Prager Handgriff was founded in the 'Ruhr Area', the biggest industrial region of Germany, at the beginning of a new decade in spring 1990. For this project, Stefan Schäer and Volker Rathmann wanted to leave their unstatisfactory experiences with traditionally punk/new-wave bands behind, so they started using samplers, synthesizers, and sequencers to bring their ideas to life. Around August 1990 the first tape, 'Rückstand aus Vormonaten' was recorded.