Anton Klopotek

Wolfgang Arnold was born in Marburg, Germany, and grew up in Herne after his parents relocated there when he was seven. He later trained as a mason and industrial clerk before entering the entertainment industry. Wolfgang Arnold first appeared on stage in the mid‑1970s as part of a cabaret troupe and released his debut single "Tagelang, Stundenlang" in 1987 under the stage name Wolfgang André, followed by recordings such as "Ohne Liebe geht es nicht" (1988) and "Du bist für mich das Optimum" (1989). In the mid‑1990s he created the Ruhr‑based character Hausmeister Anton Klopotek, whose humor and regional dialect resonated with audiences. The single "Weisse noch…?" (2005) entered the German singles chart at Number Four and earned a symbolic gold disc in December 2006 for a Ruhrgebiet song. Wolfgang Arnold continued to release tracks under the Anton Klopotek persona, including "In Wattenscheid da geht dat allet" (2005) and "Gimmi ma ’ne Bratwurst" (2004), and performed on television shows such as do it yourself on 9Live (2002‑2004). Wolfgang Arnold devoted himself exclusively to the Anton Klopotek character from 2005 onward, establishing his reputation in regional pop and comedy music.