On the Topic of German Thoroughness

However, that it knows other sources from which it draws its human resources is evident from the result of an investigation carried out by German military and medical authorities with their proverbial thoroughness. – DE COURANT 28-1-44

You always boast so much
About your German thoroughness,
And when I hear it, I feel scarce,
I smile, and I pity you.

Yes, you always know everything better
Than any other nation in the world,
That is already established
By the grammar school teacher at school.

And every little elementary school teacher
Instilled in the German youth
That the German right to life weighs heavier,
Is decisive all by itself.

The people of poets and thinkers
That‘s what you proudly called yourselves,
You were the censer of your own incense,
A people that considered itself divine.

You always rave about the German essence,
And the German inventive spirit,
And consider yourselves chosen,
But such things are mostly harmful.

It‘s laughable when you childishly
Boast about your thoroughness,
Often one can see how thoroughly
Really thoroughly you are on the wrong track.

You can organize brilliantly,
No one can deny that,
But to assess value and worth,
You are terribly weak in such matters.

So, a criminal gang could
Thoroughly nest itself among you,
And you were deceived
By a dream of glory and fame.

The German aberration of fascism
Is characterized by thoroughness,
But in your optimism,
You praise it as the spirit of the new era.

You saw the rule of a band of murderers
As a divine grace,
And you covered yourself in dishonor,
Which can never be forgiven.

You were intoxicated with phrases
Of great times in the near future,
People saw you listening to the leader,
And thoroughly you got mired.

Then you thoroughly prepared,
Very thoroughly indeed, for today‘s war,
Yes, you worked hard,
But victory still eludes you.

You planned and calculated,
Considered the risks,
How to deal with any enemy,
How to wipe out cities.

Yes, everything was by the minute, by the hour,
Even down to the smallest detail determined,
But still, you thoroughly erred,
With your power and that of the world.

Frightened, you see with apprehension,
That your calculation is not quite right,
Your enjoyment has been thoroughly ruined,
As fate takes a turn.

You are being vigorously taken to task,
And the Third Reich lies in ruins,
And soon the war will end,
Then you will be thoroughly broken.