Panzerlied

Das Panzerlied

English: The Tank Song
Music	Oberleutnant Kurt Wiehle
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The Panzerlied (English: "Tank Song") was a Wehrmacht military march of the Nazi era, sung primarily by the Panzerwaffe, the tank force of Nazi Germany during World War II. It is one of the best-known songs of the Wehrmacht and was popularised by the 1965 film Battle of the Bulge. It is still used today by the Chilean and Brazilian armies. The modern-day German Army has discontinued its use, due to the song's Nazi origins.

History

Panzerlied was composed in 1933 by Oberleutnant Kurt Wiehle. In 2017, the German Army was banned from publishing song books containing Panzerlied and other marching songs by the Minister of Defence Ursula von der Leyen as part of new efforts at denazification.

The song is sung by some motorized and parachute units of the Italian Army, most especially by the 185th Paratroopers Division Folgore under the title of "Sui Monti e Sui Mar". In France, the lyrics were adapted slightly to become the "Marche des Chars" used by the 501e régiment de chars de combat. The half portion of the song was used for Namibian patriotic song and unofficial anthem under South African rule, "Das Südwesterlied". In the songs of motorized and parachute units from the Brazilian Army under the title of "Canção da Tropa Blindada". A Spanish translation of the song is used by the Chilean Army as an armoured cavalry march, and by the Chilean Naval Academy as a pasacalle.

The lyrics of Panzerlied were adapted to fit a Kriegsmarine song.

Lyrics

Verse	German	Directly Translated English	Singable English
1	Ob’s stürmt oder schneit, Ob die Sonne uns lacht, Der Tag glühend heiß Oder eiskalt die Nacht, Verstaubt sind die Gesichter, Doch froh ist unser Sinn, Ja unser Sinn. Es braust unser Panzer Im Sturmwind dahin.	Whether it storms or snows, Whether the sun smiles upon us, [Whether in] The day's scorching heat, Or the ice-cold of the night, Dusty are the faces, But joyous is our purpose, Yes, our purpose. Our tanks roar there, There in the storm winds.	In blizzard or storm, Or in sun warm and bright, The day hot as hell Or bone-chilling be the night, Our faces may with dust be laid, But spirits never fade, No, never fade; Relentless, our tank Thunders out on a raid.
2	Mit donnernden Motoren, Geschwind wie der Blitz, Dem Feinde entgegen, Im Panzer geschützt. Voraus den Kameraden, Im Kampf steh'n wir allein, Steh'n wir allein, So stoßen wir tief In die feindlichen Reihn.	With thundering motors, Fast as lightning, Against the enemy, safely inside our panzers. Ahead of our comrades, In combat we stand alone, We stand alone. So we strike deep In the ranks of enemy.	With engines a-thundering, Fast as is the wind, We head for the foe, Safe, as we're in armor skinned. Our comrades still behind us roam; We'll fight the foe alone, Yes, fight alone. We stab through the line To break the foe's backbone.
3	Wenn vor uns ein feindliches Heer dann erscheint, Wird Vollgas gegeben Und ran an den Feind! Was gilt denn unser Leben Für unsres Reiches Heer? Ja Reiches Heer Für Deutschland zu sterben Ist uns höchste Ehr.	When before us an enemy Army then appears. Shalt full gas be given And run to the enemy! What then do our lives count for, For our nation's army? Yes, nation's army To die for Germany Is our highest honor.	Whene'er a foe may appear in our sights, we'll ram throttle full, And we'll humble all his might, For what use would our life be, If country served freely, Yes served freely, to die for our Country, Our honor shall be.
4	Mit Sperren und Minen Hält der Gegner uns auf, Wir lachen darüber Und fahren nicht drauf. Und droh'n vor uns Geschütze, Versteckt im gelben Sand, Im gelben Sand, Wir suchen uns Wege, Die keiner sonst fand.	With obstacles and mines the opponent holds us up, We laugh about it and upon them, don't drive. And guns before us defend, hidden in the yellow sand, yes, yellow sand. We search for our way No others have found.	With tank traps and mines, Our foe tries to impede. We laugh at his ruses; For he shall ne'er succeed. For if much threat his cannons stand, Half-cow’ring in the sand, Yes, in the sand, We can find our way, Over much safer land.
5	Und läßt uns im Stich Einst das treulose Glück, Und kehren wir nicht mehr Zur Heimat zurück, Trifft uns die Todeskugel, Ruft uns das Schicksal ab, Ja Schicksal ab, Dann wird uns der Panzer Ein ehernes Grab.	And abandoned once by treacherous luck, And to return we will no more, Back to home, Meeting us, the deathly bullet, Calling our fate away, Yes, fate away. Then become the tank for us, an iron grave.	And should at long last, Our cruel Lady Luck leave, Then we'll remain here, Leaving family to grieve, A bullet with our names on it, Shall find us and seal our fate, Yes, our fate, Our tank, our grave will be on that final date.