"Our Proud Varyag Doesn't Surrender to the Enemy", also known as "The Song of Varyag" and colloquially shortened to "Varyag", is a Russian navy ballad march about the warship of the same name and the gunboat Korietz that were fighting against Japanese warships in the Battle of Chemulpo Bay during the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. That year, the Russian lyrics penned by Yevgeniya Studenskaya was a translation based on Austrian writer Rudolf Greinz original German version.[1][2][3]
History[]
During the Battle of Chemulpo Bay, the cruiser Varyag (say: "ver-YACK") and the gunboat Korietz (say: "ker-YEE-its") entered into an unfair battle against six Japanese cruisers and eight destroyers at Chemulpo (now Incheon, South Korea). This caused massive damage to Varyag and the destruction of Korietz.
After the feat of the crew Varyag, Austrian poet Rudolf Greinz wrote a poem titled "Der „Warjag”" based on what previously had happened. His poem published in the tenth issue German magazine Jugend.[1] In April 1904, two Russian translations were created by different authors; one of whom was Yevgeniya whose version garnered the most popularity and was taken into consideration. Russian composer Alexey Turishchev then set her lyrics into music. The song was first performed at a gala reception hosted by Tsar Nikolay II in honour of the officers and sailors of Varyag and Korietz.[2][3]
The song became very popular in Russia. The sailors were especially fond of her. During the First World War, the third verse was removed from the song, since the Japanese then became allies.
Lyrics[]
Russian original[]
| Cyrillic script | Latin script |
|---|---|
Наверх вы, товарищи, все по местам |
Naverh vy, tovarišči, vse po mestam |
Original German version[]
Auf Deck, Kameraden, all` auf Deck!
Heraus zur letzten Parade!
Der stolze 'Warjag' ergibt sich nicht,
Wir brauchen keine Gnade!
An den Masten die bunten Wimpel empor,
Die klirrenden Anker gelichtet,
In sturmischer Eil` zum Gefechte klar
Die blanken Geschutze gerichtet!
Aus dem sichern Hafen hinaus in die See,
Furs Vaterland zu sterben -
Dort lauern die gelben Teufel auf uns
Und speinen Tod und Verderben!
Es drohnt und kracht und donnert und zischt,
Da trifft e suns zur Stelle;
Es ward der 'Warjag', das treue Schiff,
Zu einer brennenden Holle!
Rings zuckede Leiber und grauser Tod,
Ein Aechzen, Rocheln und Stohnen -
Die Flammen um unser Schiff
Wie feuriger Rosse Mabnen!
Lebt wohl, Kameraden, lebt wohl, hurra!
Hinab in die gurgelnde Tiefe!
Wer hatte es gestern noch gedacht,
Dass er heut` schon da drunten schliefe!
Kein Zeichen, kein Kreuz wird, wo wir ruh`n
Fern von der Heimat, melden -
Doch das Meer das rauschet auf ewig von uns,
Von 'Warjag' und seinen Helden![6][7]
English translation[]
On deck, ye comrades, everyone on deck!
Out for the final parade!
Proud Varyag does not surrender,
We don't need mercy!
On the masts are the colourful pennants,
Aloft the jingling anchors,
In stormy haste to clear battle
Aimed are the bare guns!
From safe harbour into the sea,
To die for the fatherland –
That's where the yellowmen1 are lurking
Spewing death and roaming around!
It whistles and rumbles and cracks all around,
The cannons thunder, the shells hiss.
'Twas Varyag, the faithful ship,
Like a burning hell!
Bodies tremble in agony and death.
The thunder of cannons, the groans of men.
The ship's engulfed in flames,
Time to bid farewell!
Farewell, comrades! with God, hooray!
Down into gurgling depths!
Who would've thought yesterday
That we'll perish in the waves today!
Neither stone nor cross will say where we'll rest
To the glory of the Russian flag / Far, far, far away from home
Only sea waves will glorify alone
The heroic death of the Varyag!
- 1 Translated more closely as "yellow devils", a derogatory term used to refer to the Japanese, against whom they were fighting at the time during the Battle of Chemulpo Bay.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Simplicissimus · die historische Satirezeitschrift · Personenliste. Jugend-wochenschrift.de.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Пожар в гостинице «Россия» // Телеканал «Россия» (2005)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Виктор Слюсаренко: «Глас Божий я услышал на дне океана.»
- ↑ Хрестоматия по истории СССР; 1861—1917: Пособие для учителей — Сергей Сергеевич Дмитриев — Google Книги
- ↑ Антология русской песни / Сост., предисл. и коммент. Виктора Калугина. — М.: Изд-во Эксмо, 2005.
- ↑ Оригинал стихотворения "Памяти "Варяга"
- ↑ Nicht immer das alte Lied (2005). Schweizer Monat.