Apparatschik is a Berlin-based band that has been active since it was formed in 1989 by Olaf Opitz, known as Oljeg Matrosow. The group began performing at private events and on the streets after Matrosow moved to West-Berlin from the DDR in 1986. Their debut album Die Herren vom Apparat was released in 1991.
Throughout their career, Apparatschik released several albums including Apparatschik (1994), Aurora (2004), Live in Berlin (2015), and Kurs Ost-West (2019). Their music blends a mix of instruments including electric guitar, balalaika, violin, accordion, drums, and organ, and their repertoire ranges from fast polka and ska numbers to sing-along drinking songs and lyrical ballads, with predominantly Russian lyrics. The band collaborated on notable projects, such as the modern production of Georg Friedrich Händel's opera Orest at the Komische Oper Berlin in 2006.
