Song of the Democrats | You have offered us enough of vilification

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by Johanna Kinkel (1810 - 1858)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Demokratenlied

(Sung text for setting by J. Kinkel)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

          Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
          Egorger vos fils, vos compagnes.

Genug der Schmähung habt Ihr uns geboten,
Der Lüge und des Hohnes nur zu viel!
Nicht schürten wir den Haß den blutigrothen,
Die Menschlichkeit war unsres Kampfes Ziel!
     Schaut, ob Ihr unser Recht
     Und unsre Wehr zerbrecht --
     Heran Demokratie!
Ran auf die rothe Monarchie!

 ... 

Droht nur dem freien Mann mit Kerkermauern,
Wenn tückisch Ihr die Waffen erst geraubt,
Erfüllt der Mütter Herz mit Todesschauern,
Begehrt als Geißel unsrer Kinder Haupt --
     Schaut, ob Ihr unser Recht
     Und unsre Wehr zerbrecht --
     Heran Demokratie!
Ran auf die rothe Monarchie!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,5 of the original text.

Composition:

Johanna Kinkel

Text Authorship:

by Johanna Kinkel (1810 - 1858), "Demokratenlied"

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Song of the Democrats", copyright © 2013, (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: 2007-10-04
Line count: 42
Word count: 238

Song of the Democrats

(Sung text translation for setting by J. Kinkel)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

    They come to your arms to cut
    your sons’, your companions’ throats

You have offered us enough of vilification,
Of lies and ridicule only too much!
We did not fan the flames of hate, the blood-red flames,
The goal of our battle was brotherliness!
     See if you can shatter our right
     And our defense --
     Draw near democracy!
Storm the red monarchy!

 ... 

Only threaten the free man with prison walls,
When you have first sneakily taken away his weapons,
Fill the hearts of mothers with the horrors of death,
Desire the heads of our children as hostages --
     See if you can shatter our right
     And our defense --
     Draw near democracy!
Storm the red monarchy!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,5 of the original text.

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.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Johanna Kinkel (1810 - 1858), "Demokratenlied"
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2013-08-15
Line count: 42
Word count: 268