- Der Hohenfriedberger
-
The Hohenfriedberger (Army March I, 21 (Army March I, 1c and Army march III, 1b)), also called Hohenfriedberger March, is one of the best known German military marches. It takes its name from the victory of the Prussians over the allied Austrians and Saxons on June 4th, 1745 during the Second Silesian War at the Battle of Hohenfriedberg, near Striegau.
There are many legends surrounding the origins of the march. Supposedly, the Bayreuther dragoon regiment, which was crucial in securing a Prussian victory, reported to its quarters the day after the battle while the march was played. Whether the march was actually played then is just as questionable as the claim that Frederick II of Prussia was the composer of the piece. It is understood that the king issued to the Bayreuther dragoon regiment a "Gnadenbrief", or letter of grace, that authorized it to play both grenadier marches of the foot soldiers (with flutes and drums) and the cuirassier marches of the cavalry (with kettledrums and trumpet fanfare).
The first outline (piano rendition) was written in 1795. For the first time in 1845, in celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the battle, the march was given lyrics, "Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner! Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth!...." because the regiment by then had been renamed "Ansbach-Bayreuth". In the time of the German Kaiser the title "Hohenfriedberger" was symbolic both on the basis of its connection with the great military victories of Friedrich II and because of the authorship of the House of Hohenzollern.
In the year 1866, in commemoration of the victories of Friedrich II against the Austrians, Johann Gottfried Piefke added Der Hohenfriedberger as a trio to his "Königgrätzer Marsch" after the victorious battle of Königgrätz.
Contents
Lyrics
Original German lyrics:
1st Stanza:
- Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner!
- Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
- Schnall um deinen Säbel
- und rüste dich zum Streit!
- Prinz Karl ist erschienen
- auf Friedbergs Höh'n,
- Sich das preußische Heer
- mal anzusehen.
Refrain (2x):
- Drum, Kinder, seid lustig
- und allesamt bereit:
- Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner!
- Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
- Drum, Kinder, seid lustig
- und allesamt bereit:
- Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner!
- Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
2nd Stanza:
- Hab'n Sie keine Angst,
- Herr Oberst von Schwerin,
- Ein preuß'scher Dragoner
- tut niemals nicht flieh'n!
- Und stünd'n sie auch noch
- so dicht auf Friedbergs Höh'n,
- Wir reiten sie zusammen
- wie Frühlingsschnee.
- Ob Säbel, ob Kanon',
- ob Kleingewehr uns dräut:
Refrain (2x):
- Drum, Kinder, seid lustig
- und allesamt bereit:
- Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner!
- Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
- Drum, Kinder, seid lustig
- und allesamt bereit:
- Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner!
- Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
3rd Stanza:
- Halt, Ansbach-Dragoner!
- Halt, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
- Wisch ab deinen Säbel
- und laß vom Streit;
- Denn ringsumher
- auf Friedbergs Höh'n
- Ist weit und breit
- kein Feind mehr zu seh'n.
- Und ruft unser König,
- zur Stelle sind wir heut':
- Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner!
- Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
Refrain:
- Drum, Kinder, seid lustig
- und allesamt bereit:
- Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner!
- Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
Analogous translation in English:
1st Stanza:
- Up, Ansbach-Dragoons!
- Up, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
- Buckle on your sabre
- and brace yourself for battle!
- Prince Charles has appeared
- on Friedberg's heights
- to compare himself with us, the Prussian Army.
Refrain (2x):
- So, boys, be jolly
- and all ready to go.
- Up, Ansbach Dragoons!
- Up, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
- So, boys, be jolly
- and all ready to go.
- Up, Ansbach Dragoons!
- Up, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
2nd Stanza:
- Have no worries,
- Colonel von Schwerin,[1]
- A Prussian Dragoon
- does not flee, never!
- And they[2] also still stand
- so close together on Friedberg's height,
- We could ride them down
- like spring snow.[3]
- Whether sabers, whether cannons,
- whether muskets, threaten us:
Refrain (2x):
- So, boys, be jolly
- and all ready to go:
- Up, Ansbach Dragoons!
- Up, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
- So, boys, be jolly
- and all ready to go:
- Up, Ansbach Dragoons!
- Up, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
3rd Stanza
- Maintenance, Ansbach Dragoons!
- Maintenance, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
- Wipe your saber
- and leave the battle;
- For all around
- on Friedberg's heights
- Is far and wide
- seen no more of our Enemy[4]
- And calls our King,
- to the place we are today:
Refrain:
- So, boys, be jolly
- and all ready to go:
- To the Ansbach Dragoons!
- To Ansbach-Bayreuth!
- So, boys, be jolly
- and all ready to go:
- Up, Ansbach Dragoons!
- Up, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
In popular culture
- The march was used at the beginning of the film Stalingrad and in Barry Lyndon depicting the Prussian army during the Seven Years War. Since it is used in parts of the Königgrätzer Marsch, it can be heard in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade during parts of the book burning scene.
References
- ^ Refers to Otto Magnus von Schwerin, the regiment's Colonel. He's not to be confused with his contemporary Kurt Christoph, Graf von Schwerin (no relation), the famous Prussian Field Marshal.
- ^ "They" refers to the Austrians, still positioned on the Friedburg Heights above them.
- ^ The uniforms of the allied Austrian and Saxon forces were white, like fresh snow. The speaker is boasting that the close-packed white-coated Austrians would melt away before the Dragoons' charge like a field of springtime snow.
- ^ The Prussian 5th (Beyreuther) Dragoon Regiment (later renamed the Ansbach-Bayreuth Dragoons) destroyed 20 battalions of Austrian and Saxon troops and captured 2,500 prisoners and 67 regimental standards. This forced Prince Charles of Lorraine to retreat.
External links
Categories:- German military marches
- German military stubs
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