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Peat Bog Soldiers

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Memorial at the place of the entry to the former concentration camp "Börgermoor", where the song originated. The stone shows the first verse in German.

"Peat Bog Soldiers" (German: Die Moorsoldaten) is one of Europe's best-known protest songs. It exists in countless European languages and became a Republican anthem during the Spanish Civil War.[1] It was a symbol of resistance during the Second World War and is popular with the Peace movement today. It was written, composed and first performed by prisoners in 1933 in a Nazi concentration camp.

Background

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This song was written by prisoners in Nazi moorland labour camps in Lower Saxony, Germany. The Emslandlager[2] ("Emsland camps") – as they were known – were for political opponents of the Third Reich, located outside of Börgermoor, now part of the commune Surwold, not far from Papenburg. A memorial of these camps, the Dokumentations- und Informationszentrum (DIZ) Emslandlager, is located at Papenburg.

In 1933, one camp, KZ Börgermoor [de], held about 1,000 Socialist and Communist internees. They were banned from singing existing political songs so they wrote and composed their own. The words were written by Johann Esser [de] (a miner) and Wolfgang Langhoff (an actor); the music was composed by Rudi Goguel [de] and was later adapted by Hanns Eisler and Ernst Busch. When creating it for Busch, Eisler made several changes to the rhythm, including condensing the meter into two-four time.[3]

It was first performed at a Zircus Konzentrani ("concentration camp circus", a word play on circus Sarrasani) on 28 August 1933 at Börgermoor camp. Here is Rudi Goguel's description of it:

The sixteen singers, mostly members of the Solinger workers choir, marched in holding spades over the shoulders of their green police uniforms (our prison uniforms at the time). I led the march, in blue overalls, with the handle of a broken spade for a conductor's baton. We sang and by the end of the second verse nearly all of the thousands of prisoners present gave voice to the chorus. With each verse, the chorus became more powerful and, by the end, the SS – who had turned up with their officers – were also singing, apparently because they too thought themselves "peat bog soldiers". When they got to [the last line], ... "No more the peat bog soldiers / Will march with our spades to the moor.", the sixteen singers rammed their spades into the ground and marched out of the arena; leaving behind their spades which now had, sticking out of the peat bog, become crosses.

The song has a slow simple melody, reflecting a soldier's march, and is deliberately repetitive, echoing and telling of the daily grind of hard labour in harsh conditions. It was popular with German refugees in London in the 1930s and was used as a marching song by the German volunteers of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. It was soon picked up by other nationalities and it appears in almost all the collected anthologies of Spanish Civil War songs.

Lyrics

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Words and music

Langhoff and Esser's original song runs to six verses, plus refrains (see below). For performance – and, therefore, for most translation – shorter lyrics are used. These omit verses two, three and four of the original.

Wohin auch das Auge blicket,
Moor und Heide nur ringsum.
Vogelsang uns nicht erquicket,
Eichen stehen kahl und krumm.
—Refrain:
—𝄆 Wir sind die Moorsoldaten
—und ziehen mit dem Spaten ins Moor. 𝄇

Hier in dieser öden Heide
ist das Lager aufgebaut,
wo wir fern von jeder Freude
hinter Stacheldraht verstaut.
—Refrain

Morgens ziehen die Kolonnen
in das Moor zur Arbeit hin.
Graben bei dem Brand der Sonne,
doch zur Heimat steht der Sinn.
—Refrain

Heimwärts, heimwärts jeder sehnet,
zu den Eltern, Weib und Kind.
Manche Brust ein Seufzer dehnet,
weil wir hier gefangen sind.
—Refrain

Auf und nieder geh'n die Posten,
keiner, keiner kann hindurch.
Flucht wird nur das Leben kosten,
vierfach ist umzäunt die Burg.
—Refrain

Doch für uns gibt es kein Klagen,
ewig kann's nicht Winter sein,
einmal werden froh wir sagen:
Heimat du bist wieder mein.
—Final refrain:
—𝄆 Dann zieh'n die Moorsoldaten
—nicht mehr mit dem Spaten ins Moor. 𝄇

Far and wide as the eye can wander,
Heath and bog are everywhere.
Not a bird sings out to cheer us,
oaks are standing gaunt and bare.
—Chorus:
—𝄆 We are the peat bog soldiers,
—Marching with our spades to the moor. 𝄇

Here in this desolate moorland
the camp is built,
Where we live without any joy
behind barbed wire.
—Chorus

In the morning, the columns march
towards the moor to work,
digging under the searing sun,
but home is on their mind.
—Chorus

Homewards, homewards everybody longs
for parents, wife and child.
Some chests heave with a sigh,
because we are imprisoned here.
—Chorus

Up and down the guards are pacing,
no one, no one can get through.
Flight would mean a sure death, facing
guns and barbed wire greet our view.
—Chorus

But for us there is no complaining,
winter will in time be passed.
One day we will cry rejoicing:
Homeland, dear, you're mine at last!
—Final chorus:
—𝄆 Then will the peat bog soldiers
march no more with their spades to the bog 𝄇.[4]

Music

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Original

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\header { tagline = ##f % title = "Die Moorsoldaten" composer = "Rudi Goguel" poet = "Johann Esser, Wolfgang Langhoff" } \layout { indent = 0 \context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" } } global = { \key b \minor \numericTimeSignature \time 4/4 } soprano = \relative c'' { \global \autoBeamOff \set Staff.midiPanPosition = -1 \set midiInstrument = "soprano sax" b4 b b d8 [cis] | b4 fis b b | cis4. cis8 cis4 e | d cis b2 | d4 d d fis8 [e] | d4 a d d | fis d e cis | d cis b r8 \repeat volta 2 { a | fis'4. fis8 fis4 d | e2 e8 r a,4 | d4. d8 d4 b | cis2 cis8 r fis,4 | b2. s8 } } alto = \relative c' { \global \set Staff.midiPanPosition = -0.5 \set midiInstrument = "alto sax" fis4 fis fis fis | fis8 [e] fis4 fis fis | fis4. fis8 fis4 ais | b ais b2 | a4 a a a | a8 [g] a4 a a | d b cis ais | b ais b r8 \repeat volta 2 { a! | d4. d8 d4 d | cis2 cis8 r a4 | b4. b8 b4 b | fis2 fis8 r8 fis4 | d2. s8 } } tenor = \relative c { \global \set Staff.midiPanPosition = 0.5 \set midiInstrument = "tenor sax" d4 d d fis8 [e] | d [cis] d4 d d | e4. e8 e4 e | fis fis fis2 | fis4 fis fis a8 [g] | fis [e] fis4 fis fis | a fis fis fis | fis fis d r8 \repeat volta 2 { a | a'4 a a a | a2 a8 r a4 | fis fis fis fis | fis2 fis8 r fis4 | b2. s8 } } bass = \relative c { \global \set Staff.midiPanPosition = 0.5 \set midiInstrument = "baritone sax" b4 b b b | b b b b | ais4. ais8 ais4 ais | b cis b2 | d4 d d d | d d d d | d d cis cis | b cis b r8 \repeat volta 2 { a | d4 d d d | cis2 cis8 r a4 | b b b b | ais2 ais8 r8 fis4 | d2. s8 } } verse = \new Lyrics = "verseD" \lyricsto "soprano" { Wo -- hin auch das Au -- ge bli -- cket Moor und Hei -- de nur rings -- um. Vo -- gel -- sang uns nicht er -- qui -- cket, Ei -- chen ste -- hen kahl und krumm. << { \set stanza = "1.–5." Wir sind die Moor -- sol -- da -- ten und zie -- hen mit dem Spa -- ten ins Moor. } \new Lyrics \with { alignBelowContext = "verseD" } { \set associatedVoice = "soprano" \set stanza = "6." Dann ziehn die Moor -- sol -- da -- ten nicht mehr "" mit den Spa -- ten ins Moor. } >> } verseE = \new Lyrics = "verseE" \lyricsto "soprano" { Far and wide as~the eye can wan -- der, heath and bog are eve -- ry -- where. Not a bird sings out to cheer us, oaks are stand -- ing gaunt and bare. << { \set stanza = "1.–5." We are the peat bog sol -- diers, "" march -- ing with our spades "" to~the moor. } \new Lyrics \with { alignBelowContext = "verseE" } { \set associatedVoice = "soprano" \set stanza = "6." And no more will peat sol -- diers "" march -- ing with our spades "" to~the moor. } >> } \score { \new ChoirStaff << \new Staff \with { \consists "Merge_rests_engraver" } << \new Voice = "soprano" { \voiceOne \soprano } \new Voice = "alto" { \voiceTwo \alto } >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" \verse \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" \verseE \new Staff \with { \consists "Merge_rests_engraver" } << \clef bass \new Voice = "tenor" { \voiceOne \tenor } \new Voice = "bass" { \voiceTwo \bass } >> >> \layout { } } \score { \unfoldRepeats { << \soprano \\ \alto \\ \tenor \\ \bass >> } \midi { \tempo 4=102 \context { \Score midiChannelMapping = #'instrument } \context { \Staff \remove "Staff_performer" } \context { \Voice \consists "Staff_performer" } } }

Source[5][6]

Eisler arrangement

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\header { tagline = ##f % title = "Die Moorsoldaten" composer = "Rudi Goguel; arr. Hanns Eisler" poet = "Johann Esser, Wolfgang Langhoff" } \layout { indent = 0 \context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" } } global = { \key e \minor \time 2/4 } kords = \chordmode { \global \set midiInstrument = #"acoustic guitar (nylon)" \set chordChanges = ##t e,4:m\pp b,:7 | e,:m b,:7 | e,:m b,:7 | e,:m e,:min7 | a,:m a,:m6 | e,2:m | a,4:m6 b,:7| e,2:m | g,~ | g,4 d,:7 | g,2 | g,2 | a,:m6 | e,4:m ais,:dim | b,:7sus4 b,:7 | e,2:m~ | e,4:m \repeat volta 2 { d,:7 | g,2 | g, | d, | dis,:dim | e,:m | e,:m | a,:m6 | b,4.:7sus4 b,8:7 | e,2:m~ | e,4:m } } singer = \relative c' { \global \autoBeamOff \set midiInstrument = "soprano sax" e4 b | e g8 [fis] | e4 b | e e | a4 fis | g e | fis b, | e2 | g4 g | g b8 [a] | g4 d | g g | a fis | g e | fis b, | e2~ | e4 \repeat volta 2 { d | <b' d,>4. <b d,>8 | <b d,>4. <g d>8 | <a d,>2| <a d,>4 <a d,>4 | <g e>4. <g e>8 | <g e>4. e8 | <fis b,>2 | <fis b,>4. b,8 | e2~ | e4 } } verse = \new Lyrics = "verseD" \lyricsto "singer" { Wo -- hin auch das Au -- ge bli -- cket Moor und Hei -- de nur rings -- um. Vo -- gel -- sang uns nicht er -- qui -- cket, Ei -- chen ste -- hen kahl und krumm. << { \set stanza = "1.–5." Wir sind die Moor -- sol -- da -- ten und zie -- hen mit dem Spa -- ten ins Moor. } \new Lyrics \with { alignBelowContext = "verseD" } { \set associatedVoice = "singer" \set stanza = "6." Dann ziehn die Moor -- sol -- da -- ten nicht mehr "" mit den Spa -- ten ins Moor. } >> } verseE = \new Lyrics = "verseE" \lyricsto "singer" { Far and wide as~the eye can wan -- der, heath and bog are eve -- ry -- where. Not a bird sings out to cheer us, oaks are stand -- ing gaunt and bare. << { \set stanza = "1.–5." We are the peat bog sol -- diers, "" march -- ing with our spades "" to~the moor. } \new Lyrics \with { alignBelowContext = "verseE" } { \set associatedVoice = "singer" \set stanza = "6." And no more will peat sol -- diers "" march -- ing with their spades "" to~the moor. } >> } % No. 13 from ''Songs of Freedom'', Education Department of the Worker's Circle, New York, n.d. \score { << \new ChordNames { \kords } \new Voice = "singer" { \singer } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "singer" \verse \new Lyrics \lyricsto "singer" \verseE >> \layout { } } \score { \unfoldRepeats { << \singer \\ \kords >> } \midi { \tempo 4=102 \context { \Score midiChannelMapping = #'instrument } \context { \Staff \remove "Staff_performer" } \context { \Voice \consists "Staff_performer" } } }

Source[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Die Moorsoldaten (The Peat-Bog Soldiers)". Smithsonian Folkways Recordings (audio of Ernst Busch). Retrieved 2023-04-17.
  2. ^ "Esterwegen Labor Camp". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Objects – Hanns Eisler / Ernst Busch: Das Moorsoldatenlied (Peat Bog Soldiers; 1937)". kuenste-im-exil.de. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  4. ^ "The Song of the Peat Bog Soldiers – Metamorphoses of a Song" by Gisela Probst-Effah, Institut für Europäische Musikethnologie
  5. ^ a b "Le Börgermoorlied" by Élise Petit, Music and The Holocaust, World ORT (in French)
  6. ^ "No. 13". Songs of Freedom (PDF). New York: Education Department of the Worker's Circle. n.d. – via marxists.org.

Further reading

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  • Hanns Eisler, "Bericht über die Entstehung eines Arbeiterliedes", in Musik und Politik, Schriften 1924–1948 (Ed. Günter Meyer, Munich, 1973, pp. 274–280)
  • Wolfgang Langhoff, Die Moorsoldaten. 13 Monate Konzentrationslager (new edition, 1995)
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