Wir sind Deutsche und wir kämpfen1. Wir sind Deutsche und wir kämpfen
Für die Freiheit der Union.
Fest im Glauben an die Einheit,
So wie "48" schon;
Yankee-Doodle auf den Lippen,
Ist Gerechtigkeit der Lohn,
Für das Banner der Union!
Refrain:
|: Auf, für Lincoln und die Freiheit, :|
Auf, für Lincoln und die Freiheit,
Für das Banner der Union!
2. Ob mit Blenker oder Küster,
Uns'rer Fahne ist das gleich.
Wir marschieren in den Süden,
Stürzen der Tyrannen Reich.
Kommt der Feind mit großer Tücke,
Und versetzt uns einen Streich,
Uns're Fahne niemals weicht!
Refrain:
3. Kämpften wir einst gegen Fürsten,
Und feudale Tyrannei;
Stehen wir jetzt gegen Feinde,
Deren Krieg das Land entzwei'.
Den Rebellen dünken Ziele
Wie die uns'ren einerlei
Darum tönt das Feldgeschrei:
Refrain:
4. Seht die lange blaue Reihe,
Hört, die Trommeln schlagen an.
Aus der Nähe, aus der Ferne,
Tönet stolz der Hörner Klang.
Wir marschieren jetzt nach Süden,
Und es weiss ein jeder Mann:
Dass der Feind nicht siegen kann!
Refrain:
My English translation:1. We are Germans and we fight
For the freedom of the Union.
Steadfast in our trust in unity,
Same as already in 1848;
Yankee-Doodle on our lips,
Justice is our reward,
For the banner of the Union!
Refrain:
|: March on, for Lincoln and Liberty, :|
March on, for Lincoln and Liberty
For the banner of the Union!
2. Whether led by Blenker or by Küster,
For our banner it is always best.
We are marching towards the South,
Overthrow the tyrant's empire.
If the enemy approaches us
and tries a nasty trick,
Our Flag will never retreat!
Refrain:
3. Once we fought against princes,
and feudal tyranny;
Today we stand against enemies,
Whose war divides the country.
The rebels do not care
For ideals which are dear to us
And therefore our battle cry rings out:
Refrain:
4. See the long blue line,
Hear, the drums are beaten.
From near, from far,
Proudly the horn signals resound.
Now we march towards the South,
And every man knows:
The enemy will never prevail!
Refrain:
Historical background: This German language song from the U.S. Civil War, which was sung to the tune of "John Brown's Body", was the marching song of the Division Blenker. This divison mainly consisted of Germans who had to leave their country after the failure of the 1848 revolution, the so-called "Forty-Eighters". Most Forty-Eighters sided with the Union because of their objection to slavery. Ludwig Blenker (1812-1863), after whom the Division Blenker was named, was one of the military leaders of the 1848 revolution in Germany. In 1832, he enlisted in the Bavarian Legion, and he was among the 3,500 Bavarian troops who accompanied Prince Otto of Bavaria to Greece, where Otto became the first King of Greece. In 1837, he returned to his native place Worms (in Palatinate, which was part of Bavaria at that time), where he set up a winery. However, his wine business went bankrupt, and so he returned to the military. In 1848, he was one of the spokespersons of the revolution in Palatinate, and he became commander of revolutionary paramilitary forces in Rhenish Hesse and Palatinate. After the failure of the revolution, he immigrated to the United States in 1849. On the begin of the Civil War, he was commander of the reserve brigade during the First Battle of Bull Run in 21 July 1861, which prevented Washington D.C. from being captured by the Confederates. Later he was appointed Brigadier General, but exempted from service in 1862, due to mismanagement of the rations for his soldiers (it seems so he was a good speaker, but as already proven by his failed winery business, a terrible organizer
). On 31 October 1863, Ludwig Blenker died after having fallen from his horse.
Source:
http://www.musicanet.org/robokopp/Lieder/wirsinde.html
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