Lyr Add: DER FELDMOHN (Red Poppy) Hans Leip

Subject: Lyr Add: DER FELDMOHN (Red Poppy) Hans Leip
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 09 Nov 02 - 04:57 PM

We all know "In Flanders Fields..." (which I couldn't find in the DT but which was posted by Little John Cameron, 14 Nov. 00, thread 27622) Flanders
New to me is "Der Feldmohn" by Hans Leip, whose "Lili Marleen" became universally known. I can get the sense of this little gem, but Wolfgang is needed to give a proper translation.

Lyr. Add: DER FELDMOHN (The Red Poppy)

Wer gingen übers Feld,
ich hab dich lieb,
da war die ganze Welt
von Blumen bunt.
Der rote Mohn,
Marie Morei,
der blühte schon
schön wie dein Mund.

Wir zogen in das Feld,
ich hab dich lieb,
da war die ganze Welt
von Blut so rot.
Der rote Mohn,
Marie Morei,
der blühte schon
schön wie der Tod.

Wir kamen aus dem Feld,
ich hab dich lieb,
da kam ich in die Welt
zu dir zurück.

Der rote Mohn,
Marie Marei,
der blühte schon
schön wie das Glück.

Marie Marei,
sag gute Nacht,
das, was dich traurig macht,
ist bald vorbei.

My poor translation:
We crossed the field
(I have loved you)
There the whole world was flowers bright,
The red poppy,
Marie Morei,
That blossomed just as lovely as your mouth.

We marched in that field,
(I have loved you)
Then the whole world
Was blood as red
As the red poppy,
Marie Morei,
Which flowered as brightly as death.

We came from the field,
(I had loved you)
I returned into the World back to you (?)

The red poppy, Marie Morei,
Which flowered as brightly as good fortune.

Marie Morei
said good night,
that, which made you sad,
Is soon forgotten.

My translation needs help! The poem was taken from Hans Leip, "Die Laterne, Lieder und Gedichte," 1942 printing.

It reminded of the children's poem "Kinderküche", in which Marie-Marei wanted to roast meat, but she had no pan, so used the school slate of her little sister Hanne; she had no butter, etc.; she had no coal but by the door was a red poppy; she took that and had coal. This poem may have been in Leip's mind when he composed "Der Feldmohn."

Lyr. Add: KINDERKÜCHE

Marie-Marei will Braten machen,
Hat kein Pfanne;
Nimmt sie sich die Schiefertafel
Von klein Schwester Hanne.
Hat sie eine Pfanne.

Marei-Marei will Braten machen,
Hat keine Butter;
Borgt sie beim Kanarienvogel
Raasch ein bischen Futter.
Hat sie Butter.

Marie-Marei will Braten machen,
Fehlt noch das Gänschen;
Nimmt sie sich die Pudelmötze
Von klein Bruder Fränzchen.
Hat sie Gänschen

Hei, mit diesen Wunderdingen,
Muß der Braten wohl gelingen;
Bitte zu Tisch!

Traditional?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: DER FELDMOHN (Red Poppy) Hans Leip
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 12:45 AM

Stray thought- Any other songs about the red poppy, especially any with reference to war?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: DER FELDMOHN (Red Poppy) Hans Leip
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 06:33 PM

Guest, your translation is fairly correct, apart from a few things:
"Ich hab dich lieb" means "I am in love with you"
"Feld" is a play on the different meanings of the word in German: in the first verse it means just that, in the second and third it is a euphemism for war: "We went to war" and "We came back from the war".
In verse two I'd prefer "Then the whole world was red with blood", and in the last line I'd use "beautifully" instead of "brightly".
In verse three the idea behind "returned" is clear, I think: "returned from the brink of death" - but this isn't spelled out.
Instead of "good fortune" I'd use "happiness" because I think it refers to the couple's happiness at being together again.
In the last verse it should be "Marie-Morei, bid me goodnight".
I can't shed any light on the connection with the traditional rhyme, though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: DER FELDMOHN (Red Poppy) Hans Leip
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 07:31 PM

Thanks, Susanne, that makes it sound better.
I took "Feld" as meaning that the field which they knew became the battleground red with blood. After it was over, the poppy was again blooming there.
At the last, the interpretation bothered me. Marie Marei, bid be goodnight, sadness will soon be forgotten- did he die in the field (his fortuna)? Then, the other stanza, returning back "to you" would not be right. (I think I am reading more into it than is there).

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: DER FELDMOHN (Red Poppy) Hans Leip
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 09:19 PM

You probably are, Guest. I'm not into poetry so I may not be the best judge, but this doesn't strike me as an outstanding poem. It's effective for expressing his joy at being returned to life and back with his beloved after the horrors of (probably) the WWI trenches, but I don't think there's more. Anyway, Hans Leip is far better known (if at all) as a novelist than as a poet in Germany, and I can't name more than the two of his books that I've actually read. I think the collection that 'Lili Marleen' came from was his only foray in that direction, but I may be wrong. If it wasn't for 'Lili Marleen' he'd probably be largely forgotten!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: DER FELDMOHN (Red Poppy) Hans Leip
From: Mr Happy
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 09:41 PM

'poor murdered men never laid down their lives,they were sent to be killed in the war' jon heslop

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: DER FELDMOHN (Red Poppy) Hans Leip
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 10:36 PM

Three other books of poetry are listed by booksellers in lists I found, Kadenzen, Heimkunft- Neue Kadenzen and Die Hafenorgel (with drawings by him). The lists show that the first and last had several printings. There are also a couple of short works illustrated with his drawings that may be poetical.
He is best known in America for his Story of the Gulf Stream; also translated and published in France and Britain. History of a City (Hamburg) was issued in a four language edition.
His novels do not seem to have made it into English, nor could I find his books of poetry in translation.

Subject: RE: Add: DER FELDMOHN (Red Poppy) Hans Leip
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 11 Nov 02 - 06:38 PM

I thought 'Lili Marleen' was from 'Hafenorgel', but I may be wrong. And I'd no idea he'd written a history of the Gulf Stream! Hamburg - yes, I think he loved the city and loved writing about it. (So do I - it's more or less where I was born and grew up.) The books I know are both about Hamburg in a way - a novel about youngsters sailing on the Elbe and growing up, and one about an associate of the legendary 15th century pirate Klaus Stoertebeker, Goedeke Michels.