The Panzerlied is one of the best known Wehrmacht

Wehrmacht

The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...

songs. It was composed in June 1933 by Oberleutnant

Oberleutnant

Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...

Kurt Wiehle while on his way to Königsbrück

Königsbrück

Königsbrück is a town in the Bautzen district, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated west of Kamenz, and northeast of the Saxon capital Dresden...

. Wiehle adapted a German sailor's song, writing lyrics more appropriate to the Panzerwaffe

Panzerwaffe

Panzerwaffe refers to a command within the Heer of the German Wehrmacht, responsible for the affairs of panzer and motorized forces shortly before and during the Second World War...

. At the time, Germany was clandestinely developing an armored force in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles

Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...

. The song could be considered as a reflection of the German re-armament

German re-armament

The German re-armament was a massive effort led by the NSDAP in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles.During its struggle for power the National Socialist party promised to recover Germany's lost national pride...

, launched at in the same time frame as the song was written.

It has gained fame in the English-speaking world due to its usage in the 1965 film Battle of the Bulge

Battle of the Bulge (film)

Battle of the Bulge is a widescreen war film produced in Spain that was released in 1965. It was directed by Ken Annakin. It starred Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw, Telly Savalas, Robert Ryan, Dana Andrews and Charles Bronson...

. While throughout that film German characters speak English, the song is sung in the original German.

The Panzerlied is still in use by Bundeswehr

Bundeswehr

The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...

and Bundesheer today.

The song is also sung by the Chilean Military and the tune is used for the French Foreign Legion

French Foreign Legion

The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...

 song "Képi Blanc" and, unofficially, by some motorized and parachute units of the Italian army.

The song is also used by the South Korean Army sung in Korean as a Marching Song for its Tank and other Motorized units.

The tune of the Panzerlied is used as the unofficial anthem for the German community of Namibia

German Namibians

German Namibians are a community of people descended from ethnic German colonists who settled in present-day Namibia. In 1883, the German trader Adolf Lüderitz bought what would become the southern coast of Namibia and founded the city of Lüderitz...

, and the unofficial anthem of the then South African-ruled South-West Africa (present day Namibia

Namibia

Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...

). This song is known as "Das Südwesterlied" or "Hart wie Kameldornholz".

Lyrics and translation

German lyrics	Approximate translation
First stanza
Ob's stürmt oder schneit, ob die Sonne uns lacht, Der Tag glühend heiß, oder eiskalt die Nacht, Bestaubt sind die Gesichter, doch froh ist unser Sinn, Ja, unser Sinn, Es braust unser Panzer Panzer A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...  im Sturmwind dahin.	Whether it storms or snows, whether the sun smiles upon us, The day glowing hot, or the ice cold of night. Dusty are our faces, but joyful are our minds, Yes, our minds Our tank rushes forward in the storm.
Second stanza
Mit donnerndem Motor, 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, fast as lightning, Towards the enemy, sheltered in the tank, Ahead of our comrades, in battle we stand alone, We stand alone, That's how we thrust deep into the enemy ranks.
Third stanza
Wenn vor uns ein feindlicher Panzer 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 a hostile tank appears, Full throttle is given and close with the enemy. Ha, what do our lives matter for the Reich's army? Yes, Reich's army? To die for Germany is our highest honour.
Fourth stanza
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 barriers and mines the foe blocks our path, We laugh about it and don't drive upon them. And if cannons threaten before us, hidden in the yellow sand, In the yellow sand, We find ways that no one else has found.
Fifth stanza
Und läßt uns im Stich einst das treulose Glück, Und kehr'n 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.	If one day we're deserted by treacherous luck, And we don't return home anymore, If a deadly bullet hits us, and fate calls us away, Calls us away, Then the tank shall become our honorable grave.

See also

• Königgrätzer Marsch
  Königgrätzer Marsch
  The Königgrätzer Marsch is a famous German military march composed by Johann Gottfried Piefke after the Battle of Königgrätz, 1866, the decisive battle of the Austro-Prussian War, in which the Kingdom of Prussia defeated the Austrian Empire.It was one of Adolf Hitler's favorite marches and was...
  
  
• Erika
  Erika (song)
  Erika is a marching song of the German military. The song was composed by Herms Niel in the 1930s specifically for the Waffen-SS, but it soon came into usage by the Wehrmacht in general, especially the Heer and, to a lesser extent, the Kriegsmarine...
  
  
• Es war ein Edelweiss
  Es war ein Edelweiss
  Es war ein Edelweiss is a march composed by Herms Niel in 1941 for the Wehrmacht Heer, the German Army land forces.- Lyrics and Translation :- See also :* Erika * Königgrätzer Marsch* Panzerlied...
  
  
• Erzherzog-Albrecht-Marsch
  Erzherzog-Albrecht-Marsch
  The Erzherzog-Albrecht-Marsch is a German military march, composed by Karel Komzák II It was used extensively in World War I and World War II, especially during the departures and arrivals of U-boats...
  
  
• Panzer Division
  Panzer Division
  A panzer division was an armored division in the army and air force branches of the Wehrmacht as well as the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II....
  
  

External links and references

• Ingeb Panzerlied page - link to singable English version