"Die Ballade zum Reichstagsbrand" | German Antifascist Song

[@ThingsLiamCaresAbout]

This is actually written to the tune of the "Moritat von Mackie Messer", or "The Murder Ballad of Mack the Knife".

[@vasyavsvova5275]

Because it was Ernst Busch who performed Moritat in 1931 "Threepenny Opera" film adaptation.

[@txomin5136]

Translating a lot of the German metaphors and expressions used was very difficult, if you caught any errors please tell me so

[@clemensmueller3884]

"verhören" in this context doesn't mean mishear but interrogate

[@germangamingvideos6069]

Sometimes you translated "denn" with "then" where (I think) it isnt appropriate. In the german text the "denn" is meant to indicate causality (f.e. Das Gebäude anzustecken mussten zwölf gewesen sein, denn (explaining a reason like the word because) es brannte an zwölf ecken). As far as I know the then you used is mainly used in the context of time (like f.e. "afterwards"). TLDR: Imo you should translate "Denn" with a word like "because" instead of "then".

[@enmerkarkingofuruk1806]

I would like to add a few things: 1. You translated "Brand" as "burn", but rather "fire" would be correct in this context. (also: "it smells like a Reichtags fire today" would fit better than "in the air I feel the Reichtag burn" I believe) 2. "Hohes Haus" means something like "mighty house" or "high house" rather than "big house". 3. "Und so war denn durch den Führer / die Verschörung aufgedeckt" does not entail reported speech, thus it should rather be "And thus the conspiracy was resolved by the Führer" marking "Führer" as the (supposed) source of the action.

[@txomin5136]

I appreciate you all for helping me out with these.

[@pamelarose4538]

is there an English translation please?

[@ruhmuhaccer864]

At 5:06 it is supposed to be "des letzen Reichtags Haus in Brand".

[@genossewurzelkobold3141]

What a great song.

[@JoniWan77]

Some late comment on the translation: "Verhören" means in all instances "interrogate" in this song. It's therefore not about mishearing anything, but the fact that the "true perpetrators" cannot be interrogated, since they are doing the interrogation.

[@pyrenaea3019]

Oí a un hombre tararear esta balada en la estación de Donostia como hace un año, eras tú?

[@user-cx6kt3ku2f]

The melody is actually not unique to this song. You can find out more if you google Mackie Messer.