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Lieber Vater mein, Liebe Mutter mein, Hört ihr nicht, wie laut die Trommel ruft? Und die Grenadiere Und die Muskatiere Und die Reiter und die Kanoniere Müssen ziehn, wohin die Trommel ruft. 's kann nicht anders sein, Gebt mir eure Hand; Und wer stirbt, der stirbt fürs liebe Vaterland; Lieber Vater, gib dich drein, Liebe Mutter, stell die Klagen ein. Lieber Bruder mein, Herzensbrüderlein, Müssen folgen, wenn die Trommel ruft, Gerne Seit' an Seiten Möcht ich mit dir streiten; Doch die Feinde dräun von allen Seiten, Und wir folgen, wenn die Trommel ruft. Ich zum grünen Rhein, Du zum Weichselstrand, Und wer stirbt, der stirbt fürs liebe Vaterland; Und wer stirbt, stirbt nicht allein An der Weichsel und am grünen Rhein. Liebes Mägdelein, Herzensliebste mein, Horch, zum Abschied uns die Trommel ruft. Ach, welch bittres Leiden Bringt der Liebe Meiden; Doch uns soll der bittre Tod nicht scheiden, Wenn zum Abschied uns die Trommel ruft. Reich dein Mündelein Mir zum Unterpfand, Und wer stirbt, der stirbt fürs liebe Vaterland; Und will dich ein andrer frein, Liebes Mädchen, so gedenke mein. Liebes Vaterland, Liebes Heimatland, Wenn zum Kampf die laute Trommel ruft, Unsrer Feinde Dräuen Wollen wir nicht scheuen, Wollen Deutschlands alten Ruhm erneuen, Wenn zum Kampf die laute Trommel ruft. Und wir kehren heim, Wenn sichs umgewandt, Wenn gerettet ist das liebe Vaterland, Kehrt der Friede wieder ein An der Weichsel und am grünen Rhein.
P. Gretscher sets stanzas 1-3
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Confirmed with Rudolf Alexander Schröder, Heilig Vaterland. Kriegsgedichte, Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1914, pages 30-32.
Text Authorship:
- by Rudolf Alexander Schröder (1878 - 1962), "Soldatenabschied", written 1914, appears in Heilig Vaterland. Kriegsgedichte [author's text checked 1 time 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 Philipp Gretscher (1859 - 1937), "Soldatenabschied", published 1916, stanzas 1-3 [ voice and piano ], from 2 Kriegslieder, no. 2, Diederichs [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Soldier's farewell", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website: 2022-01-24
Line count: 48
Word count: 235
Dear father of mine, Dear mother of mine, Do you not hear how loudly the drum is calling? And the grenadiers And the muskateers And the cavalry and the gunners Must travel wherever the drum calls. It cannot be otherwise, Give me your hand; And whoever dies, dies for the dear fatherland; Dear father, resign yourself, Dear mother, leave off your laments. Dear brother of mine, Brother of my heart, We must follow when the drum calls, I would gladly fight Side by side with you; But the foes threaten from all sides, And we follow when the drum calls. I to the green Rhine, You to bank of the Vistula, And whoever dies, dies for the dear fatherland; And whoever dies, does not die alone At the Vistula or at the green Rhine. Dear maiden, My most beloved, Listen, the drum calls us to take farewell, Ah, what bitter woe When one must be parted from love; But bitter death shall not separate us, When the drum calls us to take farewell. Give me your lips As a pledge, And whoever dies, dies for the dear fatherland; And should another wish to marry you, Then, dear maiden, remember me. Dear fatherland, Dear homeland, When the loud drum calls to battle, We shall not dread The threats of our foes, We shall renew Germany's old glory, When the loud drum calls to battle. And we shall return home, When the tide has turned, When the beloved fatherland is saved, When peace returns once more To the Vistula and to the green Rhine.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2024 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 Rudolf Alexander Schröder (1878 - 1962), "Soldatenabschied", written 1914, appears in Heilig Vaterland. Kriegsgedichte
This text was added to the website: 2024-06-24
Line count: 48
Word count: 262