Panzerlied

Das Panzerlied

English: The Tank Song
Music	Oberleutnant Kurt Wiehle

The Panzerlied (English: "Tank Song") was a Wehrmacht military song of the Nazi era. It was sung mostly by the Panzerwaffe, the tank force of Nazi Germany during World War II. It is one of the well-known songs of the Wehrmacht and became more popular with the 1965 film Battle of the Bulge. It is used in the Chilean and Brazilian armies, but it was banned in 2017 to denazify (remove Nazi ideology) Germany. Modern-day Germany has stopped using it because it was used in the Nazi era.

History

The Panzerlied was composed in 1933 by Oberleutnant Kurt Wiehle.

Some motorized and parachute units of the Italian Army sing the song, especially the 185th Paratroopers Division Folgore under the name "Sui Monti e Sui Mar". In France, they changed some of the lyrics to become the "Marche de Chars" which is used by the 503e Régiment de chars de combat. Half of the song was used as a Namibian patriotic song and unofficial anthem under South African rule, called "Das Südwesterlied". It is called "Canção da Tropa Blindada" in the motorized and parachute units of the Brazilian Army. There is a Spanish translation of the song used in the Chilean Army. It is used in the Chilean Armoured Calvary and the Chilean Naval Academy as a pasacalle.

The lyrics were changed and used in a Kriegsmarine song.

Lyrics

Verse	German	Directly Translated English	Singable English
1	Ob’s stürmt oder schneit, Ob die Sonne uns lacht, Der Tag glühend heiß Oder eiskalt die Nacht, Verstaubt sind die Gesichter, Doch froh ist unser Sinn, Ja unser Sinn. Es braust unser Panzer Im Sturmwind dahin.	Whether it storms or snows, Whether the sun smiles upon us, [Whether in] The day's scorching heat, Or the ice-cold of the night, Dusty are the faces, But joyful are our minds, Yes, our minds. Our tank roars there, Along in the storm winds.	In blizzard or storm, Or in sun warm and bright, The day hot as hell Or bone-chilling be the night, Our faces may with dust be laid, But spirits never fade, No, never fade; Relentless, our tank Thunders out on a raid.
2	Mit donnernden Motoren, Geschwind wie der Blitz, Dem Feinde entgegen, Im Panzer geschützt. Voraus den Kameraden, Im Kampf steh'n wir allein, Steh'n wir allein, So stoßen wir tief In die feindlichen Reih'n.	With thundering engines, Quick as lightning, Towards the enemy, Protected in the tank. Ahead of our comrades, In combat we stand alone, We stand alone. So we strike deep Into the enemy's ranks.	With engines a-thundering, Fast as is the wind, We head for the foe, Safe, as we're in armor skinned. Our comrades still behind us roam; We'll fight the foe alone, Yes, fight alone. We stab through the line To break the foe's backbone.
3	Wenn vor uns ein feindliches Heer dann erscheint, Wird Vollgas gegeben Und ran an den Feind! Was gilt denn unser Leben Für uns'res Reiches Heer? Ja Reiches Heer Für Deutschland zu sterben Ist uns höchste Ehr'.	When before us an enemy Army then appears. Shalt full throttle be given And run to the enemy! What then do our lives count for, For our empire's army? Yes, empire's army To die for Germany Is our highest honor.	Whene'er a foe may appear in our sights, we'll ram throttle full, And we'll humble all his might, For what use would our life be, If country served freely, Yes served freely, to die for our Country, Our honor shall be.
4	Mit Sperren und Minen Hält der Gegner uns auf, Wir lachen darüber Und fahren nicht drauf. Und droh'n vor uns Geschütze, Versteckt im gelben Sand, Im gelben Sand, Wir suchen uns Wege, Die keiner sonst fand.	With obstacles and mines the opponent holds us up, We laugh about it and onto them, don't drive. And guns before us threaten, hidden in the yellow sand, in the yellow sand. We look for ways No others have found.	With tank traps and mines, Our foe tries to impede. We laugh at his ruses; For he shall ne'er succeed. For if much threat his cannons stand, Half-cow’ring in the sand, Yes, in the sand, We can find our way, Over much safer land.
5	Und läßt uns im Stich Einst das treulose Glück, Und kehren wir nicht mehr Zur Heimat zurück, Trifft uns die Todeskugel, Ruft uns das Schicksal ab, Ja Schicksal ab, Dann wird uns der Panzer Ein ehernes Grab.	And should we get abandoned once by treacherous luck, And return we will no more, Back to home, Hitting us, the deathly bullet, Fate calls us away, Yes, fate away. Then becomes the tank for us, an iron grave.	And should at long last, Our cruel Lady Luck leave, Then we'll remain here, Leaving family to grieve, A bullet with our names on it, Shall find us and seal our fate, Yes, our fate, Our tank, our grave will be on that final date.