I have a German version that follows exactly the same storyline on a recent CD of songs coming out of the 1848 revolution in Germany. There are no notes on it, other than the ubiquitous 'Trad'. Maybe it's older than the 19th century, and maybe also Ms. Piepe did a reworking of an existing older song. Who can tell us whether the German or English language version came first? Anon (aka Bruce O.)? Please!