Going viral today is news of Vladimir Putin’s latest comment, echoing the famous 19th century marching song of Teutonic aggression penned by Ernst Moritz Arndt.
The Independent:
Vladimir Putin has said Russia’s borders “do not end anywhere†during a live televised awards ceremony for students in Moscow.
On stage, the Russian president asked a nine-year-old boy: “Where does Russia’s border end?†The child answered “at the Bering Strait with the United Statesâ€.
Mr Putin then gave his own answer, adding “it was a joke†to applause and laughter from the audience.
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Des Deutschen Vaterland (1813)
Was ist des Deutschen Vaterland?
Ist’s Preußenland? Ist’s Schwabenland?
Ist’s, wo am Rhein die Rebe blüht?
Ist’s, wo am Belt die Möwe zieht?
O nein, nein, nein!
Sein Vaterland muss größer sein!
What is the German’s fatherland?
Is it Prussia, is it Swabia?
Is it where the vines blossom on the Rhine?
Is it where the gull moves on the Belt?
Oh no! oh no! oh no! oh no!
His fatherland must be greater!
Was ist des Deutschen Vaterland?
Ist’s Bayerland? Ist’s Steierland?
Ist’s, wo des Marsen Rind sich streckt?
Ist’s, wo der Märker Eisen reckt?
O nein, nein, nein!
Sein Vaterland muss größer sein!
What is the German’s fatherland?
Is it Bavaria, is it Styria?
Is it where the cattle of the Marsi roam?
Is it where the citizens of the Mark mold iron?
Oh no! oh no! oh no! oh no!
His fatherland must be greater!
Was ist des Deutschen Vaterland?
Ist’s Pommerland? Westfalenland?
Ist’s, wo der Sand der Dünen weht?
Ist’s, wo die Donau brausend geht?
O nein, nein, nein!
Sein Vaterland muss größer sein!
What is the German’s fatherland?
Is it Pomerania, Westphalia?
Is it where the sand of dunes blows?
Is it where the Danube rushes along?
Oh no! oh no! oh no! oh no!
His fatherland must be greater!
Was ist des Deutschen Vaterland?
So nenne mir das große Land!
Ist’s Land der Schweizer? Ist’s Tirol?
Das Land und Volk gefiel mir wohl.
Doch nein, nein, nein!
Sein Vaterland muss größer sein!
What is the German’s fatherland?
So name the great land to me!
Is it the land of the Swiss, is it Tyrol?
The land and people that please me well!
Oh no! oh no! oh no! oh no!
His fatherland must be greater!
Was ist des Deutschen Vaterland?
So nenne mir das große Land!
Gewiss, es ist das Österreich,
An Ehren und an Siegen reich?
O nein, nein, nein!
Sein Vaterland muss größer sein!
What is the German’s fatherland?
So name the great land to me!
Certainly it must be Austria,
Rich in victories and in honors?
Oh no! oh no! oh no! oh no!
His fatherland must be greater!
Was ist des Deutschen Vaterland?
So nenne endlich mir das Land!
So weit die deutsche Zunge klingt
Und Gott im Himmel Lieder singt:
Das soll es sein! Das soll es sein!
Das, wackrer Deutscher, nenne dein!
What is the German’s fatherland?
So name the great land to me, finally!
As far as the German tongue sounds
And sings songs to God in heaven!
That shall it be,
That, brave German, shall it be!
Das ist des Deutschen Vaterland,
Wo Eide schwört der Druck der Hand,
Wo Treue hell vom Auge blitzt
Und Liebe warm im Herzen sitzt.
Das soll es sein! Das soll es sein!
Das, wackrer Deutscher, nenne dein!
That is the German’s fatherland,
Where oaths are sworn with a handshake,
Where loyalty blazes brightly from the eye
And love sits warmly in the heart.
That shall it be,
That, brave German, shall it be!
Das ist des Deutschen Vaterland,
Wo Zorn vertilgt den welschen Tand,
Wo jeder Franzmann heißet Feind,
Wo jeder Deutsche heißet Freund.
Das soll es sein! das soll es sein!
Das ganze Deutschland soll es sein!
That is the German’s fatherland,
Where rage wipes out the foreign junk,
Where every Frenchman is called enemy,
Where every German is called friend.
That shall it be,
The whole Germany shall it be.
Das ganze Deutschland soll es sein!
O Gott vom Himmel, sieh darein
Und gib uns rechten deutschen Mut,
Dass wir es lieben treu und gut!
Das soll es sein! Das soll es sein!
Das ganze Deutschland soll es sein!
The whole Germany shall it be,
O God from heaven, see within
And give us real German courage,
That we may love it faithfully and well.
That shall it be,
The whole Germany shall it be.
GoneWithTheWind
The question is; is Putin a madman who would commit suicide and get most of his countrymen killed in a nuclear war, OR is he a conniving greedy bastard who will say anything, make any bluff but keep the money and favors coming his way? I don’t think he is a madman, dangerous, yes! But crazy, suicidal megalomaniac… No.
bob sykes
You really, really need to chill.
Herzog
Teutonic aggression, really? It rather appears to me that the Arndt text you quote in full advocates a program of national unification by transcending the statelet particularisms, feudal survivals from earlier times really, that still dominated the German political landscape of the first half of the 19th century.
But the clichés must be fed, I guess.
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