by Bertolt Brecht (1898 - 1956)
Translation © by Sean Phillip Mabrey

Lied einer deutschen Mutter
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, als ich deine Hand sah
Erhoben zum Hitlergruß
Wußte ich nicht, daß dem, der ihn grüßet
Die Hand verdorren muß. 

Mein Sohn, ich hörte dich reden
Von einem Heldengeschlecht. 
Wußte nicht, ahnte nicht, sah nicht:
Du warst ihr Folterknecht. 

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

Mein Sohn, du sagtest mir, Deutschland
Wird nicht mehr zu kennen sein. 
Wußte nicht, es würd werden
Zu Asche und blutigem Stein. 

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

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   H. Eisler 

H. Eisler sets stanzas 1, 4, 6

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Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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
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.










My son, and I saw you march
here behind Hitler,
and did not know that those who left with him
never come back again.






I saw you carry a brown shirt,
I hadn't braced myself on the other hand.
For I did not know what I know today:
it was your funeral shroud.

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.
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Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2010-04-04
Line count: 12
Word count: 81