Es war ein Edelweiss (English: "It Was an Edelweiss") is a march, with music and lyrics composed by Herms Niel in 1941 for the German Army.[1]

Lyrics and Translation

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German lyrics Approximate translation Exact translation
First stanza

Ganz einsam und verlassen
an steiler Felsenwand,
stolz unter blauem Himmel
ein kleines Blümelein stand
Ich konnt' nicht widerstehen,
ich brach das Blümelein,
und schenkte es dem schönsten,
herzliebsten Mägdelein

Es war ein Edelweiß,
ein kleines Edelweiß,
Holla-hidi hollala,
Hollahi diho.

Forlorn and all abandoned,
On a cliff face that loomed
Proud, under the blue sky,
A tiny flower bloomed.
I just could not resist it,
and picked it where it grew,
And gave it to the dearest
That my heart ever knew

It was an edelweiss,
One little edelweiss,
Holla-hidi hollala,
Hollahi diho.

Entirely lonesome and abandoned
on steep cliff wall,
proud under blue heaven
a little flower stands
I could not withstand,
I broke the flower,
and gave it to the loveliest
heart's-dearest maiden

It was an edelweiss,
One little edelweiss,
Holla-hidi hollala,
Hollahi diho.

Second stanza

Sie trägt es mir zu Ehren
an ihrem Sonntagskleid.
Sie weiß, dass dieses Blümelein
ein Männerherz erfreut.
Sie trägt es mir zuliebe,
und ich bin stolz darauf,
denn diese kleine Blümelein
schloss einst zwei Herzen auf.

Es war ein Edelweiß
ein kleines Edelweiß,
Holla-hidi hollala,
Hollahi diho.

She wore with pride and honour,
It on her Sunday best.
She knows this little, tiny star
A man's heart cheers the best.
Just for my sake she wore it,
And it does make me proud,
'cause of this little flower,
Two hearts each other vowed.

It was an edelweiss,
One little edelweiss,
Holla-hidi hollala,
Hollahi diho

She wore it in my honour,
on her Sunday´s dress.
She knows this little star
cheers a man´s heart
she wore it for my sake
And I´m proud of that
because this little flower
once locked two hearts up

It was an edelweiss,
One little edelweiss,
Holla-hidi hollala,
Hollahi diho

Third stanza

So einsam und verlassen,
wie dieses Blümelein stand,
so standen wir im Leben,
bis Herz zu Herz sich fand.
Ein Leben voller Liebe
und Glück und Sonnenschein
hat uns gebracht das kleine,
einsame Blümelein.

Es war ein Edelweiß,
ein kleines Edelweiß,
Holla-hidi hollala,
Hollahi diho.

So lonesome and abandoned,
As this small flower stood,
So were our lives forlorn
Till two hearts joined for good.
A life of love forever
With luck and shining sun,
Is what this flow'r presented,
What it for us has done.

It was an edelweiss,
One little edelweiss,
Holla-hidi hollala,
Hollahi diho

So lonesome and abandoned,
as this small flower stood,
so we stand in life,
until heart to heart finds one another.
A life full of love
With luck and sunshine,
was brought to us by
the lonely little flower.

It was an edelweiss,
One little edelweiss,
Holla-hidi hollala,
Hollahi diho.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bund Deutscher Fallschirmjäger e. V., ed. (1983). Liederbuch der Fallschirmjäger [Songbook of the paratroopers] (in German).
  2. ^ Lyrics, Musikum