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Flattre Fahne, flattre, fliege So im Frieden wie im Kriege, Führe deine treue Schaar. Was geschehe, mag geschehen, Aber glorreich sollst du wehen Immerdar. Mög' um uns von Feindesklingen Sich ein Eisenwall erbau'n, Eh' wir weichen Ihren Streichen, Sollst als Leichen Du uns schau'n! Flattre Fahne, flattre, fliege Wie der Königsadler wiege Dich in Luft und Sonnengluth, Nichts die Reinheit dir verderbe, Und wenn je dich etwas färbe, Sei es Blut. Vor Despoten nicht und Sklaven Wird dem freien Manne grau'n, Eh' wir weichen Ihren Streichen, Sollst als Leichen Du uns schau'n! Flattre Fahne, flatt're, fliege Führe uns durch Kampf zum Siege, Freudig folgt dir Alles nach. Besser ist's im Grab' sich betten Als ein Leben zu erretten, Voll von Schmach. Mögen tausend Feindesschwerter Wild und grimmig nach uns hau'n, Eh' wir weichen Ihren Streichen, Sollst als Leichen Du uns schau'n!
Confirmed with Johann Nepomuk Vogl, Soldaten-Lieder mit Bildern und Singweisen, Wien: Verlag von Carl Gerold, 1849, pages 8-10.
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Nepomuk Vogl (1802 - 1866), "Fahnenlied", appears in Soldatenlieder [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 Carl Binder (1816 - 1860), "Fahnenlied", published 1849 [ ttbb chorus ], Wien: Verlag von Carl Gerold [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Song of the flag", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2021-05-03
Line count: 36
Word count: 141
Flutter, flag, flutter, fly In peace as in war, Lead your faithful regiment. Whatever shall happen, let it happen, But gloriously you shall wave Forevermore. Let the swords of the enemy Surround us like a wall of iron; Ere we retreat Before their blows, You shall see us As corpses. Flutter flag, flutter, fly[,] Like the golden eagle soar In the wind and the heat of the sun, May nothing taint your purity, And if anything ever colours you, May it be blood. Neither of despots nor of slaves Shall the free man be terrified; Ere we retreat Before their blows, You shall see us As corpses. Flutter flag, flutter, fly[,] Lead us through battle to victory, Everything follows you joyfully. It is better to be bedded in a grave Than to save a life Full of disgrace. May a thousand enemy swords Hack at us wildly and fiercely, Ere we retreat Before their blows, You shall see us As corpses.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2021 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 Johann Nepomuk Vogl (1802 - 1866), "Fahnenlied", appears in Soldatenlieder
This text was added to the website: 2021-05-03
Line count: 36
Word count: 161