Richard Weize: key obituary facts
Is Richard Weize dead? Yes. Richard Weize died on November 13, 2026, at age 81.
Cause of death: Richard Weize's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Richard Weize known for?
He was a German music executive.
More about Richard Weize
Richard Weize, the German writer and music executive who founded Bear Family Records, died November 13, 2026, aged 81.
Born and raised in Bad Gandersheim, he came from a family engaged in bookbinding since 1845 that also ran a book and stationery shop. His interest in popular music took hold in the 1950s, as Anglo-American 45-rpm records reached Germany; American Forces Network broadcasts, Elvis Presley and Hamburg’s Star-Club also shaped that early enthusiasm.
By 1960, he was already trading records. Weize established Bear Family Records in 1975. What began as a small grassroots operation, with Weize typing the label’s first catalogues on a typewriter, developed from a mail-order business into a record label issuing its own re-releases for audiences worldwide. The company’s growth led him to bring staff aboard. Alongside his work at the label, he operated the Richard Weize Archives and wrote books, including works on Connie Francis, Don Gibson and The Golden Years. Reporting on Weize and his work appeared in publications including the Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Die Zeit, Welt, Die Presse and Der Standard. He was awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.