I am a soldier, I do not quake!

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by (Friedrich) Ludwig Würkert (1800 - 1876)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Ich bin Soldat, ich zittre nicht!

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Ich bin Soldat, ich zittre nicht!
Gar schön und groß ist meine Pflicht.
Und meine Pflicht und mein Gebot:
Ich will sie halten bis zum Tod. 

Ich bin Soldat, ich zittre nicht!
Es zittert nur ein feiger Wicht
Und wird verachtet früh und spat
Vom Bürger und vom Kamerad. 

Ich bin Soldat, ich zittre nicht!
Die Narbe schmückt mein Angesicht
Und dieses biet ich stark und wahr
Dem Feinde in der Schlachtgefahr.

Ich bin Soldat, ich zittre nicht!
Die Kugel nur das Leben bricht, 
Denn auch der Tod vom Feuerrohr
Trägt meinen Geist zu Gott empor.

Ich bin Soldat, ich zittre nicht!
Durch Pulverdampf zum Siegeslicht! 
Vom Siegeslicht zum Freiheitsstrahl! 
In Freiheit nur zum Todtenmahl!

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• I. Assmayer • K. Rungenhagen

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Confirmed with Penelope. Taschenbuch für das Jahr 1834 , Herausgegeben von Theodor Hell, 23. Jahrgang, Leipzig: [J.C. Hinrichsche Buchhandlung], 1834, pages 385-386.

Notes for Rungenhagen's setting:
Stanza 1: lines 3 and 4 become in the repetition: "Und seine Pflicht und sein Gebot/ Er wird sie halten bis zum Tod"
Stanza 3, lines 3 and 4 become in the repetition: "Dem Feinde bietet er es dar/ In Kampf und Schlacht, in Todsgefahr."
Stanza 4, line 4: "meinen" becomes "unsern" in the repetition.

Text Authorship:

by (Friedrich) Ludwig Würkert (1800 - 1876), "Soldat" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-10-09
Line count: 20
Word count: 125

I am a soldier, I do not quake!

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Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

I am a soldier, I do not quake!
My duty is quite beautiful and great.
And my duty and my command:
I shall fulfill them unto death.

I am a soldier, I do not quake!
Only a cowardly wretch quakes
And is scorned early and late
By the citizens and by his comrades.

I am a soldier, I do not quake!
The scar adorns my face
And this I offer strongly and truly
To the enemy in the dangers of battle.

I am a soldier, I do not quake!
The bullet only takes my life,
For death even by the fiery weapon
Carries my spirit up to God.

I am a soldier, I do not quake!
Through the fog of gunpowder to the light of victory!
From the light of victory to the beam of freedom!
In freedom only to the funeral banquet!

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Translations of titles:
"Der Soldat" = "The soldier"
"Soldat" = "Soldier"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 by Sharon Krebs, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by (Friedrich) Ludwig Würkert (1800 - 1876), "Soldat"
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This text was added to the website: 2025-10-09
Line count: 20
Word count: 155