▁rock ▁community , ▁the ▁government ▁did , ▁to ▁a ▁certain ▁degree ▁aid ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁music . ▁This ▁included ▁the ▁allow ance ▁of ▁illegal ▁instrument ▁import ation ▁via ▁bands ▁that ▁des per ately ▁needed ▁foreign ▁equipment ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁significant ▁air time ▁given ▁to ▁female ▁artists . ▁The ▁latter ▁allowed ▁for ▁what ▁histor ians ▁consider ▁growth ▁in ▁the ▁expression ▁of ▁female ▁identity ▁and ▁sexual ity . ▁The ▁state ▁also ▁accepted ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁more ▁" under ground " ▁groups ▁with ▁a ▁decis ively ▁western - orient ed ▁sound . ▁Most ▁not ably , ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁punk ▁and ▁new ▁wave ▁bands ▁such ▁as ▁Sand ow ▁and ▁Fe eling ▁B ▁could ▁produce ▁records ▁with ▁the ▁official ▁company ▁AM IG A . ▁Several ▁East ▁German ▁rock ▁stars ▁left ▁the ▁G DR . ▁N ina ▁H agen ▁who ▁published ▁her ▁first ▁hit ▁Du ▁hast ▁den ▁Far bf il m ▁verg essen ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁em igr ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁Ver on ika ▁Fischer ▁em igr ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁ ▁Schl ager ▁Schl ager , ▁which ▁was ▁very ▁popular ▁in ▁the ▁west , ▁also ▁gained ▁a ▁fo oth old ▁early ▁on ▁in ▁East ▁Germany , ▁and ▁numerous ▁mus icians , ▁such ▁as ▁, ▁, ▁and ▁ ▁gained ▁national ▁fame . ▁Frank ▁Sch ö bel ▁was ▁very ▁successful . ▁From ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁an ▁international ▁sch l ager ▁festival ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁Rost ock