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It is illegal to copy and distribute copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

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by Erich Kurt Mühsam (1878 - 1934)
Translation © by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947)

Dichter und Kämpfer
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Unrühmlich ist es, jung zu sterben.
Mein Tod wär sträflicher Verrat.
Ich bin der Freiheit ein Soldat
und muß ihr neue Kämpfer werben.

Und kann ich selbst die Schlacht nicht lenken,
seh selbst nicht mehr das bunte Jahr,
so soll doch meine Bundesschar
im Siege meines Rufs gedenken.

Drum will ich Mensch sein, um zu dichten,
will wecken, die voll Sehnsucht sind,
daß ich im Grab den Frieden find
des Schlafes nach erfüllten Pflichten.

Text Authorship:

  • by Erich Kurt Mühsam (1878 - 1934), "Dichter und Kämpfer", written 1913, appears in Brennende Erde. Verse eines Kämpfers, Kurt Wolff Verlag , München, first published 1920 [author's text not yet checked 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 Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Dichter und Kämpfer", 2010 [low voice or medium voice and piano] [ sung text checked 1 time]

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

  • ENG English (Gary Bachlund) , "Poet and freedom fighter", written 2010, copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2011-12-28
Line count: 12
Word count: 74

Poet and freedom fighter
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
It is inglorious to die young.
My death was criminal betrayal.
I am a soldier for freedom
and must promote freedom's new warriors.

Yet I myself can not be drawn into that battle
not even see to the colors through the year,
yet shall my marching troops
commemorate victories in honor of my work.

For this I must be human, and be a poet,
And speak out, that which is filled with longing,
In order that I find peace in the grave,
Asleep after fulfilling my obligations.

Text Authorship:

  • by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Poet and freedom fighter", written 2010, copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Erich Kurt Mühsam (1878 - 1934), "Dichter und Kämpfer", written 1913, appears in Brennende Erde. Verse eines Kämpfers, Kurt Wolff Verlag , München, first published 1920
    • Go to the text page.

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

    [ None yet in the database ]


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2011-12-28
Line count: 12
Word count: 87

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