The new Loreley | Now I know what it means

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by Siegbert Meyer (1840 - 1883)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Die neue Loreley

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Nun weiß ich, was soll es bedeuten,
Das Lied von der Loreley:
Das Märchen aus alten Zeiten --
Uns wurde es wieder neu!

Die deutscheste Jungfrau sitzet
Auf hohem, felsigen Stein,
Ihr leuchtender Harnisch blitzet,
-- So hielt sie die Wacht am Rhein!

Da kamen zum Rhein die Franzosen,
Ein kampfesmuthiger Troß,
Mit übermüthigem Tosen,
Mit Sturm- und Donnergeschoß!

Da klang die goldige Zither,
Da sang die Loreley:
Da strömten die deutschen Ritter 
Zu ihrem Schutze herbei. 

Sie scheuten keine Gefahren[,]
Der Sieg, er wurde ihr Lohn; 
Auf Loreley's goldigen Haaren 
Glänzt goldig die Kaiserkron'!

Des Rheines Wellen verschlingen 
Die übermüthig ihm nahn: 
Auch das hat mit ihrem Singen 
Die Loreley gethan!

Confirmed with Siegmey, Die neue Odyssee. Tragikomische Irrfahrt durch moderne Culturgebiete, Berlin: Denicke's Verlag, [no year], pages 37-38.

Text Authorship:

by Siegbert Meyer (1840 - 1883), "Die neue Loreley" [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 (Friedrich) Oskar Wermann (1840 - 1906), "Die neue Loreley", op. 19 (Gesänge für Soprano, Alt, Tenor und Bass), Heft 2 no. 18, published 1878 [ satb quartet ], Dresden: Plötner & Meinhold [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The new Loreley", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-06-14
Line count: 24
Word count: 110

The new Loreley

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Now I know what it means,
The song of the Loreley:
The fairy-tale from olden times --
It has once more become new for us!

The most German of maidens is sitting
Upon the high, craggy stone,
Her shining armour is sparkling,
-- Thus she kept watch by the Rhine!

Then the French came to the Rhine,
A train of battle-ready soldiers,
With boisterous raging,
With stormy and thunderous shooting!

Then the golden zither sounded,
Then sang the Loreley:
Thereupon the German knights
Streamed hither to her defense.

They dreaded no dangers,
Victory was their reward;
Upon the golden hair of the Loreley
The imperial crown shone in golden radiance!

The waves of the Rhine devour
Those who approach it overconfidently:
With her singing the Loreley
Has done that, too!

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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 Siegbert Meyer (1840 - 1883), "Die neue Loreley"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2025-06-15
Line count: 24
Word count: 128