Die Baltenfahne - German War Song (1919)

Описание: Never thought you'd see me upload a German song? well here you go.


When Germany collapsed at the end of WW1, the German military units in the eastern front, mainly the Baltics, were left to fend off for themselves and continued to fight the Bolsheviks and Baltic republics, sometimes alongside White Russian militia forces, up until around 1920. The collective for these Baltic Freikorps militias was called the Baltische Landeswehr, referring to the German nobility in the region who've inhabited the Baltics for centuries. After several loses, and British intervention in the region, the Freikorps have largely disbanded by now in 1920 or into the early Interwar Period.

The mention of Riga was a reference to the battle of Riga, between Latvian and Freikorps troops against Soviet forces. After taking over Riga, the Freikorps began a slaughter of civilians, POWs, and politicians, which claimed the lives of... statistics vary between governments unfortunately... 154 - 4,000 lives according to several governments, with Germany having nothing in the matter. Another example of how governments view individuals as disposable numbers and not human beings. The information gets way worse from there, but for more information search up the "White Terror in Riga".

Die Baltenfahne was written by Karl Freiherr von Manteuffel-Katzdangen, published in the book 'Das Buch vom Deutschen Freikorpskämpfer' (The Book of The German Freikorps Fighters) in 1938. Karl Freiherr was a German noble in Courland (now Latvia) whose family estate suffered from Russian revolution and heckling from the Bolsheviks. Karl believed that the only way to defend his estate was to take up arms against the Russians, eventually joining the Freikorps in an unknown date. He, and his family, was eventually forced to leave for Germany, leaving his estate behind.



Die Grenzwacht hielt im Osten
Dem Feinde lange stand
Heut kehrt ihr letzter Posten
Zurück ins Vaterland
Erschöpft und aufgerieben
In treuer Ritterschaft
Die Besten sind geblieben
Uns ander'n brach die Kraft


Doch bringen wir die Fahne
Die wehend vor uns stritt
Von Rigas blut'gem Plane
In allen Ehren mit
Die sturmbewährt sich nimmer
Vor einem Feind geneigt
Und heute noch und immer
Den Weg nach Osten zeigt

Es rauscht dorthin zu mahnen,
zu ihr der Väter Geist,
Trotz aller Not ein Ahnen,
das deutsche Zukunft heißt.
Sind wir auch fremd geworden,
euch Brüdern aus dem Reich,
Aus West und Süd und Norden,
das Banner blieb sich gleich.

Ob wir auch hier verderben,
das kümmere euch nicht,
Die Fahne zu vererben,
ist unsere letzte Pflicht.
Ich darf nicht länger zagen,
bald zwingt sie euren Sinn,
Nach Ostland sie zu tragen,
sie will sie muss dorthin.
Nach Ostland sie zu tragen,
sie will sie muss dorthin.