Both parents had to leave their home after the Second World War and met during their studies in Halle (Saale).

In 1983, at the age of 18, Landers became part of the East German punk band Feeling B, which was founded by singer Aljoscha Rompe and drummer Alexander Kriening.

[3] In 1993, Lindemann, Kruspe, Schneider, and bassist Oliver Riedel formed a new band called Templeprayers.

[5][2] They won the Berlin Senate Metrobeat Contest in 1994 that enabled them to have a four-track demo professionally recorded.

[7] He subsequently took his wife's surname, having already switched his middle and first name, making his full name Paul Landers.