Nazi songs
Nazi songs deals with songs that were written for the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany.
Some songs which are much older than the post-World War I Nazi movement, and which were used by the Nazis, are often confused with Nazi songs; this observation applies above all to Das Lied der Deutschen, which was written in 1841. It was made the national anthem of democratic Germany in 1922, but after 1930 the Nazis commonly appended the Horst-Wessel-Lied to it. Also, the song Die Wacht am Rhein, which was made famous by a scene in the 1943 movie Casablanca, was at that time almost 100 years old.
In the modern Federal Republic of Germany, the public singing or performing of songs identified exclusively with Nazi Germany is illegal (§86a Strafgesetzbuch) and can be punished with up to 3 years of imprisonment.
Horst-Wessel-Song
The Horst-Wessel-Lied, also known as Die Fahne Hoch, was the official anthem of the NSDAP. The song was written by Horst Wessel, a Nazi activist and SA leader, who was killed by a member of the Communist Party of Germany and subsequently considered a martyr by his National Socialist comrades.[1]
The song is currently banned in Germany and Austria for public performance (the lyrics and even just the melody) but is permitted for educational purposes.
Es zittern die morschen Knochen
Es zittern die morschen Knochen "The rotten bones are trembling" by Hans Baumann was, after the Horst-Wessel-Lied, one of the most famous Nazi songs.[2] It was the official song of the Hitler Youth.
The original song's refrain (1932) was "Denn heute, da gehört uns Deutschland und morgen die ganze Welt" (for today, Germany is ours and tomorrow, the whole world). In a later version (1937) this was mitigated for the Hitler Youth to "Denn heute da hört uns Deutschland..", meaning "For today, Germany hears us...".[3] Note: the audio refrain in the reference can easily be heard to be "Denn heute ERHÖRT uns Deutschland, und morgen die ganzen Welt." The words "da hört" cannot be heard in the audio refrain.
Another variation[2] in the first stanza reads "Es zittern die morschen Knochen der Welt vor dem "roten Krieg", meaning "The rotten bones of the world are trembling for [because of] the red war".
| German lyrics[2] | Approximate translation[4] note: translation is inaccurate and does not match up line-by-line |
|---|---|
| First stanza | |
|
Es zittern die morschen Knochen, |
The rotten bones are trembling, |
| Refrain | |
|
Wir werden weiter marschieren |
We will continue to march, |
| Second stanza | |
|
Und liegt vom Kampfe in Trümmern |
And if there lies in ruins from battle |
| Third stanza | |
|
Und mögen die Alten auch schelten, |
And may the old people chide, |
| Fourth stanza | |
|
Sie wollen das Lied nicht begreifen, |
They don't want to understand the song, |
| Fourth stanza refrain | |
|
Wir werden weiter marschieren, |
We will continue to march, |
Deutschland erwache/Heil Hitler dir
Deutschland erwache "Germany Awake", also known as Heil Hitler dir "Hail Hitler to thee" was another song favoured by the Nazis:
| German lyrics[5] | Approximate translation |
|---|---|
| First stanza | |
|
Deutschland erwache aus deinem bösen Traum! |
Germany awake from your nightmare! |
| Second stanza | |
|
All diese Heuchler, wir werfen sie hinaus, |
All these hypocrites, we throw them out, |
| Third stanza | |
|
Wir sind die Kämpfer der N.S.D.A.P. |
We are the fighters of the N.S.D.A.P. |
Combat songs
The battle song of the Nazi Party was the Kampflied der Nationalsozialisten by Kleo Pleyer.
Kampflied der Nationalsozialisten (Nazi Combat Song)
Sample:
Wir sind das Heer vom Hakenkreuz,
Hebt hoch die roten Fahnen!
Der deutschen Arbeit wollen wir,
Den Weg zur Freiheit bahnen!
Rough English translation:[1]
We are the army of the swastika,
Raise high the red Flags!
For the German labour we want
to clear the path to freedom!
- ^ Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn. Liberty or Equality, Christendom Press, Front Royal, Virginia, 1993. pg 268. This is referenced to: Cf. Ehart (ed) Unter Hitlers Fahnen: grossdeutsches Liederbuch (N.p..Verlag Grossdeutschland, 1932), p. 4.
Another song by Kleo Pleyer:[1]
Wir Nationalen Sozialisten,
Wir wollen keine Reaktion
Wir hassen Juden und Marxisten
Ein Hoch der deutschen Revolution
(Refrain)
Drum Bruder auf die Barrikaden!
Der Führer ruft, so folget gleich
Die Reaktion hat ihn verraten,
Und dennoch kommt das Dritte Reich!
- ^ From G. Feder, Das Programm der NSDAP (Munich: Eher, 1936 [Nationalsozialistische Bibliothek, Heft I]), last page.
We National Socialists
Want no reaction (no Reactionaries)
We hate Jews and Marxists
Long live the German Revolution!
(refrain)
Onward, brothers, to the barricades!
The Führer calls, follow him now!
Reaction has betrayed him
But the Third Reich comes nevertheless.
Sieg Heil Viktoria
A popular marching song of the Nazi period, which was attributed to the SS (Schutzstaffel)
- Ade, mein liebes Schätzelein,
- Ade, ade, ade.
- Es muß, es muß geschieden sein,
- Ade, ade, ade.
- Es geht um Deutschlands Gloria,
- Gloria, Gloria.
- Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil Viktoria!
- Sieg Heil, Viktoria!
- Good-bye, my sweet darling,
- good-bye, good-bye, good-bye.
- It has, It has to be parted,
- good-bye, good-bye, good-bye.
- It is about Germany's Glory,
- Glory, Glory.
- Hail! Hail Victoria!
- Hail, Victoria!
- Visier und Ziel sind eingestellt,
- Ade, ade, ade.
- Auf Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt,
- Ade, ade, ade.
- Es geht um Deutschlands Gloria,
- Gloria, Gloria.
- Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil Viktoria!
- Sieg Heil, Viktoria!
- Sight and target are adjusted,
- good-bye, good-bye, good-bye.
- To Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt,
- good-bye, good-bye, good-bye.
- It is about Germany's Glory,
- Glory, Glory.
- Hail! Hail Victoria!
- Hail, Victoria!
- Wir ruhen und wir rasten nicht,
- Ade, ade, ade.
- Bis daß die Satansbrut zerbricht,
- Ade, ade, ade.
- Es geht um Deutschlands Gloria,
- Gloria, Gloria.
- Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil Viktoria!
- Sieg Heil, Viktoria!
- We don't rest or stop,
- good-bye, good-bye, good-bye.
- Until the spawn of Satan breaks,
- good-bye, good-bye, good-bye.
- It is about Germany's Glory,
- Glory, Glory.
- Hail! Hail Victoria!
- Hail, Victoria!
- Reich mir die Hand zum Scheidegruß,
- Ade, ade, ade.
- Und deinen Mund zum Abschiedskuß,
- Ade, ade, ade.
- Es geht um Deutschlands Gloria,
- Gloria, Gloria.
- Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil Viktoria!
- Sieg Heil, Viktoria!
- Give me your hand for the parting greeting,
- good-bye, good-bye, good-bye.
- And your mouth for the parting kiss,
- good-bye, good-bye, good-bye.
- It is about Germany's Glory,
- Glory, Glory.
- Hail! Hail Victoria!
- Hail, Victoria!
Other music
- Erika (Auf der Heide blüht ein kleines Blümelein)
- Erzherzog-Albrecht-Marsch
- Es war ein Edelweiss
- Königgrätzer Marsch
- Westerwaldlied (O du schöner Westerwald)
- Panzerlied
- Unter dem Doppeladler
- Wenn alle untreu werden
- Sturmlied
- Vorwärts! Vorwärts! schmettern die hellen Fanfaren
See also
References
- ↑ Modern history sourcebook
- 1 2 3 "Es zittern die morschen Knochen". ingeb.org.
- ↑ http://kollektives-gedaechtnis.de/texte/vor45/lieder.html kollektives-gedaechtnis.de Versions of "Es zittern die morschen Knochen"
- ↑ Murdoch, Brian; Fighting Songs and Warring Words: Popular Lyrics of Two World Wars, pp. 121-122, Routledge 1990 ISBN 0-415-03184-2
- ↑ Lyrics of "Deutschland erwache"
Further reading
- Frommann, Eberhard (1999). Die Lieder des NS-Zeit: Untersuchungen zur nationalsozialistischen Liedpropaganda von den Anfängen bis zum Zweiten Weltkrieg. ISBN 3-89438-177-9 (German)