Vaterlandslied (Arndt)

The Vaterlandslied (Song of the Fatherland) is a patriotic poem written by Ernst Moritz Arndt in 1812. It is also known by its first lines Der Gott, der Eisen wachsen ließ, der wollte keine Knechte (The God who made iron grow, did not want slaves).

The song was written to denounce the fact that several German states fought on the side of Napoleon to the detriment of their own nation. In 1812, the armies of the Confederation of the Rhine, Austria and Prussia participated in the French invasion of Russia. Many patriots such as Baron von Stein and Ernst Moritz Arndt left Germany and got positions in the Russian state.

With the music of Albert Methfessel (1785–1869), Arndt's Vaterlandslied became very popular during the German Campaign of 1813, and remained part of the canon of patriotic songs throughout the 19th and early 20th century.

Lyrics

German English[1]

1. Der Gott, der Eisen wachsen ließ,
Der wollte keine Knechte,
Drum gab er Säbel, Schwert und Spieß
Dem Mann in seine Rechte,
Drum gab er ihm den kühnen Mut,
Den Zorn der freien Rede,
Dass er bestände bis aufs Blut,
Bis in den Tod die Fehde.

1. The god who made iron grow
Did not want slaves;
Therefore he gave saber, and spear
To man in his right hand;
Therefore he gave him bold courage,
The rage of free speech,
So that he would prevail to the last drop of blood,
Even unto death, in the struggle.

2. So wollen wir, was Gott gewollt,
Mit rechten Treuen halten,
Und nimmer um Tyrannensold
Die Menschenschädel spalten;
Doch wer für Tand und Schande ficht,
Den hauen wir in Scherben,
Der soll im deutschen Lande nicht
Mit deutschen Männern erben.

2. What God desires, we desire to maintain
With righteous loyalty,
And never to split men's skulls
For tyrant's wages;
But whoever fights for trumpery and shame,
Him we cut into bits.
He shall not inherit in the German land
With German men.

3. O Deutschland, heil'ges Vaterland!
O deutsche Lieb' und Treue!
Du hohes Land! Du schönes Land!
Wir schwören dir aufs Neue:
Dem Buben und dem Knecht die Acht,
Der speise Kräh'n und Raben!
So ziehn wir aus zur Hermannsschlacht
Und wollen Rache haben.

3. O Germany, holy fatherland!
O German love and truth!
You high land! You beautiful land!
We swear to thee anew:
To the rascal and slave, watch out!
Let him feed crows and ravens!
Thus we advance for Hermann's battle,
And want to take revenge.

4. Lasst brausen, was nur brausen kann,
In hellen lichten Flammen!
Ihr Deutsche alle, Mann für Mann,
Zum heil'gen Krieg zusammen.
Und hebt die Herzen himmelan
Und himmelan die Hände
Und rufet alle, Mann für Mann:
Die Knechtschaft hat ein Ende.

4. Let roar whatever can roar,
In bright radiant flames!
You Germans, all, every man,
To the sacred war together!
And raise your hearts toward heaven,
And toward heaven your hands,
And call, all, every man:
Slavery has an end!

5. Lasst klingen, was nur klingen kann,
Die Trommeln und die Flöten!
Wir wollen heute, Mann für Mann,
Mit Blut das Eisen röten,
Mit Feindesblut, Franzosenblut,
O süßer Tag der Rache!
Das klinget allen Deutschen gut,
Das ist die große Sache.

5. Let resound whatever can resound,
The drums and flutes!
We want today, every man,
To redden iron with blood,
With enemy blood, French blood,
O sweet day of revenge!
That sounds good to all Germans,
That is the great cause.

6. Lasst wehen, was nur wehen kann,
Standarten weh'n und Fahnen!
Wir wollen heut uns, Mann für Mann,
Zum Heldentode mahnen.
Auf! Fliege, hohes Siegspanier,
Voran den kühnen Reihen!
Wir siegen oder sterben hier
Den süßen Tod der Freien.

6. Let flutter whatever can flutter,
Banners flutter and flags!
We want today, every man,
To urge ourselves to heroic death.
Up! fly high, victory banner,
Before the bold ranks!
We conquer or die here
The sweet death of free men.

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ Feurzeig, Lisa (ed.). "Der Gott, der Eisen wachsen ließ" in Deutsche Lieder für Jung und Alt. Middleton (Wisconsin): 2002. pp. 78–90
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