Devil's song

Devil's song, also known as SS marschiert in Feindesland or Teufelslied (ee. Kuradi laul, fr. Le chant du diable) is a European folk song. Some versions of the song were used in the Waffen SS, Condor Legion, Hirden and other military forces of the Second World War.

Style of "SS marschiert in Feindesland" song

The lyrics imply the elite status which SS men saw themselves possessing. They are based on patriotic heroism and the mentality of "fighting till death", which was a popular philosophy in Germany during the Third Reich.

History

The tune of the song was copied from the Luftwaffe's 'Marsch der Legion Condor' in 1939. The lyrics changed as the war went on. Originally they referred to the shores of the river Volga in Russia, later to those of the river Oder on the German-Polish border, where heavy fighting took place in 1945. The lyrics openly declared that the SS would destroy the "Red plague".

As the Waffen SS gradually developed into a multi-ethnic and multi-national force, translated and modified versions were sung by SS men from other countries. Among these were a French version, used by SS Division Charlemagne, a Norwegian version called "På Vikingtokt", and an Estonian version used by members of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking and later 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS called "Kuradi Laul" (The Song of Estonian Legion). It was also the marching song for the 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS.^[1]

After the end of the Second World War, the song also found its way into the French Foreign Legion and is still sung today in a version with slightly different and translated lyrics as "La Legion marche vers le front". A version sung by the Brazilian Army Parachute Infantry Brigade (Brazil) is also known.

Lyrics

Original German Lyrics as sung by the Waffen SS

SS marschiert in Feindesland,

Und singt ein Teufelslied.

Ein Schütze steht am Wolgastrand,

Und leise summt er mit.

Wir pfeifen auf unseren Motoren,

Und uns kann die ganze Welt

Verfluchen oder auch loben,

Grad wie es ihnen gefällt.

Wo wir sind da geht's immer vorwärts,

Und der Teufel der lacht nur dazu!

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Wir kämpfen für Deutschland,

Wir kämpfen für Hitler,

Der Rote kommt nie mehr zur Ruh'.(x2)

Wir kämpften schon in mancher Schlacht,

In Nord, Süd, Ost und West.

Und stehen nun zum Kampf bereit,

Gegen die rote Pest.

SS wird nicht ruh'n, wir vernichten, (or variant: SS wird die Roten vernichten)

Bis niemand mehr stört Deutschlands Glück.

Und wenn sich die Reihen auch lichten,

Für uns gibt es nie ein Zurück.

Wo wir sind da geht's immer vorwärts,

Und der Teufel der lacht nur dazu!

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Wir kämpfen für Deutschland,

Wir kämpfen für Hitler,

Der Rote kommt nie mehr zur Ruh'.(x2)

^[2]

Translation

SS marches in enemy land,

And sings a devil's song.

A rifleman stands on Volga's beach,

And silently hums along.

We care about nothing around us,

And the whole world can

Curse or praise us,

Just as it pleases.

Wherever we go we go always forwards!'

And the devil merely laughs,

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

We fight for Germany,

We fight for Hitler,

The Red (Russians) will never get to rest.(x2)

We fought before in several fights,

In North, South, East and West.

And now we stand ready to fight

Against the red plague.

SS will not rest, we annihilate,

Until no one disturbs Germany's fortune.

And even if our line thins,

For us there is no going back.

Wherever we go, we go always forwards!

And the devil merely laughs,

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

We fight for Germany,

We fight for Hitler,

The Red will never get to rest.(x2)

Estonian version

Kord võitles Lõuna-Venemaal,

Kaugel Doni steppides.

Üks vapper Eesti pataljon,

Lauldes laulu kuradist.

Meid paisati itta, kord läände,

Kõikjal seisime kaljudena

Ja Neveli sood ja Tšerkassõ,

Ei iial meid unusta saa.

Rünnakrelvade terases tules,

Kõlab leekides kuradi naer – ha-ha-ha-ha.

Sirgub vabadusidu,

Ei murta neid ridu,

Kes Eesti eest andnud on kõik.

Aeg sangarid kord unustab

Ja tandrid tasandab.

Ja surnupealuu sõdureist

Vaid tuul veel jutustab.

Teed tagasi meie jaoks pole,

Ehk küll häving on silmade ees.

Vaba Eesti eest palju ei ole,

Kui langeb meist viimnegi mees.

Rünnakrelvade terases tules,

Kõlab leekides kuradi naer – ha-ha-ha-ha.

Sirgub vabadusidu,

Ei murta neid ridu,

Kes Eesti eest andnud on kõik.

Translation

Once in southern Russia there fought,

far away in the steppes of Don.

One brave Estonian battalion

what sang a song about the Devil.

We were thrown to the east and the west,

everywhere, we stood like the rocks.

And the swamps of Nevel and Cherkessia,

thus we shall never forget them.

In the assault weapons' fire of steel,

sounds the laugh of the Devil – ha-ha-ha-ha

As the freedom shoot grows,

these lines shall never be broken

who has given everything for Estonia.

Once the time will forget the heroes,

and even the battlefields.

And the wind will tell us about

the soldiers of skull and bones.

There is no return meant for us

as we face the defeat.

It is not much for free Estonia

if the last man of us fails.

In the assault weapons' fire of steel,

sounds the laugh of the Devil – ha-ha-ha-ha

As the freedom shoot grows,

these lines shall never be broken

who has given everything for Estonia.

Norwegian version

På vikingtokt til fremmed land

dro menn av nordisk ætt,

på kongeskip sto mann ved mann

av Hirden kamp beredt.

Til Grønnland og Island og Hjaltland,

gikk ferden på langskip mot vest,

i Frankrike, Irland og England,

var nordmannen ubuden gjest.

Ja, fienden de måtte vike,

selv paven han tapte sin makt!

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.

Ja, for til vern om det stornorske riket,

stod trofaste Hirdmenn på vakt.

Nå reiser vi en Hird på ny

av Vidkun Quislings menn.

Og her i gamle Oslo by

Står Vikingkorpset frem.

Se baunene lyser fra fjellet

Bærer bud om den nye tid.

Og baunenes lys skal fortelle

om hirdmenn som fylkes til strid.

Ja, fienden atter skal vike,

og pampene tapte sin makt!

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.

Ja, for til vern om det stornorske riket,

stod trofaste Hirdmenn på vakt.

Translation

On viking raids to foreign lands

went men of Nordic lineage,

on royal ships stood man by man

of the hird ready for battle.

To Greenland and Iceland and Shetland,

the journey with longships went west,

in France, Ireland and England,

the Norwegian was an uninvited guest.

Yes, the enemies they had to yield,

even the pope he lost his power!

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.

Yes, for the defense of the greater Norwegian kingdom,

loyal hirdmen stood on guard.

Now we raise a new hird

of Vidkun Quisling's men.

And here in the old town of Oslo

the viking corps stands forth.

See the beacons glowing from the mountain,

they bear tidings of the new age.

And the glow of the beacons shall tell

of hirdmen that readies to fight.

Yes, the enemies shall once again yield,

and the bigwigs shall lose their power!

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.

Yes, for the defense of the greater Norwegian kingdom,

loyal hirdmen stood on guard.

Russian literature version

Latvian version

Zem mūsu kājām lielceļš balts

Uz Latviju tas ved.

Uz Latviju, kur naidnieks baigs,

Pār laukiem nāvi sēj

Mēs soļojam droši un lepni,

Un šautenes plecos ir mums,

un senajo varoņu vārdi,

nāk līdzi, kā mantojums mums.

Mēs nāksim drīz, Latvija, gaidi!

Un nesīsim brīvību Tev- kas mums dārga,

un mēs ejam un ejam un traucam un steidzam- par vēlu mēs nedrīkstam būt!

Mums viena doma sirdī kvēl –

Par tēvu zemi stāt!

Un nežēlīgam naidniekam

likt visu atmaksāt!

Mēs šautenēm liksim tad liesmot,

un granātu metējiem kaukt,

bet pašiem mums nāvei būs spītēt,

ložu svilpieniem atbalsis saukt!

Mēs ticam trīs Latvijas zvaigznēm,

Lai ugunī spožas kļūst tās, mūžu mūžam!

un mēs ejam un ejam uz priekšu tik traucam – par vēlu mēs nedrīkstam būt!

Translation :

Beneath our feet white high road stands

To Latvia it leads

To Latvia where enemy fierce

Over the fields is sowing death

We are marching confident and proud,

And guns on our shoulders we have,

And words of old heroes,

Comes like a legacy with us

We will come soon, Latvia, wait for us!

And we will bring freedom to you, which so treasurous is to us.

And we are going and going, rushing and running – we mustn't arrive when it's too late!

One thought is burning in our hearts –

For fatherland to stand!

And to ruthless enemy,

Revenge all what he has done!

We will make then our guns to burst in flames

And grenade launchers to howl

But we ourselves will have to spite the death,

Make echos for whistling of bullets!

We believe in three Latvia's stars,

Let them in the fire bright become, forever thru the ages!

And we are going and going, rushing and running – we mustn't arrive when it's too late!

French version

Title: "Le Chant du Diable" (The Devil's Song)

SS marchons vers l'ennemi,

Chantant le chant du diable.

Car dans les coeurs, des gars hardis,

Souffle un vent formidable.

Qu'importe que l'on nous acclame,

Ou nous damne le monde entier:

Nous l'entraînerons dans les flammes,

Et nous en rions volontiers!

Là où nous passons que tout tremble,

Et le diable y rit avec nous!

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Nous luttons pour l'Europe et la liberté,

Notre honneur s'appelle fidélité.

SS nous marchons au combat

Chantant le chant du diable:

Nos gars sont embusqués là-bas

Pour l'assaut formidable.

Les blindés nous attaquent en grondant,

Mugissante vague d'acier,

Mais notre fureur les attend

Et nous en rions volontiers!

Là où nous passons, les chars brûlent,

Et le diable y rit avec nous!

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Nous luttons pour l'Europe et la liberté,

Notre honneur s'appelle fidélité.

SS nous rentrerons en France,

Chantant le chant du diable.

Bourgeois craignez notre colère,

Et nos poings formidables.

Nous couvrirons de nos chants ardents,

Vos cris et vos plaintes angoissées.

Avec nous hurle Satan

Et nous en rions volontiers.

Là où nous passons tout s'écroule,

Et le diable y rit avec nous!

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Nous luttons pour l'Europe et la liberté,

Notre honneur s'appelle fidélité.

Translation :

SS marching towards the enemy,

Singing the Devil's Song.

For in the hearts of bold guys,

Blows a formidable wind

No matter that we are cheered,

Or damned by the entire world,

We will drag it into the flames,

And we'll laugh heartily.

Where we go all shall tremble,

And the Devil laughs with us!

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

We fight for Europe and for freedom,

Our Honour is called Loyalty.

SS we march into combat,

Singing the devil's song

Our guys are waiting over there

For the formidable assault.

Tanks attack us growling,

Roaring wave of steel

But our fury await them

And we laugh heartily.

Where we go tanks burn,

And the Devil laughs with us!

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

We fight for Europe and for freedom,

Our Honour is called Loyalty.

SS we will return to France,

Singing the Devil's Song.

Bourgeois, fear our wrath

And our formidable fists!

We will cover, with our ardents songs,

Your cries and your anxious complaints.

Satan roars with us,

And we laugh heartily.

Where we go everything collapses,

And the Devil laughs with us!

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

We fight for Europe and for freedom,

Our Honour is called Loyalty.

Post-war use in other countries

French Foreign Legion

"The "Devil's Song", once used by the French SS Division Charlemagne, was modified for use by the French Foreign Legion and called "La Légion marche vers le front".

La Légion marche vers le front,

En chantant nous vaincrons,

Héritiers de ses traditions,

Nous aussi nous marchons.

Nous sommes les hommes des troupes d'assaut

Soldats de la vieille Légion,

Demain brandissant nos drapeaux,

En vainqueurs nous défilerons,

Nous n'avons pas seulement des armes,

Mais le diable marche avec nous,

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, car nos aînés de la Légion,

Se battant là-bas, nous emboîtons le pas.

Pour ce destin de chevalier

Honneur fidélité.

Nous sommes fiers d'appartenir

A ceux qui vont mourir

Nous sommes les hommes des troupes d'assaut

Soldats de la vieille Légion,

Demain brandissant nos drapeaux,

En vainqueurs nous défilerons,

Nous n'avons pas seulement des armes,

Mais le diable marche avec nous,

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, car nos aînés de la Légion,

Se battant là-bas, nous emboîtons le pas.

Fidélité est notre loi,

Lutter pour notre foi.

Notre fierté de chevaliers,

Notre honneur de soldats.

Nous sommes les hommes des troupes d'assaut

Soldats de la vieille Légion,

Demain brandissant nos drapeaux,

En vainqueurs nous défilerons,

Nous n'avons pas seulement des armes,

Mais le diable marche avec nous,

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, car nos aînés de la Légion,

Se battant là-bas, nous emboîtons le pas.

Translation

The Legion marches towards the front,

And singing we follow,

Heirs of its traditions,

We (all do the) same (and/so) we march. (it may be easier to understand this as, "we march together, all doing the same")

We are the assault troopers,

Soldiers of the old Legion.

Tomorrow holding up our flags

As victors we will ravel.

We have not only our weapons,

But also the devil walking with us:

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,

Because our old brothers in arms of the Legion,

Fighting down there, we fall in behind them. (the meaning is: our dead comrades are marching with us)

For this destiny of Chivalry,

Honor and loyalty,

We are proud to belong

to those that might (go) fall (others of the 2e REP)

We are the assault troopers,

Soldiers of the old Legion.

Tomorrow holding up our flags

As victors we will ravel.

We have not only our weapons,

But also the devil walking with us:

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,

Because our old brothers in arms of the Legion,

Fighting down there, we fall in behind them.

Honor is our law.

Combat is our creed.

We have the pride of knights,

and we have the honor of soldiers.

We are the assault troopers,

Soldiers of the old Legion.

Tomorrow holding up our flags

As victors we will ravel.

We have not only our weapons,

But also the devil walking with us:

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,

Because our old brothers in arms of the Legion,

Fighting down there, we fall in behind them.

Brazilian version

Dragões do AR

Avante irmãos! Avante heróis! Em busca da vitória

Subindo aos céus, lançando-se no ar,

Honrando a nossa história

Mais fortes, mais rijos lutando

Soldados da velha Brigada

A hora na porta saltando

A luta prá nós não é nada

Brindamos à morte, ao perigo

Saudamos também o inimigo,

lá, lá, lá, lá, lá!

E a velha Brigada se bate,

Se mostra mais forte na hora da dor

Avante irmãos! Avante heróis! Voltar não desejamos

Lutando sempre, fugindo nunca

Viver não imploramos

Unidos, coesos, marchando

Soldados da velha Brigada!

O gosto da morte lembrando

Aos novos que chegam do nada.

Brindamos à morte, ao perigo

Saudamos também o inimigo,

lá, lá, lá, lá, lá!

E a velha Brigada se bate,

Se mostra mais forte na hora da dor

Translation

Air dragons

Onward brothers! Onward heroes! In search of victory

Rising to the heavens, throwing up in the air,

Honouring our history

Stronger, tougher fighting

Soldiers of the Old Brigade!

The time of jumping, at the door

The fight is nothing to us

We toast to death, to danger

We also welcome the enemy,

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

And the old brigade is fighting,

It turns out stronger in the hour of pain

Onward brothers! Onward heroes! To go back we don't want

Always fighting, fleeing never

To live we don't beg

United, cohesive, marching

Soldiers of the Old Brigade!

The taste of death reminding

The new ones coming out of nowhere.

We toast to death, to danger

We also welcome the enemy,

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

And the old brigade is fighting,

It turns out stronger in the hour of pain

Version of Ukrainian patriots

Version used by Ukrainian Kharkiv patriotic organisation, however written in Russian:

В набеге орд на стан врага идёт степной народ,

В Вальгаллу держит длинный путь славян великий Род,

Мы дрались с востока на запад, и где только не были мы,

Весь мир покоряется нам, арийским детям войны.

Ведь тот, кто гордо шагает,

Не боится и смеха его

Ха ха ха ха ха

Русь наш народ воплощает –

Не сломить из нас никого

В сражении пасть – награда нам, в Вальгаллу путь един,

Руси родной ни шагу мы врагу не отдадим,

На стяге нашем гордом – великий коловрат,

И с ним враг нас увидеть совсем не будет рад.

Ведь тот, кто гордо шагает,

Не боится и смеха его

Ха ха ха ха ха

Русь наш народ воплощает –

Не сломить из нас никого

Version of Kharkiv ultranationalist organisation "The Book of Wotan" (however, this organisation is not active now):

СС іде в ворожий стан,

За нами йде Сатан.

Не знаємо ми жалості —

Не треба грошей нам.

Московія проклятая

Здригається, тремтить —

Європа нам священная

Повстала лиш за мить.

Ми ті, хто завжди у атаці,

Та й сам Диявол сміється за нас:

Ха, ха, ха, ха, ха.

Ми у бою за Білу Європу

Більш нічого не треба в цей час.

Ми самі собі правосуддя —

І Нюрнберг нам не указ.

За волю ми усі. "Вперед" —

Для нас звучить наказ.

Не жахають нас вороги

Бо ми в бою проти них.

Червоні, білі та жиди —

Зупинимо їх всіх!

Бо ми ті, хто завжди у атаці,

Та й сам Диявол сміється за нас:

Ха, ха, ха, ха, ха.

Ми у бою за Білу Європу,

Більш нічого не треба в цей час.

Sources

1. ↑ Vilki. "19. divīzijas dziesma (song of division 19)". Vilki (folk-music group). Archived from the original on 30 October 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-30. 
2. ↑ http://ingeb.org/songs/lalegion.html