C.D. Warner, et al., comp.
The Library of the World’s Best Literature. An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.
Patriotic Song
By Ernst Moritz Arndt (1769–1860)
G
That man should be a slave:
Therefore the sabre, sword, and spear
In his right hand He gave.
Therefore He gave him fiery mood,
Fierce speech, and free-born breath,
That he might fearlessly the feud
Maintain through life and death.
With honest truth, maintain,
And ne’er a fellow-creature slay,
A tyrant’s pay to gain!
But he shall fall by stroke of brand
Who fights for sin and shame,
And not inherit German land
With men of German name.
O German love, so true!
Thou sacred land, thou beauteous land,
We swear to thee anew!
Outlawed, each knave and coward shall
The crow and raven feed;
But we will to the battle all—
Revenge shall be our meed.
To bright and flaming life!
Now all ye Germans, man for man,
Forth to the holy strife!
Your hands lift upward to the sky—
Your heart shall upward soar—
And man for man, let each one cry,
Our slavery is o’er!
Trumpet and fife and drum,
This day our sabres, man for man,
To stain with blood we come;
With hangman’s and with Frenchmen’s blood,
O glorious day of ire,
That to all Germans soundeth good—
Day of our great desire!
Standard and banner wave!
Here will we purpose, man for man,
To grace a hero’s grave.
Advance, ye brave ranks, hardily—
Your banners wave on high;
We’ll gain us freedom’s victory,
Or freedom’s death we’ll die!