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Als ein Dunkel wieder lag auf Erden
Und es schien wie unabänderlich,
Daß es müsse immer dunkler werden,
Sprach ein Mann: "Die Welt verändert sich!
Seid getrost, es muß das Dunkel weichen
Und ein Licht scheint wieder dir und mir,
Wenn einander wir die Hände reichen,
Denn die Welt, die Welt verändern WIR!"
War es nicht ein Wunschbild oder oder Träumen
Und ein schöner Glaube unglaubhaft --
Um den Schutt der Zeit hinweg zu räumen,
Dazu braucht es eines Riesen Kraft.
"Wer ist dieser Riese?" -- war ein Fragen.
Sprach der Mann: "Wir alle, du und ich,
Wenn wir träumen und zu sagen wagen
Diesen Satz: Die Welt verändert sich!"
...
Darum singt ein Lied vom Anderswerden,
Macht Euch frei und werdet brüderlich!
Seht, es wird schon wieder licht auf Erden,
Und die Welt, die Welt verändert sich.
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-4,8 of the original text.
Composition:
- Set to music by Hanns Eisler (1898 - 1962), "Die Welt verändern wir", 1952, published 1956, stanzas 1-4,8 [ voice, unison chorus, and piano ], from Neue deutsche Volkslieder, no. 3, Leipzig: VEB Breitkopf & Härtel
Text Authorship:
- by Johannes Robert Becher (1891 - 1958), no title, appears in Dichtung, in Volkes Eigen, no. 2
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2020-09-04
Line count: 32
Word count: 209
When a darkness lay once more upon the earth
And it seemed inevitable
That it must get ever darker,
A man spoke: "The world shall change!
Take heart, the darkness must abate
And a light shall once more shine for you and me,
If we stretch our hands out to each other,
For the world, the world, is changed by US!"
Was it not wishful thinking or dreaming
And a lovely, unbelievable belief?
To clean up the rubble of time
Takes the strength of a giant.
It was asked, "Who is this giant?"
The man spoke: "All of us, you and me,
When we dare to dream and to speak
This sentence: The world shall change!"
...
Therefore, sing a song of change,
Free yourselves and become fraternal!
Lo, it is once more growing bright upon earth,
And the world, the world shall change.
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-4,8 of the original text.
Translation of title "Die Welt verändern wir" = "We change the world"Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 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 Johannes Robert Becher (1891 - 1958), no title, appears in Dichtung, in Volkes Eigen, no. 2
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2020-09-04
Line count: 32
Word count: 237