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"Erika" (or "Auf der Heide blüht ein kleines Blümelein" ("On the Heath a Little Flower Blooms") is a marching song of the German military. The song was composed by Herms Niel in the 1930s (no clearly date is given), and it soon came into usage by the Wehrmacht, especially the Heer and to a lesser extent, the Kriegsmarine.

The theme of the song is based on "Erika" being both a common German female name and the German word for heather. In itself, the song has no military themes, beyond the fact that the narrator (evidently a soldier, though this is not explicitly stated) is away from his beloved and recalls her when seeing the plant which has the same name.

The song was originally published in 1938 by the publishing firm Louis Oertel in Großburgwedel. It was a great success even before the start of World War II. Niel, who joined the NSDAP in early May 1933 and became a leading Kapellmeister at the Reichsarbeitdienst, created numerous marches that largely served the National Socialist propaganda campaigns. In particular the Reichspropagandaminister Joseph Goebbels, noticed early that down-to-earth, simple songs were a useful propaganda tool.

The song (along with Panzerlied) is used by Kuromorimine Girls Academy.


On the Heath a Little Flower Blooms
♦ LYRICS ♦




Auf der Heide blüht ein kleines Blümelein

und das heißt: Erika

Heiß von hunderttausend kleinen Bienelein

wird umschwärmt Erika

denn ihr Herz ist voller Süßigkeit

zarter Duft entströmt dem Blütenkleid

Auf der Heide blüht ein kleines Blümelein

und das heißt: Erika




In der Heimat wohnt ein kleines Mägdelein

und das heißt: Erika

Dieses Mädel ist mein treues Schätzelein

und mein Glück, Erika

Wenn das Heidekraut rot-lila blüht

singe ich zum Gruß ihr dieses Lied

Auf der Heide blüht ein kleines Blümelein

und das heißt: Erika




In mein'm Kämmerlein blüht auch ein Blümelein

und das heißt: Erika

Schon beim Morgengrau'n sowie beim Dämmerschein

schaut's mich an, Erika

Und dann ist es mir, als spräch' es laut

Denkst du auch an deine kleine Braut?

In der Heimat weint um dich ein Mägdelein

und das heißt: Erika



On the heath, there blooms a little flower

and it's called Erika

Eagerly a hundred thousand little bees

swarm around Erika

For her heart is full of sweetness

a tender scent escapes her blossom-gown

On the heath, there blooms a little flower

and it's called Erika




Back at home, there lives a little maiden

and she's called Erika

That girl is my faithful little darling

and my joy, Erika!

When the heather blooms in a reddish purple

I sing her this song in greeting

On the heath, there blooms a little flower

and it's called Erika




In my room, there also blooms a little flower

and it's called Erika

Already In the grey of dawn, as it does at dusk

It looks at me, Erika!

And then it's to me as if it's saying aloud

Are you thinking of your fiancée?

Back at home, a maiden weeps for you

and she's called Erika


Trivia[]

  • Kuromorimine's second in command Erika Itsumi is named after this song.
  • The song appears without lyrics and recomposed maintaining the rhythm with different instruments.
  • The song is like the German equivalent of Katyusha which is about a woman waiting for her beloved one to come back from the war.
  • This song also appeared as an OST in another WWII themed anime, Strike Witches. And is sung in an appropriate Japanese Lyrics.


Videos[]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V0cVBb94fw

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