Unsere Heimat

Unsere Heimat was a popular song in the republic of East Germany, where it was sung by the Ernst Thälmann Pioneer Organisation. It plays an important role in the film Goodbye Lenin! where it is sung by many Young Pioneer groups. The Lyrics were written by Herbert Keller and the Harmony by Hans Naumilkat. It is a song that expresses the concept of Heimat, and justifies its relavence within communism and opposition to the National Socialism as expressed by the FDJ. In addition, the song demonstrates strong bonds with nature, expressing the relavence of Heimat beyond people.

Lyrics

German lyrics

Unsre Heimat, das sind nicht nur die Städte und Dörfer,
unsre Heimat sind auch all die Bäume im Wald.
Unsre Heimat ist das Gras auf der Wiese,
das Korn auf dem Feld und die Vögel in der Luft
und die Tiere der Erde
und die Fische im Fluß sind die Heimat.
Und wir lieben die Heimat, die schöne
und wir schützen sie,
weil sie dem Volke gehört,
weil sie unserem Volke gehört.

English translation

Our Homeland is not only the cities and towns;
Our Homeland is also all the trees in the forest,
Our Homeland is the grass in the meadow,
The grain in the field and the birds in the air;
The animals of the earth
and the fish in the river are the Homeland,
We love the beautiful homeland,
And we protect it
because it belongs to the People,
Because it belongs to our People.

References

*Germany as a Culture of Remembrance: Promises and Limits of Writing ISBN 0807830429