The group was formed in Dortmund in 1986 with Robert Kampf on vocals, Klaus Pachura on bass, Thomas "Donald" König on drums, and Waldemar Sorychta and Marek Greschek on guitar.

Kampf launched Century Media Records in 1988 and Despair's History of Hate was the first album released by the label.

[1] In 1989, Andreas Henschel replaced Kampf at the microphone when the latter decided to devote himself to Century Media.

Bernemann contacted him in 2010, to announce that Bobby Schottkowski had decided to leave Sodom because of the deterioration of his relationship with Tom Angelripper.

[3][4] Robert Kampf announced a reformation of Despair which was to include Sorychta and Freiwald in November 2004.