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Ich [habe]1 mein Roß verloren, Mein apfelgraues Roß. Es war so treu im Leben, Kein treueres [wird]2 es geben Im ganzen Zug und Troß. Und als es wollte sterben, Da blickt' es mich noch an, Als spräch's mit seinen Mienen: Kann dir nicht weiter dienen, Ade mein Reitersmann! Und als es war gestorben Da grub ich's ehrlich ein; Wol unter grünen Matten In eines [Lindenbaums]3 Schatten, Das soll sein Denkmal sein! Du sitzen die kleinen Vögel Und halten [das]4 Todtenamt. Ihr braucht nicht erst zu lesen, Wie treu mein Roß gewesen -- Sie singen's insgesamt.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text without footnotesConfirmed with Dr. Heinrich Gerstenberg (Hrsg.), Hoffmann's von Fallersleben Gesammelte Werke, 3. Bd.: Lyrische Gedichte, Berlin, 1891, page 217.
1 Lenz: "hab'"2 Lenz: "konnt'"
3 Lachner: "Lindenbaumes"; Lenz: "Lindbaums"
4 Lenz: "ihr"
Text Authorship:
- by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben (1798 - 1874), "Das treue Roß", written 1826 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Franz Wilhelm Abt (1819 - 1885), "Das treue Ross", op. 361 (Sechs vierstimmige Männgergesänge) no. 2, published 1893 [ ttbb quartet or chorus ], Offenbach: André [sung text not yet checked]
- by Otto Claudius (1795 - 1877), "Das treue Ross", op. 22 no. 6, published 1838 [ voice and piano ], from Dichtungen von Hoffmann von Fallersleben für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 6, Naumburg, Heiniz (Leipzig, Whistling) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Paul Lachner (1803 - 1890), "Das treue Ross", op. 84 (Sieben Lieder für eine Bass- oder Altstimme mit begleitung des Piano-Forte) no. 7, published 1847 [ bass or alto and piano ], Mainz, Schott [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Leopold Lenz (1803 - 1862), "Das treue Ross", op. 38 no. 9, from Der Landsknecht unter Georg von Frundsberg. Ein Zyklus von 12 Liedern und Gesängen, gedichtet von Hoffmann von Fallersleben, no. 9 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Karl Gottlieb Reissiger (1798 - 1859), "Das treue Roß", op. 110 (8 Lieder ernsten und heitern Inhalts für Bass oder Bariton) no. 3, published 1836 [ bass or baritone and piano ], Berlin, Schlesinger [sung text not yet checked]
- by Otto Tiehsen (1817 - 1849), "Ich hab' mein Ross verloren", op. 10 (8 Lieder für tiefe Stimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1842 [ low voice and piano ], Berlin, Bote und Bock [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2010-10-21
Line count: 20
Word count: 98
I have lost my horse, My apple-grey horse. He was so faithful in life, There [shall]1 never be another so faithful In the entire army camp and its followers. And when he was about to die He yet looked at me As if his face were saying: I can serve you no more, Farewell, my horseman! And when he had died I buried him honourably; Under the green meadows In the shadow of a linden tree, Which shall be his memorial! There sit the little birds And hold [his]2 requiem mass. You do not even have to read How faithful my horse was, For they are singing all about it.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text without footnotesTranslations of titles:
"Das treue Roß" = "The faithful horse"
"Das treue Ross" = "The faithful horse"
"Ich hab' mein Ross verloren" = "I have lost my horse"
2 Lenz: "their"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben (1798 - 1874), "Das treue Roß", written 1826
This text was added to the website: 2026-07-04
Line count: 20
Word count: 112