Mania D, a German all‑girl experimental post-punk band formed in West Berlin in May 1979, emerged from the city’s underground scene with founding members Beate Bartel, Gudrun Gut, Eva‑Maria Gößling, Bettina Köster, and Karin Luner, who had studied at the Berliner Hochschule der Künste. The group’s breakthrough came with the 1980 release Live in Düsseldorf & SO36, showcasing their blend of free jazz saxophone and new wave energy. After touring New York in late 1979 and performing at venues such as Arleen Schloss’s A's, the Moabit Musik label released the album M_SESSIONS – RARE ORIGINALS on 22 October 2021, a retrospective compilation that highlighted tracks like "Zukunft", "Radiator" and "Herzschlag". Although Mania D disbanded in 1981, their influence persisted through subsequent projects by former members and the posthumous recognition of their pioneering sound in German punk and new wave history. Saxophonist and singer Bettina Köster, who later formed Malaria! with Gudrun Gut, died on 16 March 2026 at the age of 66.
