Einheitsfrontlied
"Einheitsfrontlied" | |
---|---|
Song | |
Written | Bertolt Brecht |
Published | 1934 |
Composer(s) | Hanns Eisler |
The "Einheitsfrontlied" (German for "United Front Song") is one of the most famous songs of the German labour movement. It was written by Bertolt Brecht and composed by Hanns Eisler. The best-known rendition was sung by Ernst Busch.
History
After
Composition
Hanns Eisler, who would later go on to compose the
Cover versions
Ton Steine Scherben covered the song on their 1971 album Warum geht es mir so dreckig?. Hannes Wader recorded the song on his 1977 album Hannes Wader singt Arbeiterlieder .
Lyrics
German[4]
Und weil der Mensch ein Mensch ist,
drum braucht er was zum Essen, bitte sehr!
Es macht ihn kein Geschwätz nicht satt,
das schafft kein Essen her.
Refrain:
Drum links, zwei, drei!
Drum links, zwei, drei!
Wo dein Platz, Genosse, ist!
Reih dich ein in die Arbeitereinheitsfront,
weil du auch ein Arbeiter bist.
Und weil der Mensch ein Mensch ist,
drum braucht er auch noch Kleider und Schuh!
Es macht ihn kein Geschwätz nicht warm
und auch kein Trommeln dazu.
Refrain
Und weil der Mensch ein Mensch ist,
drum hat er Stiefel im Gesicht nicht gern!
Er will unter sich keinen Sklaven seh'n
und über sich keinen Herr'n.
Refrain
Und weil der Prolet ein Prolet ist,
drum wird ihn kein anderer befrei'n.
Es kann die Befreiung der Arbeiter nur
das Werk der Arbeiter sein.
Refrain
English translation
And because a person is a person,
he'll need something to eat, please!
He gets tired of prattle
for it does not give him food.
Refrain:
So left, two, three!
So left, two, three!
To where your place is, comrade!
Join up with the workers' United Front,
for you are a worker too!
And because a person is a person,
he will need clothes and shoes!
Prattle will not keep him warm,
and neither will the drums [of war].
Refrain
And because a person is a person,
he doesn't need a boot to the face!
He wants no slaves under him,
and no masters above!
Refrain
And because a prole is a prole,
no one else will free him.
The liberation of the working class can only be
the job of workers.
Refrain
Singable[5]
And just because he's a human,
a man would like a little bite to eat;
he wants no bull and a lot of talk
that gives no bread or meat.
Refrain:
So left, two, three!
So left, two, three!
To the work that we must do.
March on in the workers' United Front,
for you are a worker too!
And just because he's a human,
he doesn't like a pistol to his head.
He wants no servants under him,
and no boss over his head.
Refrain
And just because he's a worker,
no class can free him but his own.
The emancipation of the working class
is the task of the worker alone.
Refrain
Music
See also
References
- ^ Bertolt Brecht (1997), Ausgewählte Werke in 6 Bänden (in German), vol. 3, Suhrkamp, p. 472
- ^ Bertolt Brecht, Poems 1913–1956, ed. by John Willett, Ralph Manheim, and Erich Fried (London: Eyre Methuen, 1976), p. 507.
- ^ Hirschfeld, Eugene (31 July 2010). "United Front Song (Einheitsfrontlied)". Marxist Theory of Art. Blogger. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
- ^ "Lyrics: Die Einheitsfront". www.marxists.org. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
- ^ Songbook of the International Brigades, pp. 31–32
External links
- Lied der Einheitsfront (1937) on YouTube(sung by Ernst Busch in Spanish, English, French and German)
- Song of the United Front on YouTube (International Brigades translation)