My, but how nice to find all this interest in German folk songs! I learned a great many while studying German in the fifties and miss having people to sing them with -- especially when they harmonize so well, sometimes with the other voice (voices?) in counterpoint to the main melody line. Sung in this traditional fugal fashion, "horsch was kommt von draussen 'rein" or "wenn alle Brunlein fliessen" may still be old chestnuts, but they're far from "boring"! Of course, as an outsider, I wasn't put off by what political or other "associations" the songs might have. Songs like "Kein schoner Land" -- that it was probably sung by Hitler youth didn't sway me anymore than I was swayed by Hitler's fervent non-smoking policy. Funny, how easily THAT's forgotten. Is "association" only remembered when we want to put something down?