Monika Dannemann

Monika Dannemann (24 June 1945 - 5 April 1996) was a German figure skater and painter and the last girlfriend of US rock guitarist/singer Jimi Hendrix.

Figure skating

In 1965 she participated in the German Figure Skating Championships representing the club Düsseldorfer EG. She came in 16th position.

Hendrix and his death

Dannemann was first introduced to Hendrix in January 1969 after being invited to one of his German concerts. After that meeting, a relationship blossomed. She would later claim that Hendrix had asked her to marry him (confirmed by Jimi's father, Al Hendrix) and she would have done had he not died. Dannemann is known for being the last person to have seen Jimi Hendrix alive. On the evening of September 17 Hendrix took at least one amphetamine (known as a 'black bomber') at a party where he stayed for an hour. Hendrix then asked Dannemann for a sleeping pill. On the morning of September 18, 1970, Dannemann found Hendrix in a coma at her basement flat at the "Samarkand Hotel". She called 999 for an ambulance which arrived at 11:27. Investigations later determined that Hendrix was still alive (albeit just) when emergency medical personnel arrived at the scene. Hendrix died at St. Mary Abotts hospital between 11:45 and 12:15. Hendrix took 9 Vesperax sleeping pills before his death; the recommended dose was 1/2 to 1 pill. Cause of death was barbiturate intoxication (he asphyxiated on his own vomit).

The Hendrix death case was re-examined by UK police in 1993 but they found no reasons for another inquest ("neither necessary nor desirable" they wrote to Dannemann on 7 March, 1994) after the Attorney General decided to withhold his consent.

After Hendrix

After Hendrix's death, Dannemann became romantically involved with German rock guitarist Uli Jon Roth, formerly of the Scorpions, with whom she collaborated on several songs (notably "We'll Burn the Sky") and album cover designs and artwork. Roth also wrote the foreword to Dannemann's 1995 book about her experience living and working with Hendrix, entitled The Inner World of Jimi Hendrix. The front cover featured a photo of Hendrix taken by Dannemann a day before his death.

After his death Dannemann held onto Hendrix's famous black Stratocaster (nicknamed Black Beauty by Hendrix). It was kept in its case until 1993, when it was examined by Len Jones^{[citation needed]}. The guitar was last seen in public at a guitar event on 3 December 1995 in London.

Death

In 1996 Dannemann was convicted of breaking a British High Court order not to repeat allegations that Kathy Etchingham was an "inveterate liar" for accusing her of playing a role in Hendrix's death. Etchingham asked the judge to jail Dannemann but this was turned down. Two days later Dannemann was found dead in a fume-filled Mercedes-Benz near her cottage in Seaford, East Sussex, aged 50. Her death was ruled a suicide,^[1] though Uli Jon Roth suggested that foul play may have been involved, as Dannemann had received numerous death threats following Hendrix's death.

Book

• Inner World of Jimi Hendrix (1995) ISBN 0-312-13738-9

References

1. ^ Braid, Mary (May 1, 1996). "A rock legend unto herself". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/a-rock-legend-unto-herself-1345098.html. Retrieved July 8, 2009. 

External links

• Collected press reports
• Monika Dannemann shrine, 10 pages by Uli Jon Roth
• German newspaper report

Persondata
Name	Dannemann, Monika
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	24 June 1945
Place of birth
Date of death	5 April 1996
Place of death