by
Karl von Lemcke (1831 - 1913)
Was freut einen alten Soldaten?
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE
Was freut einen alten Soldaten?
Drei Salven über sein Grab.
Die geben die Kameraden;
Die Musketen werden geladen
Senkt man den Sarg hinab.
Du Bruderherz, den wir tragen,
Du freust dich wohl zur Stund';
Daß tapfer du einst geschlagen,
Die lauten Musketen es sagen
Mit ihrem Eisenmund.
Du Bruderherz, den wir tragen,
Bestell' mir nun Quartier;
Wir haben zusammen geschlagen,
Bald werden sie mich auch tragen,
Kamerad' bald folg' ich dir.
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• J. Brahms About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Lieder und Gedichte von Carl Lemcke, Hamburg, Hoffmann und Campe, 1861, page 82.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Geleit", op. 41 (Fünf Lieder) no. 3 (1861/2?), published 1867 [ TTBB chorus ], Leipzig, Rieter-Biedermann [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Theodor Gaugler (1840 - 1892), "Geleit", op. 21 no. 3 [ men's chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Isenmann (1839 - 1889), "Was freut einen alten Soldaten!", op. 117 (Vier Männerchöre) no. 3, published 1889 [ men's chorus ], Schleusingen, Glaser [sung text not yet checked]
- by Karl Heinrich Carsten Reinecke (1824 - 1910), "Geleit", op. 97 (Fünf Lieder) no. 1 (1868) [ four-part men's chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich Wurst , "Am Veteranengrab", op. 8 no. 7, published 1876 [ men's chorus a cappella ], from Sieben Männerchöre patriotischen und kriegerischen Inhalts, no. 7, Heilbronn, (Schmidt Sort.) [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Linda Godry) , "Last respects", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Accompagnement", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2005-08-29
Line count: 15
Word count: 71
Last respects
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
What comforts has a seasoned soldier?
Three-gun salute over his grave,
Paid for by his comrades,
the muskets get loaded,
As soon as the coffin is lowered.
You brother, as we carry you,
You will be pleased now;
That bravely you fought,
the muskets' sound tells you
With their iron mouths.
You brother, as we carry you,
Find me quarters for the night;
We fought together,
soon they will carry me too,
Comrade, soon I will follow you.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2007 by Linda Godry, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2007-06-24
Line count: 15
Word count: 78