I am a German youth

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by Matthias Claudius (1740 - 1815)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Vaterlandslied

(Sung text for setting by J. Kraus)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG FRE

Ich bin ein deutscher Jüngling
     Mein Haar ist kraus, breit meine Brust;
Mein Vater war
Ein edler Mann, ich bin es auch.

Wenn mein Aug' Unrecht siehet,
     Sträubt sich mein krauses Haar empor,
Und meine Hand
Schwellt auf und zuckt und greift ans Schwerdt.

Ich bin ein deutscher Jüngling!
     Beym süßen Namen "Vaterland"
Schlägt mir das Herz,
Und mein Gesicht wird feuerroth. --

Ich weiß ein deutsches Mädchen;
Ihr Aug ist blau, und sanft ihr Blick,
     Und gut ihr Herz,
Und blau, o Hertha, blau ihr Aug!

Wer nicht stammt vom Thuiskon,
Der blicke nach dem Mädchen nicht!
     Er blicke nicht,
Wenn er nicht vom Thuiskon stammt!

 ... 

Ich bin ein deutscher Jüngling,
Und schaue kalt und kühn umher,
     Ob einer sey,
Der nach dem Mädchen blicken will.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-5,7 of the original text.

Also see the poem by Klopstock to which this is a response.

Composition:

Joseph Martin Kraus

Text Authorship:

by Matthias Claudius (1740 - 1815), title 1: "Vaterlandslied", title 2: "Lied"

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2007-07-03
Line count: 28
Word count: 144

Song of the fatherland

(Sung text translation for setting by J. Kraus)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

I am a German youth
     My hair is curly, my chest is broad;
My father was
A noble man; I am as well.

When my eye falls upon injustice,
     My curly hair stands on end,
And my hand
Swells and twitches and snatches at my sword.

I am a German youth!
    When I hear the sweet name "Fatherland"
My heart beats higher
And my face grows fiery red.--

I know a German maiden;
Her eyes are blue, and gentle her gaze,
     And her heart is good,
And blue, oh Hertha, blue are her eyes!

And whoever is not a descendent of Tuisto,
Shall not cast his eyes upon the maiden!
     He shall not cast his eyes,
If he is not a descendent of Tuisto!

 ... 

I am a German youth,
And gaze about me coldly and courageously,
     If there be someone
Who wishes to cast his eye upon the maiden.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-5,7 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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 Matthias Claudius (1740 - 1815), title 1: "Vaterlandslied", title 2: "Lied"
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This text was added to the website: 2016-06-27
Line count: 28
Word count: 173