Song in The Blue Max

[Lyle]

OK, this must have been asked by now, but I'm too lazy to do a search this evening. It's the song that the pilots are singing on their way to the chateau with Bruno Stachel in tow where he's already sparring with Willi von Klugermann about victories and such.
Something about "a girl in Poland".
This sounds like one of those student songs you'd hear in Heidelberg or Stuttgart just before the war.
Danke!

[Paddy]

There was a town in Poland
And there, a girl we found.
Love-ly was she.
But do not kiss me please, she said
I never kiss.
She was the bawdiest thing
that ever we beheld.
But do not kiss me please, she said
I never kiss...

or something like that...

[Kirby]

If memory serves me correctly:

In einem polen Städtchen
Da wohnte einst ein Mädchen,
Sie war so schön.

Sie war das alleschönste Kind
Daß man in Polen find.
Aber nein. nein, nein sprach sie.
Ich küsse nie.

In a little Polish town,
There lived once a maiden.
She was so beautiful.

She was the most beautiful child
That one finds in Poland.
But no, no, no said she.
I never kiss.

I think.

[StephenLawson]

There was a town in Poland...
There lived the bawdiest girl
that ever we beheld

(She would do anything for money but she would not kiss.)

[Kirby]

One last try:

In einem polen Städtchen
In a Polish little town

Da wohnte einst ein Mädchen,
There lived once a maiden,

Sie war so schön.
She was so beautiful.

Sie war das alleschönste Kind
She was the most beautiful child

Daß man in Polen find.
That one in Poland finds.

Aber nein. nein, nein sprach sie.
But no no no said she.

Ich küsse nie.
I kiss never.

Apparently you guys feel about this song the way the Democrats feel about the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. It says what it says but it really doesn't mean what it says.

SIGHHHH!

[Kirby]

.....and here's the whole song:

In einem polen städtchen, da wohnte einst ein Mädchen. Sie war so schön.
Sie war das allerschönste Kind, das man in Polen find. "Aber nein, nein, nein," sprach sie "Ich küsse nie!"

Wir spielten einstmals Mühle, ich gewann bei diesem Spiele und sprach zu ihr: "Bezahle deine, deine Schuld mit eines Kusses Huld". "Aber nein..."

Ich führte sie zum Tanze, da fiel aus ihrem Kranze ein Röslein rot. Ich hob es auf von ihrem Fuss, bat schnell um einen Kuss. "Aber nein ..."

Und als der Tanz zu Ende, da reicht sie mir die Hände zum letzten Mal. Sie lag in meinem, meinem Arm, mir schlug das Herz so war. "Aber nein ..."

Und in der Abschiedsstunde, da fiel aus ihrem Munde ein einzig Wort: "So nimm, du stolzer Grenadier, den ersten Kuss von mir, vergiss Maruschka nicht, das Polenkind"

Und als ich kam nach Polen und wollt' Maruschka holen, ich fand sie nicht. Ich suchte da, ich suchte dort, ich suchte an jedem Ort, aber fand Maruschka nicht, das Polen kind.

In einem tiefen Teiche, da fand man ihre Leiche, sie war ganz grün. Sie hielt 'nen Zettel in der Hand, auf dem geschrieben stand; "ich hab nur einmal geküsst und schwer gebüsst."

[Lyle]

Thanks guys, this is about as much an enthusiast can ask for...the whole thing!

[Kirby]

Originally Posted by Lyle

This sounds like one of those student songs you'd hear in Heidelberg or Stuttgart just before the war.
Danke!

Being a student of German song and poetry I feel compelled to make one last statement.

This is what is known as a Bänkellied; i.e. the German equivalent of an American ballad. Usually of a very melancholy nature such as "The Face on the Barroom Floor" or "The Baggage Coach Ahead".

This song is about a very virtuous Polish girl named Maruschka. She has never allowed herself to be kissed. A Grenadier meets her and falls in love with her. He tries several times to get her to let him kiss her. Once during a game of Spin the Bottle, again when he takes her to a dance and hands her a little red rose that has fallen from her wreath. Again when they leave the dance arm in arm. Still she won't let him kiss her.

Finally when the time comes for them to part she is so moved she tells him,"So come you proud Grenadier and take the first kiss from me. Don't forget Maruschka, the Polish child."

When the Grenadier returns finally to Poland he tries to find her. He looks everywhere but without success. Finally he learns her body was found in a deep pond and had apparently been there quite some time. She had a note in her hand saying she had been kissed only once and paid a heavy penalty for what she felt was something wrong. In short, she was so guilt ridden she committed suicide.

She was not a bawd or a whore but a very virtuous and naive young girl.

And that's the rest of the story.

VBR
Kirby