"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 lyrics and melody of the song were written by Herms Niel, a German composer of marches. The exact year of the song's origin is not known; often the date is given as "about 1930," a date that, however, has not been substantiated.
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 High School.
Track
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Lyrics
German translation
- 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.
Translation (English)
- On the heath, there blooms a little flower and it's called Erika.
- Eagerly doted on by a hundred thousand little bees, this Erika.
- For her heart is full of sweetness, a tender scent escapes her dress of blossoms.
- 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 small chamber, there also blooms a little flower and it's called Erika.
- At dawn, it looks at me, as does it at dusk. Erika!
- And it is as if it spoke aloud: "Don't you dare forget your little bride."
- Back at home, a maiden weeps for you and she's called Erika.
Notes
- 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.