365:
420:, he stated that did not write the song just for his friend and honorable colleague Peter Huchel, but "also for myself." After his forced emigration, he stated in an interview in 1981 "I wrote this red 'church song' as I myself was in danger of hardening. I had at first in East Germany not yet learned, under the hammer of being completely blacklisted, to conquer my distress with vital serenity."
584:
Jürgen Haupt investigates in particular the role of nature, the winter metaphor of the "hard times", and the spring metaphor of the budding branches, with which
Biermann wishes to give himself encouragement to survive the winter in resistance. He warns against an overly stark individuality, which has
262:
In the following three verses, the listener is addressed in a similar manner and told not to become embittered, terrified, or worn down, stating that the goal of "those in power" is for the listener to give up fighting before the final conflict happens, which is those people in power secretly fear.
396:
from much of the outside world aside from a small number of friends who were permitted to visit. He was forbidden from travel and his mail was confiscated; he was only allowed to emigrate in 1971. Andreas M. Reinhard described the poem as a "declaration of solidarity from the younger and stronger
476:("harden", "embitter", "terrify", and "wear down" respectively); each following line uses a word derived from the same root to describe the current times. The fifth and final verse breaks away from the repetitive form of the first four verses and the diction of the text becomes more encouraging.
388:, which enjoyed an international reputation as a platform for East German literature. His undogmatic views repeatedly brought him in conflict with the East German government, culminating in his forced resignation in 1962. For the following nine years, Huchel lived under surveillance by the
573:: "Whoever does not allow themselves to be worn down, embittered, hardened, or used will ultimately break free from the circle of terror, pressure, and racketeering to participate in a new comradely or community spirit." Rühmkorf highlights the allusion to
617:. The poem's plea is not to become accustomed to one's own unhappiness, but instead to resist any creeping embitterment and hardening with a "lighthearted confidence and cheerful composure in the middle of cemetery peace", delivered with the soft voice of
553:
higher, leading to a more pressed tone of voice that emphasizes the metaphor of the budding green branches of a coming spring. The performance underscores the discrepancy between the clichéd image and the desperate wish for its fulfillment.
549:
chord of the parallel major scale. The rhythm provides a feeling of impatience and pressing forward, while the descending lines of the melody suggest a feeling of mourning. The final verse is sung a
207:
at the time. It also reflected on his own resignation as a blacklisted East German artist. The song version was popular in both East and West
Germany and remains one of Biermann's most famous songs.
199:" warns the listener/reader not to become hardened or embittered. The final verse ends with the optimistic image of a coming spring. Biermann dedicated the poem to his friend
408:(The Wire Harp) in 1965 through the West German publisher Verlag Klaus Wagenbach, Biermann had been forbidden from performing or publishing by the Central Committee of the
597:
in the community. The defiant and hopeful spring metaphor can be interpreted as a counterexample to the nature poetry of Peter Huchel, whose works take a drearier and
440:(folk song), where the simple and repetitive form contrasts with the subject of intellectual resignation. The simple style is at times both colloquial and
940:
364:
309:
with "You, don't let yourself be…", the fifth and final verse switches from "You" to "We", which had already surfaced in the third and fourth verses.
1006:
691:
526:, such as lengthening or ironic emphasis throughout the first four verses; the rhythm only becomes more upbeat in the fifth and final verse.
897:
876:
848:
823:
788:
746:
670:
409:
922:
613:
1011:
996:
578:
604:
Beate
Pinkerneil considered the poem a celebration of "the art of living and survival", as it harkens back to
432:
ABAAB. The rhythms have been compared by Birgit Lermen and
Matthias Loewen to those of the earlier works of
991:
800:
608:
161:
986:
981:
527:
805:
577:, which is typical for the religious allegories often found in Biermann's work, labeling the poem as "
960:
166:
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1001:
306:
413:
893:
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844:
819:
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on 7 November 2014 to perform the song in a memorial event 25 years after the fall of the
605:
52:
684:
Orte des
Erinnerns: Gedenkzeichen, Gedenkstätten und Museen zur Diktatur in SBZ und DDR.
550:
523:
511:
433:
172:
95:
758:
716:
975:
384:
153:
31:
956:"Der Drachentöter im Bundestag", video of Biermann in the German federal parliament
734:
586:
538:
515:
429:
417:
379:
200:
146:
102:
412:
and described himself as having achieved the status of an "officially recognized
927:
763:
721:
634:
546:
542:
90:
589:, as well as against isolated resignation. The poem evokes friendship with the
618:
594:
393:
382:. Since 1949, Huchel had been the editor in chief of the literary publication
125:
428:
The poem consists of five verses. Aside from the first verse, all follow the
965:
630:
574:
437:
179:
865:
Du laß dich nicht verzärteln… Anmerkungen zu einer neuen
Biermann-Platte.
150:
312:
The poem ends with the following verse, calling the listener to action:
585:
the danger of hardening and breaking, against the lack of prospects of
519:
441:
611:'s resolution to bring "cheerfulness into suffering" from his novel
598:
389:
363:
204:
27:
178:("4 New Songs"). Biermann later released the song on his 1974
923:
Auftritt im
Bundestag: Der Songtext zu Biermanns "Ermutigung"
514:. Georg Friedrich Kühn noted that the equal emphasis on the
171:, which also released the poem set to music as part of the
156:. It was first published in 1968 in the poetry collection
444:. The first lines of the first four verses use the verbs
705:
Erläuterungen zu Wolf
Biermann. Loblieder und Haßgesänge
203:, who was under house arrest and surveillance by the
145:" ("Encouragement") is a poem and song by the German
890:
Natur und Lyrik. Naturbeziehungen im 20. Jahrhundert
621:art and an "attestation of determined solidarity".
123:
101:
89:
81:
66:
58:
48:
37:
26:
21:
837:Notate zu Wolf Biermann. Gleichsam eine Einleitung
812:Kutsche und Kutscher. Die Musik des Wolf Biermann
941:Germany marks 25 years after Berlin Wall’s fall
775:
773:
717:Ich bin ein staatlich anerkannter Staatsfeind
522:work. Lermen and Loewen point to the lack of
8:
653:
651:
649:
567:
537:observes that the key remains firmly in the
480:
470:
462:
454:
446:
402:
400:After the publication of his book of poetry
373:
322:
276:
225:
194:
139:
368:Wolf Biermann performing in Leipzig in 1989
345:The greenery is bursting from the branches
215:The text begins with the following verse:
18:
841:Wolf Biermann. Liedermacher und Sozialist
818:. Edition Text und Kritik, Munich, 1980,
665:. Insel Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2000,
545:), while the final chord changes to the
397:meant for the older and disillusioned."
250:those who are overly pointed will pierce
645:
244:You, don't let yourself become hardened
36:
25:
759:Triefende Dichtung und banale Wahrheit
266:The fourth verse ends with the lines:
7:
341:We don't want to keep quiet about it
248:Those who are overly hard will break
479:Biermann's musical arrangement of "
661:. In: Marcel Reich-Ranicki (ed.):
372:Wolf Biermann dedicated the poem "
347:we want to show that to everybody,
305:While the first four verses begin
14:
814:. In: Heinz Ludwig Arnold (ed.):
663:Hundert Gedichte des Jahrhunderts
280:du brauchst uns, und wir brauchen
779:Birgit Lermen, Matthias Loewen:
767:, 1981, no. 40, pp. 248-249
725:, 1971, no. 10, pp. 153–161
328:Das Grün bricht aus den Zweigen,
324:Wir woll'n es nicht verschweigen
839:. In: Thomas Rothschild (ed.):
1007:20th-century German literature
625:Biermann in the Bundestag 2014
1:
295:your cheerfulness right now.
278:Du kannst nicht untertauchen,
233:die allzu spitz sind, stechen
231:Die allzu hart sind, brechen,
943:Daily Nation 7 November 2014
330:wir woll'n das allen zeigen,
227:Du, laß dich nicht verhärten
892:. Metzler, Stuttgart 1983,
593:and the liberating "we" of
436:, as well as the form of a
416:" In a 1973 interview with
392:, isolated in his house in
349:then they will understand.
252:and break off immediately.
1028:
783:, 1987, pp. 356–357,
565:summarized the content in
291:You cannot go into hiding,
158:Mit Marx- und Engelszungen
869:Strömungslehre 1. Poesie.
843:. Rowohlt, Reinbek 1976,
629:Biermann appeared in the
332:dann wissen sie Bescheid.
682:Annette Kaminsky (ed.):
235:und brechen ab sogleich.
871:Rowohlt, Reinbek 1978,
485:" alternates between a
343:in this age of silence!
326:in dieser Schweigezeit!
293:you need us and we need
741:Zytglogge, Bern 1973,
568:
481:
471:
463:
455:
447:
403:
374:
369:
323:
282:grad deine Heiterkeit.
277:
229:in dieser harten Zeit.
226:
195:
162:Verlag Klaus Wagenbach
140:
110:Verlag Klaus Wagenbach
703:Andreas M. Reinhard:
410:Socialist Unity Party
367:
16:Song by Wolf Biermann
911:Heiterkeit im Leiden
801:Georg Friedrich Kühn
518:is reminiscent of a
246:in these hard times.
913:, pp. 415–416.
900:, pp. 190–192.
879:, pp. 101–102.
835:Thomas Rothschild:
673:, pp. 413–414.
609:Friedrich Hölderlin
424:Structure and score
909:Beate Pinkerneil:
414:enemy of the state
370:
1012:German literature
968:, 7 November 2014
781:Lyrik aus der DDR
739:Fragen an andere.
692:978-3-86153-443-3
528:Thomas Rothschild
355:
354:
301:
300:
258:
257:
135:
134:
1019:
944:
938:
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931:6 November 2014.
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569:Rezensentenprosa
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378:" to his friend
377:
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317:
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220:
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188:Columbia Records
170:
143:
128:
114:Columbia Records
77:
75:
19:
1027:
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1021:
1020:
1018:
1017:
1016:
997:Political songs
972:
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952:
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753:
733:
729:
715:
711:
702:
698:
686:2nd ed., 2007,
681:
677:
657:Wolf Biermann:
656:
647:
643:
627:
560:
530:
507:
502:
501:
500:
499:
494:
489:
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62:"Encouragement"
42:
40:
38:from the album
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1023:
1015:
1014:
1009:
1004:
999:
994:
989:
984:
974:
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951:
950:External links
948:
946:
945:
933:
915:
902:
888:Jürgen Haupt:
881:
861:Peter Rühmkorf
853:
828:
826:, p. 129.
793:
769:
751:
727:
709:
696:
694:, p. 135.
675:
644:
642:
639:
626:
623:
563:Peter Rühmkorf
559:
558:Interpretation
556:
551:perfect fourth
512:time signature
503:
490:
434:Bertolt Brecht
425:
422:
404:Die Drahtharfe
361:
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186:, released by
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96:Political song
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35:
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6:
4:
3:
2:
1024:
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1008:
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992:Protest songs
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988:
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983:
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898:3-476-00530-5
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877:3-499-25107-8
874:
870:
866:
862:
857:
854:
851:, p. 14.
850:
849:3-499-14017-9
846:
842:
838:
832:
829:
825:
824:3-88377-066-3
821:
817:
816:Wolf Biermann
813:
807:
802:
797:
794:
790:
789:9783506993878
786:
782:
776:
774:
770:
766:
765:
760:
755:
752:
749:, p. 17.
748:
747:3-7296-0027-3
744:
740:
736:
731:
728:
724:
723:
718:
713:
710:
707:, p. 55.
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671:3-458-17012-X
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632:
624:
622:
620:
616:
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606:Romantic poet
602:
600:
596:
592:
591:familiar "Du"
588:
582:
580:
576:
572:
570:
564:
557:
555:
552:
548:
544:
540:
534:
529:
525:
521:
517:
516:quarter notes
513:
506:
493:
483:
477:
475:
473:
467:
465:
459:
457:
451:
449:
443:
439:
435:
431:
423:
421:
419:
415:
411:
407:
405:
398:
395:
394:Wilhelmshorst
391:
387:
386:
385:Sinn und Form
381:
376:
366:
359:
350:
338:
335:
333:
319:
318:
315:
314:
313:
310:
308:
307:anaphorically
296:
288:
285:
283:
273:
272:
269:
268:
267:
264:
253:
241:
238:
236:
222:
221:
218:
217:
216:
210:
208:
206:
202:
197:
193:The text of "
191:
189:
185:
181:
177:
176:4 neue Lieder
174:
168:
163:
159:
155:
154:Wolf Biermann
152:
148:
144:
142:
131:Wolf Biermann
130:
127:
126:Songwriter(s)
122:
115:
112:
109:
108:
106:
104:
100:
97:
94:
92:
88:
84:
80:
69:
65:
61:
59:English title
57:
54:
51:
47:
44:
41:4 neue Lieder
33:
32:Wolf Biermann
29:
20:
987:German songs
982:German poems
959:
936:
926:
918:
910:
905:
889:
884:
868:
864:
856:
840:
836:
831:
815:
811:
796:
780:
762:
754:
738:
735:Franz Hohler
730:
720:
712:
704:
699:
683:
678:
662:
658:
628:
612:
603:
587:subjectivism
583:
566:
561:
539:Aeolian mode
504:
491:
478:
469:
461:
453:
445:
442:epigrammatic
430:rhyme scheme
427:
418:Franz Hohler
401:
399:
383:
380:Peter Huchel
371:
340:
321:
311:
304:
290:
275:
265:
261:
243:
224:
214:
201:Peter Huchel
192:
183:
175:
157:
147:Liedermacher
138:
136:
39:
22:"Ermutigung"
928:Der Spiegel
804: [
764:Der Spiegel
722:Der Spiegel
547:subdominant
543:minor scale
531: [
472:verbrauchen
464:erschrecken
165: [
1002:1968 songs
976:Categories
961:Tagesschau
659:Ermutigung
641:References
619:subversive
595:solidarity
482:Ermutigung
456:verbittern
375:Ermutigung
360:Background
196:Ermutigung
141:Ermutigung
966:Das Erste
631:Bundestag
579:Good news
575:Pentecost
541:(natural
448:verhärten
438:Volkslied
67:Published
614:Hyperion
151:lyricist
82:Recorded
49:Language
43:aah-ja!
599:elegiac
524:accents
520:chorale
211:Content
184:aah-ja!
72: (
925:. In:
896:
875:
847:
822:
787:
745:
690:
669:
601:tone.
468:, and
182:album
173:single
116:(1974)
53:German
808:]
535:]
390:Stasi
205:Stasi
169:]
103:Label
91:Genre
894:ISBN
873:ISBN
867:In:
845:ISBN
820:ISBN
785:ISBN
743:ISBN
688:ISBN
667:ISBN
635:wall
498:and
149:and
85:1968
74:1968
70:1968
28:Song
581:".
160:by
30:by
978::
964:,
958:,
863::
810::
806:de
772:^
761:,
737::
719:,
648:^
637:.
533:de
460:,
452:,
190:.
180:LP
167:de
791:.
505:4
492:4
137:"
76:)
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