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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
Thirties and was used as a marching song by the German volunteers of the
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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
160:
When they got to, ... "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
157:
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".
194:
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.
33:
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use the French version of the song, "Le Chant Des Marais", as one of its marching songs, the sombre tone and timing matching the 88 paces per minute distinctive of the Legion.
129:
internees. They were banned from singing existing political songs so they wrote and composed their own. The words were written by Johann Esser (a miner) and
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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.
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174:. It was soon picked up by other nationalities and it appears in almost all the collected anthologies of Spanish Civil War songs.
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148:("concentration camp circus") on 28 August 1933 at Börgermoor camp. Here is Rudi Goguel's description of it:
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Jamie O'Reilly & Michael Smith – "Pasiones: Songs of the
Spanish Civil War 1936–1939"
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This is the full six-verse German version, together with a literal
English translation.
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133:(an actor); the music was composed by Rudi Goguel and was later adapted by
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1056:, Schriften 1924–1948 (Ed. Günter Meyer, Munich, 1973, pp. 274–280)
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camps") – as they were known – were for political opponents of the
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today. It was written, composed and first performed in 1933 in a
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906:– "Erich Kunz sings German University Songs Vol. 4" (1959)
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338:
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48:. It exists in countless European languages and became a
877:
Thirty versions from
Emsland Concentration Camp Archive
1152:"Neue CD aus heimischen Gefilden: Die Moorsoldaten"
1174:
1050:Bericht über die Entstehung eines Arbeiterliedes
982:– "Songs of The Spanish Civil War: Vol 1" (2006)
121:In 1933, one camp, Börgermoor, held about 1,000
1064:Die Moorsoldaten. 13 Monate Konzentrationslager
621:And we're marching with our spade into the bog.
613:And we're marching with our spade into the bog.
152:The sixteen singers, mostly members of the
740:"Die Moorsoldaten (The Peat-Bog Soldiers)"
650:but our mind toward our homeland yearns.
18:
56:. It was a symbol of resistance during
1175:
391:Flight would mean a sure death facing,
314:
200:
76:This song was written by prisoners in
375:Marching with our spades to the moor.
1035:– "Between the Earth and Sky" (2017)
423:Homeland, dear, you're mine at last.
394:Guns and barbed wire block our view.
385:Up and down the guards are marching,
335:Not a bird sings to cheer us yonder.
959:"Hannes Wader singt Arbeiterlieder"
894:by Arndt Peltner (38'32" mp3, 35MB)
599:Oaks are standing bare and crooked.
597:No chirping of birds entertains us.
495:und ziehen mit dem Spaten ins Moor.
487:und ziehen mit dem Spaten ins Moor.
446:
414:But for us there is no complaining,
322:Far and wide as the eye can wander,
247:und ziehen mit dem Spaten ins Moor.
237:und ziehen mit dem Spaten ins Moor.
189:
13:
1039:
951:– "From Bondage to Freedom" (1973)
680:Up and down the guards are walking
666:Some chests are widened by a sigh,
662:Homeward, homeward everyone yearns
626:Here inside this barren marshland,
535:Heimwärts, heimwärts jeder sehnet,
16:20th-century European protest song
14:
1244:
1223:World War II resistance movements
1154:. 6 December 2015. Archived from
698:But for us there is no clamoring,
644:In the morning, the columns march
571:Doch für uns gibt es kein Klagen,
557:Flucht wird nur das Leben kosten,
286:Doch für uns gibt es kein Klagen,
263:Flucht wird nur das Leben kosten,
114:. A memorial of these camps, the
1099:"Perry Friedman (I) (1935–1995)"
553:Auf und nieder geh'n die Posten,
539:Manche Brust ein Seufzer dehnet,
420:One day we shall rise rejoicing.
361:Marching with our spades to the
257:Auf und nieder geh'n die Posten,
44:) is one of Europe's best-known
744:Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
684:Escape would only cost the life
682:Nobody, nobody can get through.
664:to the parents, wife and child.
632:stowed away behind barbed wire.
630:Where we are, far from any joy,
523:doch zur Heimat steht der Sinn.
521:Graben bei dem Brand der Sonne,
388:No one, no one can get through.
1213:Songs of the Spanish Civil War
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806:
781:
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732:
704:"Homeland you are mine again!"
700:It can't be an endless winter.
686:Four fences secure the castle.
668:because we are caught in here.
648:digging under the searing sun.
559:vierfach ist umzäunt die Burg.
471:Vogelsang uns nicht erquicket.
266:vierfach ist umzäunt die Burg.
214:Vogelsang uns nicht erquicket.
1:
721:
575:einmal werden froh wir sagen:
555:keiner, keiner kann hindurch.
537:zu den Eltern, Weib und Kind.
505:hinter Stacheldraht verstaut.
473:Eichen stehen kahl und krumm.
370:We are the peat bog soldiers,
356:We are the peat bog soldiers,
292:einmal werden froh wir sagen:
260:keiner, keiner kann hindurch.
217:Eichen stehen kahl und krumm.
71:
1016:"Die Geister die wir riefen"
976:– "Spain in My Heart" (2003)
900:– "Songs of Free Men" (1942)
793:www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org
573:ewig kann nicht Winter sein,
541:weil wir hier gefangen sind.
503:wo wir fern von jeder Freude
467:Wohin auch das Auge blicket.
417:Winter will in time be past.
341:are standing gaunt and bare.
289:ewig kann nicht Winter sein,
208:Wohin auch das Auge blicket.
144:It was first performed at a
7:
1218:German resistance to Nazism
1126:"Swan Arcade – Swan Arcade"
577:Heimat du bist wieder mein.
519:in das Moor zur Arbeit hin.
517:Morgens ziehen die Kolonnen
469:Moor und Heide nur ringsum.
295:Heimat du bist wieder mein.
211:Moor und Heide nur ringsum.
118:, is located at Papenburg.
10:
1249:
1029:-CD with four songs (2015)
921:– "Violets of Dawn" (1966)
818:www.holocaust-education.de
768:www.holocaust-education.de
702:One day we'll say happily:
106:, now part of the commune
1000:"Für euch, die ihr liebt"
595:Bog and heath all around,
499:Hier in dieser öden Heide
491:Wir sind die Moorsoldaten
483:Wir sind die Moorsoldaten
242:Wir sind die Moorsoldaten
232:Wir sind die Moorsoldaten
184:
1188:Songs about the military
646:towards the moor to work
617:We are the Bog soldiers,
609:We are the bog soldiers,
501:ist das Lager aufgebaut,
60:and is popular with the
1203:Songs about revolutions
789:"Esterwegen Labor Camp"
66:Nazi concentration camp
1208:Works about rebellions
945:– "Swan Arcade" (1973)
593:Wherever the eye gazes
168:International Brigades
163:
41:
24:
1074:Le Chant des déportés
939:– "Revolution" (1970)
927:Hein & Oss Kröher
840:Le Chant des déportés
628:the camp is built up.
179:French Foreign Legion
150:
102:, located outside of
22:
1183:Songs about soldiers
990:"Working Class Hero"
885:broadcast about the
460:English translation
1233:The Dubliners songs
1158:on 24 December 2015
1066:(new edition, 1995)
914:"Spanien 1936–1939"
814:"Account Suspended"
764:"Account Suspended"
317:English translation
968:"Tanzpalast 2000"
919:Chad Mitchell Trio
146:Zircus Konzentrani
52:anthem during the
25:
1060:Wolfgang Langhoff
1054:Musik und Politik
887:Moorsoldaten Lied
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172:Spanish Civil War
131:Wolfgang Langhoff
54:Spanish Civil War
29:Peat Bog Soldiers
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1084:Die Moorsoldaten
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1023:Die Moorsoldaten
1008:– "Eight" (2010)
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875:Die Moorsoldaten
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856:Die Moorsoldaten
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457:German original
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447:Complete version
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190:Abridged version
42:Die Moorsoldaten
36:
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1193:Political songs
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1040:Further reading
1012:Die Toten Hosen
1006:Glengarry Bhoys
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837:Original text:
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332:are everywhere.
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203:German original
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110:, not far from
88:, Germany. The
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1198:Protest songs
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46:protest songs
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1160:. Retrieved
1156:the original
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1134:. Retrieved
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1108:. Retrieved
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1046:Hanns Eisler
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989:
974:Laurie Lewis
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955:Hannes Wader
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898:Paul Robeson
892:Radio Goethe
886:
882:(in English)
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821:. Retrieved
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771:. Retrieved
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135:Hanns Eisler
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91:Emslandlager
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86:Lower Saxony
82:labour camps
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58:World War II
28:
26:
1110:27 December
1080:(in German)
1070:(in French)
996:Helium Vola
980:Pete Seeger
943:Swan Arcade
910:Ernst Busch
871:(in German)
844:(in French)
170:during the
139:Ernst Busch
100:Third Reich
1228:1933 songs
1177:Categories
1021:Various –
986:Luke Kelly
904:Erich Kunz
865:Recordings
749:2023-04-17
722:References
104:Börgermoor
72:Background
50:Republican
727:Footnotes
127:Communist
123:Socialist
112:Papenburg
80:moorland
34:‹See Tfd›
604:Refrain:
478:Refrain:
350:Refrain:
226:Refrain:
161:crosses.
154:Solinger
1130:Discogs
710:Refrain
692:Refrain
674:Refrain
656:Refrain
638:Refrain
583:Refrain
565:Refrain
547:Refrain
529:Refrain
511:Refrain
433:Refrain
404:Refrain
305:Refrain
276:Refrain
108:Surwold
96:Emsland
1162:8 June
1136:8 June
1132:. 1973
1033:Lankum
1018:(2012)
1002:(2009)
992:(2008)
970:(1996)
823:8 June
798:8 June
773:8 June
624:
185:Lyrics
38:German
1052:, in
326:Heath
1164:2018
1138:2018
1112:2020
1104:IMDb
825:2018
800:2018
775:2018
363:moor
339:Oaks
328:and
177:The
137:and
125:and
78:Nazi
890:on
330:bog
84:in
31:" (
1179::
1128:.
1101:.
1062:,
1048:,
1027:EP
1025::
1014:–
998:–
988:–
966:–
957:–
912:–
816:.
791:.
766:.
742:.
141:.
94:("
40::
1166:.
1140:.
1114:.
827:.
802:.
777:.
752:.
365:.
27:"
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