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July 1813
Translated by J. S. Blackie
GERMAN Kaiser! German Kaiser! | |
| Come, our savior, our avenger! | |
| Save thy Deutschland from the stranger, | |
| Take the wreath we wove for thee. | |
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| See the league is true and German! | 5 |
| Only German hopes have swayed us, | |
| Only thou and God shall aid us, | |
| Not the Dane, and not the Swede. | |
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| Come, in ancient holy harness! | |
| See thy sires entreat, adjure thee! | 10 |
| Of Germania’s weal secure thee, | |
| Make the Empire’s freedom sure. | |
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| Like a shepherd, strong yet gentle, | |
| Rudolph from his Alps descended, | |
| Jarring strifes in peace were blended, | 15 |
| Under Harsburg’s kindly sway. | |
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| Praise to thee, fleet chamois-hunter! | |
| War his tent, and her pavilion | |
| Peace, for thee, brave Maximilian | |
| Spreads,—our Kaiser-Cavalier! | 20 |
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| When dissension tore the Empire, | |
| Shaking ancient Faith’s foundations, | |
| Deutschland pined among the nations | |
| Thirty dark and dreary years. | |
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| With no tears to spare for pity, | 25 |
| Half apostle, and half warrior, | |
| ’Gainst the storm a strong rock-barrier | |
| Stood the pious Ferdinand. | |
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| German Kaiser! German Kaiser! | |
| Lagg’st thou?—sleep’st thou?—up, awaken! | 30 |
| Let the lion’s mane be shaken! | |
| Be a Rudolph! be a Charles! | |
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| Let the Empire be the watchword! | |
| Where the ancient banner leads us, | |
| Where the eagle’s pride precedes us, | 35 |
| We will march to victory. | |
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| Cast not off what God hath given! | |
| On thy German throne reseated, | |
| Kaiser crowned, and Kaiser greeted, | |
| Be the star of Christendom! | 40 |
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