germany, and of the freedom people around the world still yearn for.

These themes run throughout Wolf Biermann 's new album "Unterm Haar nur Himmel" ("Beneath Hair, Only Sky") released to mark his 90th birthday. The album's title is a characteristically poetic phrase coined by Biermann himself. It evokes the idea that however restrictive the world may become, the human mind and spirit remain free.

Beneath the hair lies open sky: a metaphor for inner freedom, independence and imagination. Biermann remains one of Germany's most influential singer-songwriters, and at 90, he shows little sign of putting down his guitar.