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Manches Land hab' ich gesehen,
Manches Volk hab' ich geschaut;
Uebles müsse mir geschehen,
Wollt' ich's nicht bekennen laut:
Nie hat mir gefallen
Fremder Lande Brauch;
Frei drum sag' ich's auch:
Deutscher Brauch ist über allen!
Von der Elbe bis zum Rhein,
Von dem Rhein bis Ungerland
Mag der Völker erstes sein,
Die ich in der Welt erkannt,
Kraft und reine Minne,
Treue unverzagt,
Muth, der Alles wagt,
Deutschland hält sie stets im Sinne.
Deutschland, du sollst mächtig sein
Ueber jedes Volk der Welt,
Wie dein Eichenlaub im Hain
Ueber alle Wipfel schwellt.
Mag in wildem Schwanken
Volk um Volk vergehn,
Du bleibst feste stehn,
Deutschlands Stärke wird nicht wanken!
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Gottfried Kinkel, Gedichte, Dritte vermehrte Auflage, Stuttgart und Tübingen: J.G. Cotta'scher Verlag, 1851, pages 422-423.
Authorship:
- by (Johann) Gottfried Kinkel (1815 - 1882), "Deutschland über Alles", subtitle: "(Lied des Barbarossa.)", appears in Gedichte, in Kleinigkeiten, in Aus der Liederspiel: "Friedrich in Suza", no. 8 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Arthur Claassen (1859 - 1920), "Deutschlands Stärke wird nicht wanken", op. 31 (Fünf Männerchöre) no. 1, published 1894 [ ttbb chorus ], Magdeburg: Heinrichshofen Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
- by Theodor Podbertsky (1846 - 1913), "Manches Land hab' ich gesehen", op. 99 (Zwei Männerchöre) no. 2, published 1898 [ ttbb chorus ], Leipzig: Luckhardt's Musik-Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , subtitle: "(Song of Barbarossa)", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2020-02-06
Line count: 24
Word count: 110
I have viewed many a land,
I have seen many a nation of people;
May evil befall me
If I be not willing to confess it loudly:
I have never taken pleasure in
The customs of foreign lands;
Therefore I say it freely:
German customs are above all others!
From the Elbe [river] to the Rhine,
From the Rhine to Hungary
The priority of [all] nations
That I have recognized in the world
May be strength and pure love,
Fearless faithfulness,
Courage, that dares everything;
Germany always keeps these well in mind.
Germany, you shall be a power
Over every other nation on earth,
As the leaves of the oak in the grove
Swell above all the tree-tops.
May in wild swaying
Nation upon nation perish,
You shall remain standing firmly,
Germany's strength shall not waver!
Subtitle: "(Song of Barbarossa)"
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"Deutschland über Alles" = "Germany above all else"
"Manches Land hab' ich gesehen" = "I have viewed many a land"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 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:
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by (Johann) Gottfried Kinkel (1815 - 1882), "Deutschland über Alles", subtitle: "(Lied des Barbarossa.)", appears in Gedichte, in Kleinigkeiten, in Aus der Liederspiel: "Friedrich in Suza", no. 8
This text was added to the website: 2020-02-11
Line count: 24
Word count: 136