Wenn alle untreu werden
| "Wenn alle untreu werden" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| Language | German |
| Written | 1814 |
| Composer(s) | based on a French hunting song |
| Lyricist(s) | Max von Schenkendorf |
"Wenn alle untreu werden, so bleiben wir doch treu" (If all become unfaithful, we remain loyal) is the opening line of a famous patriotic German popular song written by Max von Schenkendorf in 1814. Schenkendorf dedicated the song to Friedrich Ludwig Jahn for the Holy Roman Empire.
The melody was a slightly modified form of "Pour aller à la chasse faut être matineux", a French hunting song dating from 1724.
The title also refers to a German hymn of the same name, written by the German poet Novalis in 1799. The first two lines of this hymn are the same as in Schenkendorf's song.[1]
Nazi and far-right use
[edit]Gerhard Roßbach included the song in the activities of his German Youth Movement in which "its emphasis on loyalty in adversity and faith in Germany precisely fit Roßbach's desire to unify conservative forces behind a project of political and cultural renewal."[2] During the Third Reich the song was used extensively by the Nazi SS, and became known as Treuelied (song of faithfulness). It sparked controversy in 2024, when it was sung at a funeral by members of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria.[3]
Lyrics
[edit]Wenn alle untreu werden, so bleiben wir doch treu, |
If all become unfaithful, we remain loyal |
Melody
[edit]![\header { tagline = ##f }
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\repeat volta 2 { d,8 | \time 9/8 g4 g8 g8. ([fis16]) g8 a g a | \time 6/8 b4 b8 a8. ([g16]) a8 | g4. r4 }
b16 ([c]) | d4 b8 b8. ([a16]) b8 | c a4 r4 d,8 | c'4 c8 b8. ([c16]) b8 | a4.~ a8 r8 b16 ([a]) |
\time 9/8 g4 g8 g8. ([fis16]) g8 a g a \time 6/8 | b4 b8 a8. ([g16]) a8 | g4. r4 \bar "|."
}
\addlyrics {
Wenn al -- le un -- treu wer -- den, so blei -- ben wir doch treu,
Ge -- fähr -- ten un -- srer Ju -- gend, ihr Bil -- der bess -- rer Zeit,
die uns zu Män -- ner -- tu -- gend und Lie -- bes -- tod ge -- weiht.
}
\addlyrics { dass im -- mer noch auf Er -- den für euch ein Fähn -- lein sei. }
\score { \melody \layout { } }
\score { \unfoldRepeats { \melody } \midi { \tempo 4.=72 } }](http://upload.wikimedia.org/score/6/z/6z9cf7aymzevf51vthq3fpm6ew35ex2/6z9cf7ay.png)
References
[edit]- ^ Novalis. "6. Wenn alle untreu werden". Geistliche Lieder. Retrieved 2012-03-14 – via Zeno.org.
- ^ Celia Applegate, Pamela Maxine Potter (eds), Music and German National Identity, 2002, University of Chicago Press, p. 136
- ^ "FPÖ-Kandidaten bei Begräbnis, wo SS-Treuelied gesungen wird". Der Standard (in Austrian German). 28 September 2024. Archived from the original on 2 October 2024.
- ^ Freye Stimmen frischer Jugend. Durch Adolf Ludwig Follen. Jena, 1819, p. 41 as "Erneuter Schwur, an den Jahn, vonwegen des heiligen teutschen Reiches." (Google).
Note: It is different in, for example, the following sources:- Liederbuch des deutschen Volkes. Leipzig, 1843, p. 280 as "Das alte Reich"
- Deutschlands Dichter von 1813 bis 1843. Eine Auswahl von 872 charakteristischen Gedichten aus 131 Dichtern, mit biographisch-literarischen Bemerkungen und einer einleitenden Abhandlung über die technische Bildung poetischer Formen. by Karl Gödeke. Hannover, 1844, p. 343 as "Erneuter Schwur. Junius 1814. An Friedrich Ludwig Jahn."
- Auswahl deutscher Lieder mit ein- und mehrstimmigen Weisen. 8th edition, Leipzig, 1858, pp. 55f. as "Erneuter Schwur von wegen des heiligen deutschen Reichs. – An Jahn", with notes for the melody
- Allgemeines Deutsches Kommersbuch, 55–58 (1896–1906), p. 112, used in this article
