there we'll meet again

[anneg001]

Has any one read the world war I journal of Jo mihaly, there we'll meet again? Can anyone who can read german tell me what the german reviews were like. I really like the book, so interesting to have a german civilian perspective on the fighting. I had no idea for example that the jews had been blamed for world war I in Germany!

[anneg001]

I am not surprised that people have not read it. I highly recommand it. Perhaps it works for me because I am French. I have grown up absorbing from my surroundings a great deal of resentment at Germans for their terrible war efficacy and their ability to maintain the whole world at war for 4 years before they collapse.

So it is amazing to find this young german kid who is expressing compassion for all the wounded and dying of that war, be them German, Russian, French... Through this extraordinary kid --- who became a dancer and a peace activist in Germany during the rise of Hitler defending gipsies and jews --- it is easier to observe the local people and their reactions. The grandmother dedicated herself to the well being of the soldiers coming through and she wanted peace. But she also wanted the soldiers to win the war, or at least not loose it... This refusal to loose the war is what kept the Kaiser going for two years past his peace negotiation attempts in 1916 (The other side wanted Germany disarmed). And the same thing seems to have happened in Germany the last 6 months even as defeat was obvious.

So here is a portrait of a town, at the interesection of the rear and the front, through its major railway station, its hospitals, prisonner camps, Airplane manufacture... And though it is german, it speaks to me of all of Europe's experience.

Please do post your reaction if you decide to read it.

[Paul Hodges]

Haven't read the full work yet but have read the decent length extracts in both:

Palmer & Wallis (eds) Intimate Voices from the First World War

Cardinal, Goldman & Hattaway (eds) Women's Writing on the First World War

Almost an exact negative of Junger if you know what I mean. Interesting & well overdue a full English translation (if one doesn't exist?) I would imagine. Considering the success of those by Klemperer et al - this may be a nice little earner for someone with better German than I!

[Paul Hodges]

Interesting & well overdue a full English translation (if one doesn't exist?) I would imagine.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Doh! Quick retraction - doing a better search found there is one - if you're looking on Amazon you'll find it under her birthname - Piete Kuhr...

[anneg001]

Yes sorry, I should have said that this book is under the name of piete kuhr; piete was not even her real name, she was officially elfriede kuhr. She took a made up name Jo Mihaly because her family did not want their family name mixed up with the dance world.

The book has the german words and the music for the soldiers song that makes up the title of her book

She gives one version

I had the very best of friends

unequalled far and wide

the drum beat called to battle

and he was by my side

glorious glorious happy and victorious

yes with heart and hand

yes with heart and hand

serving the fatherland

The little woodland birds

sang such a wonderful refrain;

In the homeland, in the homeland,

There we'll meet again!

It gives the music but I was wondering if there is a site on the net where I could listen to the song in german, or CDs even.

I found the german text

Gloria Viktoria

Nun geht's ans Abschiednehmen,

Wir ziehn hinaus ins Feld.

Wir wollen flott marschieren

Die Waffen mutig führen:

Refrain:

Gloria, Gloria, Gloria Viktoria!

Mit Herz und Hand

Fürs Vaterland, fürs Vaterland! -

Die Vöglein im Walde,

Die singen ja so wunderschön,

: In der Heimat, in der Heimat,

Da gibt's ein Wiedersehn. :

Dem Feinde fest entgegen,

Wir schlagen tapfer drein!

Wir wollen mit ihm ringen,

Wir werden ihn bezwingen:

Refrain:

Und liegt der Feind darnieder,

Geschlagen und besiegt,

Dann schallen Jubellieder,

Dann kehren froh wir wieder:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=26601

Gloria Viktoria

1. Now it's time to say good bye,

we're moving out to the [battle]field.

We want to march fast

to wield the weapons bravely!

chorus:

Gloria, Gloria, Gloria Victoria! (in the sense of "victory" I think not the name)

With heart and hand

for the fatherland, for the fatherland!

The birds in the forest,

are singing so beautifully,

in the homeland, in the homeland,

there we'll see us again.

We strongly front the enemy,

we hit him bravely!

We want to struggle with him,

we will beat him!

chorus.

And when the enemy is on the ground,

beaten and defeated,

we sing songs of jubilation,

then we'll go home again.

chorus.