06-03-1944, 2nd volume, no. 23, Page 13
06-03-1944, 2nd volume, no. 23, Page 14
06-03-1944, 2nd volume, no. 23, Page 15
06-03-1944, 2nd volume, no. 23, Page 16

cover / introduction table of contents

“When We Set Sail …”

Even without condemning, one must acknowledge the very significant difference between the American people and Germany, where everyone, from high to low, from illiterate to scientific pioneer, is convinced that Germany must fight against Bolshevism, that it is fighting for its life. Even after 4 ½ years of war, there can be no talk of crisis symptoms anywhere.
Dr. Goebbels strongly draws attention to this fact in Das Reich this week and pays tribute to the party to which this remarkable discipline is owed. The German national will is strong. The national determination is unshaken. – 12-5-44

The enemy is preparing something,
And will soon likely strike hard,
And today, Goebbels sings in the newspaper
A praise of German discipline.

He states how excellent,
How great your mood is,
War-weariness is denied,
Germany is completely free from it.

One should look here and there,
No symptoms of crisis are shown,
The German people show no quirks
And swim with the Hitler stream.

And even if the war would last five years,
That doesn’t bother Germany at all,
You hold the honor of the weapons high
And defy the horror of war.

And if the corpses lie sky-high,
Come what may,
There is no wavering or receding,
You endure and do not give in.

Friend Goebbels sings in different tones
Than before in the past,
How cheerfully he spoke in the beautiful,
The good old splendid time,

Which is only four years ago,
Back then he wrote: England stands alone
And so we are firmly determined,
Albion, too, will be ours.

The war was almost over,
The landing was child’s play,
And Germany stared as if blinded
At the almost reached goal.

But apparently something came in between,
Because Hitler did without,
The English dream was blurred,
And you didn’t go against England.

It’s been four years ago and half-forgotten,
Because you have a weak memory,
And due to Russian interests,
England fell somewhat behind.

In all these years, you believed
In the greatest propaganda stuff,
You wanted to set sail for England
And now … England is setting sail for you.

Post-Editing: Sylvia Stawski, Ernst Sittig, Inge Folkers