PANZERLIED
the song of the German tank crews
the first verse of the Panzerlied as a motif on a contemporary postcard, source: internet, public domain, modified
The Panzerlied — literally "tank song" — was composed in 1933 as something of an anthem for the newly forming German armoured forces. Its author was Wehrmacht officer and composer Kurt Wiehle. The lyrics cannot really be called directly National Socialist in character. While they do speak of "the army of our Reich", the term Reich had been in use in Germany long before Hitler came to power. This is likely one reason the song was not banned after 1945 and continued to be used. In 2007 the then German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen ordered the song's removal from official army songbooks. Even so, it appears not to have been an outright prohibition on its use — in 2025, for instance, the Panzerlied (music only, without singing) was played at an official ceremony of the Bundeswehr's 1st Panzer Division in Oldenburg. The well-crafted and lively composition also found a following beyond Germany: sometimes as march music without any sung text, and sometimes even furnished with new lyrics of its own, as in the case of the Italian paratroopers' song "Sui Monti e Sui Mar".
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German text 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 Im Sturmwind dahin.
Wenn vor uns ein feindlicher Panzer erscheint, Wird Vollgas gegeben Und ran an den Feind! Was gilt denn unser Leben, Für unsres Reiches Heer, Ja Reiches Heer? Für Deutschland zu sterben Ist uns höchste Ehr.
Und läßt uns im Stich Einst das treulose Glück, Und kehren wir nicht mehr Zur Heimat zurück, Trifft uns die Todeskugel, Ruft uns das Schicksal ab, Ja Schicksal ab, Dann ist unser Panzer Ein ehernes Grab.
Mit donnernden Motoren, So schnell wie der Blitz, Dem Feinde entgegen, Im Panzer geschützt. Voraus den Kameraden, Im Kampfe ganz allein, Steh'n wir allein, So stoßen wir tief In die feindlichen Reihn.
Mit Sperren und Tanks 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 |
English translation Whether it storms or snows, Whether the sun smiles on us, In the scorching heat of the day, Or the freezing cold of the night, Our faces are caked with dust, Yet our spirits are high, Yes, our spirits are high; Our tank thunders onward Through the storm of battle.
When an enemy tank Appears before us, We give it full throttle And charge at the foe! What does our life count for, For the army of our Reich, Yes, our Reich's army? To die for Germany Is our highest honour.
And should fickle fortune One day desert us, And we never return To our homeland again, Should the fatal bullet find us, Should fate call us away, Yes, call us away, Then our tank shall become An iron grave.
With thundering engines, Swift as lightning, Against the enemy, Sheltered by armour plate. Ahead of our comrades, Alone in the fight, We stand alone, And so we strike deep Into the enemy's ranks.
With barriers and tanks The enemy tries to stop us, We laugh at them And drive straight past. And when guns threaten us, Hidden in the yellow sand, In the yellow sand, We find ourselves a way That no one else has found. |
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