Here is the German version (translated and sung by Hannes Wader):

Es ist an der Zeit

Weit in der Champagne im Mittsommergrün
dort, wo zwischen Grabkreuzen Mohnblumen blühn
da flüstern die Gräser und wiegen sich leicht
im Wind, der sanft über das Gräberfeld streicht
auf deinem Kreuz finde ich, toter Soldat
deinen Namen nicht, nur Ziffern und jemand hat
die Zahl neunzehnhundertundsechzehn gemalt
und du warst nicht einmal neunzehn Jahre alt

Ja, auch dich haben sie schon genauso belogen
so wie sie es mit uns heute immer noch tun
und du hast ihnen alles gegeben
deine Kraft, deine Jugend, dein Leben

Hast du, toter Soldat, mal ein Mädchen geliebt?
sicher nicht denn nur dort, wo es Frieden gibt
können Zärtlichkeit und Vertrauen gedeihn
warst Soldat, um zu sterben, nicht um jung zu sein
vielleicht dachtest du dir, ich falle schon bald
nehme mir mein Vergnügen, wie es kommt, mit Gewalt
dazu warst du entschlossen, hast dich aber dann
vor dir selber geschämt und es doch nie getan

Soldat, gingst du gläubig und gern in den Tod?
oder hast du verzweifelt, verbittert, verroht
deinen wirklichen Feind nicht erkannt bis zum Schluß?
ich hoffe, es traf dich ein sauberer Schuß
oder hat ein Geschoß dir die Glieder zerfetzt
hast du nach deiner Mutter geschrien bis zuletzt
bist du auf deinen Beinstümpfen weitergerannt
und dein Grab, birgt es mehr als ein Bein, eine Hand?

Es blieb nur das Kreuz als einzige Spur
von deinem Leben, doch hör meinen Schwur
für den Frieden zu kämpfen und wachsam zu sein
fällt die Menschheit noch einmal auf Lügen herein
dann kann es geschehn, daß bald niemand mehr Iebt,
niemand, der die Milliarden von Toten begräbt.
doch Iängst finden sich mehr und mehr Menschen bereit,
diesen Krieg zu verhindern, es ist an der Zeit

Here now is my translation of the German version (in order to keep close to the German I had to position some words at uncommon places for English sentences)

It's about time

Far out in the Champagne in the green of midsummer,
there, where the poppies bloom between crosses,
where the grass whispers and sways gently
in the wind that softly caresses the field of graves,
there I find on your cross, dead soldier,
not your name, just numbers, and someone has
painted the number 1916
you being not even nineteen then.

Chorus: Yes, they have lied to you in the same way as
They are still doing to us today
And you have given them all,
your strength, your youth, your life.

Dead soldier, have you loved a girl?
Surely not, for only in peace
Tenderness and trust can grow.
You've been soldier for to die not for to be young,
perhaps you've though by yourself, I'll get killed soon
so I take my pleasure as it comes, by force,
yes, you wanted to do that but being
ashamed of yourself you didn't do it in the end.

Soldier, did you go to death faithfully and willingly?
Or didn't you, despairing, embittered, made brutal,
recognise the real enemy 'til the end?
I hope a clean shot hit you,
or did a shell tear apart your limbs
or did you scream for your mother until the end
or did you run on on your stumps of legs,
and your grave, does it hold more than a leg or a hand?

Only the cross has remained as the sole trace
Of your life, but hear my promise
To fight for peace and be vigilant.
If humankind is once more taken in by lies
Then it can happen that nobody lives
To bury the billions of dead.
Yet more and more men are ready
To prevent this war and it's about time.

What do I think of the German version? As nearly always I prefer the original. I know that a good and close translation of that song is nearly impossible, so I don't blame Wader for not trying. All in all, it is a fine job he has done and it still is a good song in German. But there are two decisions of Wader I don't like. First, the soldier has no name in the German version and I think the song is more vivid with a name. But that's a minor detail.

The main thing I do not like is that Wader is too explicit in what we should think and do (or not do) now. He has rewritten the song with the German anti-Pershing 2 movement of the Reagan decade in mind. What could have been a timeless song is now (especially verse 4 and less so the chorus) a song for a particular protest movement of a particular period of time. I did share Wader's feelings at that time but even then I didn't like to be told explicitely what to think and to do. Bogle's song is a song that leaves the conclusions to the listener, Wader's translation doesn't. That's what I dislike most. But it still is a strong song, even in this translation and Wader has made a brilliant job in many lines in the first three verses, but not in my eyes in the last verse and the chorus.

Wolfgang