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In Kümmernis und Dunkelheit,
Da mußten wir sie bergen!
Nun haben wir sie doch befreit,
Befreit aus ihren Särgen!
Ha, wie das blitzt und rauscht und rollt!
Hurrah, du Schwarz, du Roth, du Gold!
Pulver ist schwarz,
Blut ist roth,
Golden flackert die Flamme!
Das ist das alte Reichspanier,
Das sind die alten Farben!
Darunter hau'n und holen wir
Uns bald wohl junge Narben!
Denn erst der Anfang ist gemacht,
Noch steht bevor die letzte Schlacht!
...
...
Das ist noch lang die Freiheit nicht,
Wenn man, statt mit Patronen,
Mit keiner andern Waffe ficht,
Als mit Petitionen!
Du lieber Gott: Petitioniert!
Parlamentiert, illuminiert!
...
Das ist noch lang die Freiheit nicht,
Sein Recht als Gnade nehmen
Von Buben, die zu Recht und Pflicht
Aus Furcht sich nur bequemen!
Auch nicht: daß, die ihr gründlich haßt
Ihr dennoch auf den Thronen laßt!
...
Die Freiheit ist die Nation,
Ist Aller gleich Gebieten!
Die Freiheit ist die Auction
Von dreißig Fürstenhüten!
Die Freiheit ist die Republik!
Und abermals: Die Republik!
...
Die Eine deutsche Republik,
Die mußt du noch erfliegen!
Mußt jeden Strick und Galgenstrick
Dreifarbig noch besiegen!
Das ist der letzte große Strauß --
Flieg' aus, du deutsch Panier, flieg' aus!
Pulver ist schwarz,
Blut ist roth,
Golden flackert die Flamme!
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1, 2 (lines 1-6), 7 (lines 1-6), 8 (lines 1-6), 9 (lines 1-6), 10 of the original text.
Composition:
- Set to music by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Schwarz-rot-gold", stanzas 1, 2 (lines 1-6), 7 (lines 1-6), 8 (lines 1-6), 9 (lines 1-6), 10 [ men's chorus a cappella ]
Text Authorship:
- by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), "Schwarz-Rot-Gold"
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Black-Red-Gold", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Noir-rouge-doré", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Dr. Gerrit den Hartogh , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2004-07-03
Line count: 108
Word count: 499
In times of trouble and darkness,
We had to hide the flag away!
But now we have freed it,
Freed it from its coffin!
Ha, how it flashes, flaps and rolls!
Hurrah, you black, you red, you gold!
Gunpowder is black,
Blood is red,
Golden flickers the flame!
That is the old banner of the realm,
Those are the old colours!
Under those we hit and surely
Soon acquire fresh scars!
For only a beginning has been made,
The last battle is still before us!
...
...
That is by far not yet freedom,
When instead of with bullets,
One fights with nothing else
But petitions!
Dear God: petitioned!
Parliamentized, enlightened!
...
That is by far not yet freedom,
To take one's right as grace
From knaves, who only grudgingly submit
To right and duty because of fear!
Freedom is also not that you allow those whom you thoroughly hate
To remain upon their thrones!
...
Freedom is the nation,
Is all people's equal right to rule!
Freedom is the auctioning off
Of thirty prince's caps!
Freedom is the republic!
And again I say: the republic!
...
The one unified German republic,
You must still attain that!
Must conquer every rope and noose
With your three colours!
That is the last great fight --
Unfurl, you German banner, unfurl!
Gunpowder is black,
Blood is red,
Golden flickers the flame!
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1, 2 (lines 1-6), 7 (lines 1-6), 8 (lines 1-6), 9 (lines 1-6), 10 of the original text.
Translator's note: For information on the meaning of the various political events depicted in this poem (particularly those in the sixth stanza), see http://www.liederlexikon.de/lieder/in_kuemmernis_und_dunkelheit/editiona.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 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 Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), "Schwarz-Rot-Gold"
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This text was added to the website: 2013-07-26
Line count: 108
Word count: 564