Lyr Req: Ich hatt' einen Kameraden

Subject: ADD: Hans Beimler
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Oct 00 - 06:06 PM

HANS BEIMLER
(Ernst Busch)

Vor Madrid im Schützengraben,
In der Stunde der Gefahr,
Mit den eisernen Brigaden,
Sein Herz voll Hass geladen,
Stand Hans, der Kommissar,
Stand Hans, der Kommissar.

Seine Heimat musst er lassen,
Weil er Freiheitskämpfer war.
Auf Spaniens blut'gen Strassen,
Für das Recht der armen Klassen
Starb Hans, der Kommissar,
Starb Hans, der Kommissar.

Eine Kugel kam geflogen
Aus der "Heimat" für ihn her. (führ ???)
Der Schuss war gut erwogen,
Der Lauf war gut gezogen- -
Ein deutsches Schiessgewehr,
Ein deutsches Schiessgewehr.

Kann dir die Hand drauf geben,
Derweil ich eben lad'
-Du bleibst in unserm Leben,
Dem Feind wird nicht vergeben,
Hans Beimler, Kamerad,
Hans Beimler, Kamerad.

In Madrid's outlying trenches,
In the hour of danger grim,
With the International Shock Brigades,
His heart with hatred all ablaze,
Stood Hans, the Commissar. (repeat)

Because he fought for freedom,
He was forced to leave his home.
Near the blood-stained Manzanares,
Where he led the fight to hold Madrid,
Died Hans, the Commissar. (repeat)

A bullet came a-flying
From his Fascist `fatherland."
The shot struck home, the aim was true,
The rifle barrel well made, too,
A German army gun. (repeat)

With heart and hand I pledge you,
While I load my gun again,
You will never be forgotten,
Nor the enemy forgiven,
Hans Beimler, Commissar. (repeat)

JRO

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ich Hatt' ein' Kamerade
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Oct 00 - 05:34 PM

Now there is synchronicity, I was only reading about this folk song the other week, it gets a mention in one of the Richard Sharpe books, by Bernard Cornwell.... that's what I call a bloke who does his research thoroughly...

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ich Hatt' ein' Kamerade
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Oct 00 - 05:09 PM

Here are the notes from the Oak Publications German Folksongs book, apparently written by editor Arthur Kevess:

One of the most popular German folksongs, written during the Napoleonic wars. Words, 1809, by Ludwig Uhland, poet, historian, and professor of German literature at the University of Tübingen in his home town. Sixteen years later, the university's music director, Friedrich Silcher, dusted off a 3/4 time folk melody, "Ein schwarzbraunes Mädchen hat ein'n Feldjäger lieb" (which he considered to be of Swiss origin), changed it to a 4/4 marching tempo, and fitted Uhland's words to it. The song, included in his Folksongs, 1827, has been a favorite ever since.

During the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), "Ich hatt einen Kameraden" was widely sung by the anti-fascist volunteers of the Thälmann Battalion. Marching to or from the front, and especially when mourning their losses, they sang this song of the "good comrade."

Singer Ernst Busch conceived the idea of giving the song greater meaning. His new lyrics for "Hans Beimler" soon replaced the original ones on the volunteers' lips. Loyalist partisans here (in the U.S.??) sang the new song both in German as well as in a semi-singable unrhymed anonymous translation.

Hans Beimler had been a deputy in the Bavarian Diet, or parliament. Sent to Dachau in 1933, he was one of the few prisoners who ever escaped from the camp. He went to Spain as a leader fo the first contingent of International Brigade volunteers who helped save Madrid in November 1936. Chief political comissar, he was killed in action in December of that year.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ich Hatt' ein' Kamerade
From: mousethief
Date: 09 Oct 00 - 04:55 PM

Es war nichts.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: ADD: Ich Hatt einen Kameraden
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Oct 00 - 04:49 PM

Ausgezeichnet, Alex! The site Alex linked to has a translation, along with a MIDI tune and WAV files, and additional versions in German and Latin. I found a verse translation in a 1968 Oak Publications book called German Folk Songs. It certainly is a powerful song.
-Joe Offer

---

Ich hatt einen Kameraden
Ballad of a Friend

I never shall forget him,
The comrade by my side,
To the deadly muskets' rattle
He marched with me to battle
With even step and stride.
With even step and stride.

A bullet came from nowhere,
It found us side by side,
I heard my comrade calling,
I saw his body falling:
A part of me had died,
Yes, a part of me had died.

The battle raged around us,
No time to clasp his hand:
"We shall march no more together,
May you rest in peace forever,
Farewell to you, good friend,
Farewell to you, my friend."

English translation and additional material by Arthur Kevess, Aaron Kramer, and Earl Robinson. ©1968 by River Bend Music, Inc.
German lyrics by Ludwig Uhland, 1809; music by Friedrich Silcher, 1825.

Subject: Lyr Add: ICH HATT' EINEN KAMERADEN
From: mousethief
Date: 09 Oct 00 - 03:15 PM

Well there is this page here: clicky which has these words:

Ich hatt' einen Kameraden,
Einen bessern findst du nit.
Die Trommel schlug zum Streite,
Er ging an meiner Seite
|: Im gleichen Schritt und Tritt. :|

Eine Kugel kam geflogen:
Gilt's mir oder gilt es dir?
Ihn hat es weggerissen,
Er liegt mir vor den Füßen
|: Als wär's ein Stück von mir :|

Will mir die Hand noch reichen,
Derweil ich eben lad'.
"Kann dir die Hand nicht geben,
Bleib du im ew'gen Leben
|: Mein guter Kamerad!" :|

Are these the words you wanted? There's another version on the same page, as well as really bad translations of both. (see blue clicky above)

versuchend immer zu helfen, wenn ich kann,
Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: Ich Hatt' ein' Kamerade
From: jofield
Date: 09 Oct 00 - 10:28 AM

This is an old German song, traditionally played at funerals (tr: "Once, I had a comerade"). I was once told that it is associated with coal miners, though the first verse, which I know already, says "the drum called us to battle, we marched side by side, step for step". (I hasten to add that the song predates the Nazi era by many years.) But, I guess given German history from 1870 on, coal miners and veterans were largely overlapping subsets.
So as not to waste anyone's time, I should say that I ALREADY KNOW that the tune was used for the Spanish Civil War Republican song "Hans Beimler", and I ALREADY KNOW all those verses. What I am looking for, if they exist, is more verses to the original song (in German).
Vielleicht gibt es jemand der mir hilfen könnte.
Thanks,
James