Ballade des Vergessens
Klabund [Alfred Henschke]| English Translation | |
| BALLADE DES OUBLIS Dans les airs, les vautours appellent, De nouveaux dieux avec ivresse. Rares sont ceux qui lèvent la lyre Au lieu d'une chope pleine de bière. Pour vaincre l'ennemi étranger, Il leur faut assécher les verres… Avez-vous oublié vos larmes, Oublié, oublié, oublié ? On vous a fait, l'avez-vous oublié, Aiguiser et accomplir le meurtre ? La roue de l'histoire par Dieu se laisse guider, Par le diable, elle ne se laisse pas ramener en arrière Ton fils qui dans la fosse, pleure après toi, Dans la fosse, est rongé par les vers … Mère, tu ne dois jamais, mère, Tu ne dois jamais oublier ça ! Par millions, ils sont morts au cours de cette guerre, Quelques dizaines y ont gagné. Après leur victoire diabolique, ils se sont tirés De là avec des malles entières. Au quartier général avec le vin et le mousseux Chacun a abreuvé son bien-aimé. Au front gît le gars, sale et pouilleux Oublié, oublié, oublié. Après la guerre, le meurtre a encore fleuri C'était une passion de flinguer. Dans ce triste sport, on découvrit L'Allemagne supérieure au monde entier. Chaque escroc conservant Le droit d'arroser la terre de sang. Allemagne, tu ne dois pas oublier les assassinés Et ne jamais oublier les meurtriers! (Avez-vous oublié le bon vieux temps, Le pire jamais connu dans le pays avant ? Votre dirigeant se nomme Imbécile, sa fille Douleur, Ses courtisans Lâcheté et Déshonneur. Il vous a conduits à l'effondrement Cet obsédé de grandeur. Depuis longtemps, Avec le vin, la femme et le chant, vous avez Oublié, oublié, oublié.) La nouvelle guerre arrive différente, De celle que vous avez à nouveau rêvée. Elle ne vient pas avec le fusil et l'épée Édifier la geste des héros qui vous enchante Et celui qui le ciel aura menacé, Qui aux vents aura mesuré sa témérité, Celui-là crèvera dans la seconde, Oublié, oublié, oublié. (Vous hurlez contre les dettes de paix et de guerre Dues aux autres – Vous voulez vous venger. D'où prenez-vous le culot éhonté De vous défaire de la dette et de la repentance ? Regardez votre grimace dans la glace Cette obsession de haine et de cupidité : Une âme en vous a-t-elle jamais existé ? Vous avez oublié, oublié, oublié.) À la guerre, à la guerre fraîche et jolie, il s'élance ; Ses deux tours en même temps, il avance. Il remportera une seule victoire encore : La victoire de la mort. Il est trop tard pour vous envoler De la terre avec de célestes laissez-passer. De sa bouche, Dieu vous a recrachés Dieu vous a oubliés pour l'éternité ! | THE BALLAD OF THE FORGOTTEN From the skies above, the vultures cry In their lust for carrion flesh. Filled with free beer, the ones down here, Take up that song afresh. "To Victory!, Smash the evil foe!” The tankards crash like cannon Have you the bitter tears that flow, Forgotten forgotten forgotten? Do you forget what was done to you? By Murder’s scythe mown down. The wheel of time cannot, - By God, -Or the Devil -, backwards turn. The General who lost both the war and his nerve, Still carries his braid and his baton, His defeats are in glory and splendour revered, But you have all forgotten Have you forgotten those glorious years, The worst that ever came. Your master was Madness, his daughter, Tears, His henchmen were Cowardice and Shame. Into defeat they led you on, With earnest entreaties, with mocking, Long since have you, with wine, women and song Forgotten forgotten forgotten. We have shamed both God and Fatherland, With mouths filled with venom and loathing. As we have too, with filthy hands, Changed meanings, - as lightly as clothing. No word remains now that is honest and true, Only lies that no measure can reckon, And the meaning of truth we have through-and-through, Forgotten forgotten forgotten. Millions perished in this war, That profited but a few dozen, They creep away from the hellish affair, With wallets and pockets bulging. Back at headquarters they have wine and champagne, -And their sweethearts, -far from the cannon, At the front lie the men in the filth and the rain, Forgotten forgotten forgotten. And after the war, then murder came, And shooting was but jest, And Germany showed, in this sad game, She stands above the rest. And the right was claimed by every rogue To drench the land in sorrow O Germany, the murdered never should, Nor the murderer-, be forgotten.! O, mother, you sacrificed your son, To army regulations, Arriving at the throne of God He demands your explanation. Your son, from the grave, as he did from his trench Cries for you.- Now by worms he is eaten Oh Mother, Mother let this never be Forgotten forgotten forgotten ! You came off worst in war and peace And now you want revenge Have you the bare-faced cheek to speak As if free from guilt and sins? Look at your face in the mirror here Full of envy and hatred,- rotten, That you still have a soul in there- Forgotten forgotten forgotten Once, making war was a chivalrous trade, When Frederick met Sweden in battle, With banners aloft in a splendid parade Not herded through mud like the cattle. What counted in fighting was head against head, “Man against man“ was the motto, Now the scientist opens a valve, And the heroes are forgotten. This new war will come in different forms Inconceivable and countless It comes no more with sabres and guns, Chivalrous gestures are useless It comes with poisons and gasses unseen Brewed in the devil's own kitchen. This time the war will not easily be Forgotten forgotten forgotten You drummers drum!. Let trumpets blast! No more factions now, just corpses. Berlin and Paris and Munich are gassed, Above them wheel the vultures. Whoever should offer his lance to the sky To challenge the winds of poison. Within an hour, like vermin must die Forgotten forgotten forgotten No shot was fired, yet stiff and cold, The gunners lie dead at their posts, No womenfolk stir in the dawn’s red-gold, The children lie dead in their cots. In Potsdamer Platz had been song and applause, Volunteers from Bayern and Hessen A yellow cloud comes: there are no more hurrahs They are evermore forgotten. You fight against demons that no-one can see, Bacilli have no fear of heroes. For you there will be no Niblungslied As you leave this vale of sorrows. Too late is it now to depart this life With hope of a welcome in Heaven God has spat you out of His mouth, And forgotten forgotten forgotten You stirred up the war, the jolly-old-war, And marched off to the gates side by side, There remains to you now just one victory more; That the victory of Death be denied. Ignored and abandonded were those who cried out, To beseech the return of your reason, But Christ will not, on His return, Allow that to be forgotten. klabund |
