The song of a German mother | My son, I had given you the boots

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by Bertolt Brecht (1898 - 1956)

Translation © by Sean Phillip Mabrey

Lied einer deutschen Mutter

(Sung text for setting by H. Eisler)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Mein Sohn, ich hab dir die Stiefel
Und dies braune Hemd geschenkt:
Hätt ich gewußt, was ich heute weiß
Hätt ich lieber mich aufgehängt. 

 ... 

Mein Sohn, und ich sah dich marschieren
Hinter dem Hitler her
Und wußte nicht, daß, wer mit ihm auszieht
Zurück kehrt er nimmermehr. 

 ... 

Sah das braune Hemd dich tragen
Habe mich nicht dagegen gestemmt. 
Denn ich wußte nicht, was ich heut weiß:
Es war dein Totenhemd.

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Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,4,6 of the original text.

Composition:

Hanns Eisler

Text Authorship:

by Bertolt Brecht (1898 - 1956), "Lied einer deutschen Mutter"

See other settings of this text.

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

ENG English (Sean Phillip Mabrey) , "The song of a German mother", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 133

The song of a German mother

(Sung text translation for setting by H. Eisler)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

My son, I had given you the boots
and the brown shirt,
yet would I had but known what I know today,
I would have rather hanged myself.

 ... 

 ...

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,4,6 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2010 by Sean Phillip Mabrey, (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 Bertolt Brecht (1898 - 1956), "Lied einer deutschen Mutter"
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This text was added to the website: 2010-04-04
Line count: 12
Word count: 81