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[Sind]1 heute dreiunddreißig Jahr, [Seit]2 ich kein Segel sah, Es steht der Turm unwandelbar, Die Kett' ist ewig da. Sie haben gemauert [den]3 Delphin, In lichtlos Felsgestein Und unerreichbar über ihn Ein [winzig]4 Fensterlein. Nicht daß ich fern von Licht und Tag, Macht mir das Herz so schwer, Als daß ich dich nicht zu schau'n vermag, [Mein]5 heiliges blaues Meer! Ich höre nicht, wie die Brandung rollt Und keiner Möve Geschrill, Und wenn die Kette nicht rasseln wollt', [So wär' es totenstill]6. Sie [bauten wol]7 fern vom Meer den Turm, Wo keine Woge prallt, Kein Bootsmann pfeift und pfeift kein Sturm, Kein Schuß den Sturm durchschallt. Nicht daß man in schweigende Nacht mich warf, Macht mir das Herz so schwer, Als daß ich dich nicht hören darf, [Mein]8 tiefaufdonnerndes Meer! Mein greises Gebein ist schwer und leer, Mein Leib wird nimmer heil, Die Faust schwingt [nimmer die]9 Lunte mehr Und nimmer das Enterbeil! - Die große Flagge auf den Mast, Die Breitseit' lasset seh'n, Und Jungens, wen auf's Korn ihr faßt, Der Teufel hole den! - Nicht daß ich verwelkt in Haft und Bann, Macht mir das Herz so schwer, Als daß ich auf dir nicht fechten kann, [Mein]8 kampferschüttertes Meer! [Nun drauf]10 und dran geentert keck, Und feuert noch einmal! Ha!, Schiff an Schiff und Deck an Deck, Und ich der Admiral! O fiel' ich doch im Kugelgezisch! Hier lieg' ich siech und wund, Hinschmachtend wie im Sand ein Fisch Und sterbend wie ein Hund. Nicht daß ich sterbe Zoll um Zoll, Macht mir das Herz so schwer, Als daß ich auf dir nicht sterben soll, [Mein]8 oft bezwungenes Meer. Die [Segel]11 hängt das Schiff im Leid, Ein schwarzes verwittwetes Weib, Die Flagge deckt als Sterbekleid Den toten Heldenleib. Er sinkt ins Meer [von der Spiegelwand]12, Das bebt voll heiliger Scheu. - Mich aber scharren sie in den Sand Und schießen nicht einmal dabei! Nicht daß mein Leben hier verrann, Macht mir das Herz so schwer, Als daß ich in dir nicht schlafen kann, Du Heldengrab, [mein]13 Meer!
Confirmed with Gedichte von Moritz Graf Strachwitz - Gesammtausgabe, Verlag von Eduard Trewendt, Breslau, Germany 1878, Page 309.
1 Loewe, Randhartinger: "'s sind"2 Loewe, Randhartinger: "daß"
3 Loewe, Randhartinger: "mich, den"
4 Loewe, Randhartinger: "kleines"
5 Loewe, Randhartinger: "du"
6 Loewe, Randhartinger: "Wär' alles grabesstill"
7 Loewe, Randhartinger: "bauten"
8 Loewe, Randhartinger: "Du"
9 Loewe, Randhartinger: "keine"
10 Loewe: "Drauf"
11 Loewe, Randhartinger: "Flügel"
12 Loewe, Randhartinger: "vom Schiffesrand,"
13 Loewe, Randhartinger: "o"
Authorship:
- by Moritz, Graf von Strachwitz (1822 - 1847), "Der gefangene Admiral" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Eduard Lassen (1830 - 1904), "Der gefangene Admiral", published 1869, orchestrated 1875? [ baritone and piano or orchestra ], from Drei Lieder für Bariton, no. 1, Breslau, Hainauer [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Der gefangene Admiral", op. 115 (1850), published 1850 [ tenor and piano ], Confirmed with Loewe-Album, Edited by Dr Max Runze, Robert Lienau, Berlin 1882, Volume VI, Page 30. [sung text checked 2 times]
- by Benedikt Randhartinger (1802 - 1893), "Der gefangene Admiral" [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Iain Sneddon) , "The Captured Admiral", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "L'amiral emprisonné", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "L'ammiraglio prigioniero", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 60
Word count: 339
It was thirty-three years ago today, since I saw any sail, the tower is unchanged, the chains are always there. They have imprisoned me, the Dauphin, in a lightless, dark-stoned cell and, unreachable high above, a tiny window. It is not that I'm far from light and day that makes my heart so sad but that I cannot see you; sacred blue sea! I do not hear the rolling breakers nor the seagull’s cries, and if the chains didn’t rattle, it would be as silent as the grave. They built the tower far from the sea, where no waves crash, no boatswain whistles and no whistling storm, no gunshot resounds through the storm. It is not that you threw me into this silent night, that makes my heart so sad but that I may not hear you; deep-thunderous sea. My old bones are heavy and hollow, my body will never heal, this fist shall swing a fuse no more and never more the boarding axe. Hoist the main flag on the mast! let’s see the broadside! and boys, on whom you fix your aim, send them down to the devil. It is not that I waste away in captivity that makes my heart so sad, but that I cannot fight on you; battle-scarred sea! Aft and forward, board them boldly and open fire again! Hey! Ship against ship and deck to deck, and I the Admiral! Oh, if only I fell amongst hissing bullets! Here I lie, sick and sore, beached like a fish on the sand and dying like a dog! It is not that I'm going to die bit by bit that makes my heart so sad but that I should not die on you; frequently conquered sea. The sails hang sorrowfully from the ship, like a black-clothed widow, the flag, as a shroud, covers the hero's dead body. From the side of the ship he sinks into the sea, which trembles with sacred humility, but they will bury me in the sand and will not fire a salute. It is not that my life is passing here that makes my heart so sad but that I cannot sleep within you; O sea, a hero's grave.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 by Iain Sneddon, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Moritz, Graf von Strachwitz (1822 - 1847), "Der gefangene Admiral"
This text was added to the website: 2019-05-10
Line count: 60
Word count: 368