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Es braust ein Ruf wie Donnerhall,
Wie Schwertgeklirr und Wogenprall:
"Zum Rhein, zum Rhein, zum deutschen Rhein!
"Wer will des Stromes Hüter seyn!"
Durch Hunderttausend zuckt es schnell,
Und Aller Augen blitzen hell! wer will der Hüter seÿn?
Der deutsche Jüngling fromm und stark
Beschirmt die heil'ge Landesmark.
Auf blickt er zu des Himmels Au'n,
Wo todte Helden niederschau'n,
Und schwört mit stolzer Kampfeslust:
"Du Rhein bleibst deutsch, wie unsre Brust!"
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3 of the original text.
Note for stanza 3, line 4: in Lang's setting, in the repetition, the line returns to its original form "Du Rhein bleibst deutsch, wie meine Brust!"
Composition:
- Set to music by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Die Wacht am Rhein", 1841, stanzas 1-3 [ voice and piano ], incomplete, unpublished
Text Authorship:
- by J. Baader , "Die Wacht am Rhein", first published 1840 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Max Schneckenburger (1819 - 1849), "Die Wacht am Rhein", written 1840
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The guard at the Rhine", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2025-08-30
Line count: 24
Word count: 144
A call roars like the sound of thunder,
Like the rattling of swords and the crashing of waves:
"To the Rhine, to the Rhine, to the German Rhine!
"Who would be the guardian of the river!"
Through a hundred thousand hearts it flashes quickly,
And the eyes of all flash brightly! who would be the guardian?
The German youth, devout and strong,
Protects the holy frontier.
He gazes up toward the leas of heaven,
Where dead heroes look down,
And swears with proud pugnacity:
"Like our breast, you, the Rhine, shall remain German!"
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3 of the original text.
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.
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by J. Baader , "Die Wacht am Rhein", first published 1840 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Max Schneckenburger (1819 - 1849), "Die Wacht am Rhein", written 1840
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2025-08-30
Line count: 24
Word count: 179