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Bertolt Brecht's 'Furcht und Elend des Dritten Reiches' Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2013
DIE DEUTSCHE HEERSCHAU
Als wir im fünften Jahre hörten, jener
Der von sich sagt, Gott habe ihn gesandt
Sei jetzt fertig zu seinem Krieg, geschmiedet
Sei Tank, Geschütz und Schlachtschiff, und es stünden
In seinen Hangars Flugzeuge von solcher Anzahl
Daß sie, erhebend sich auf seinen Wink
Den Himmel verdunkeln würden, da beschlossen wir
Uns umzusehn, was für ein Volk, bestehend aus was für Menschen
In welchem Zustand, mit was für Gedanken
Er unter seine Fahne rufen wird. Wir hielten Heerschau.
Dort kommen sie herunter
Ein bleicher, kunterbunter
Haufe. Und hoch voran
Ein Kreuz auf blutroten Flaggen
Das hat einen großen Haken
Für den armen Mann.
Und die, die nicht marschieren
Kriechen auf allen vieren
In seinen großen Krieg.
Man hört nicht Stöhnen noch Klagen
Man hört nicht Murren noch Fragen
Vor lauter Militärmusik.
Sie kommen mit Weibern und Kindern
Entronnen aus fünf Wintern
Sie sehen nicht fünfe mehr.
Sie schleppen die Kranken und Alten
Und lassen uns Heerschau halten
Über sein ganzes Heer.
(BFA 4:341)THE GERMAN MARCH-PAST
When He had ruled five years, and they informed us
That He who claimed to have been sent by God
Was ready for His promised war, the steelworks
Had forged tank, gun and warship, and there waited
Within His hangars aircraft in so great a number
That they, leaving the earth at His command
Would darken all the heavens, then we became determined
To see what sort of nation, formed from what sort of people
In what condition, what sort of thoughts thinking
He would be calling to His colours. We staged a march-past. […]
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