Der Hohenfriedberger Explained

"Der Hohenfriedberger"
Type:	March
Composer:	possibly Frederick the Great
Catalogue:	AM I, 21
Composed:	(piano rendition)
Occasion:	Commemoration of Battle of Hohenfriedberg (1745)
Text:	Written for 100th anniversary of the battle (1845)

"Der Hohenfriedberger" (AM I, 21 (Army March I, 1c and Army march III, 1b)), also called "Hohenfriedberger Marsch" or "Der Hohenfriedberger Marsch", is one of the most classic and well known German military marches. It takes its name from the victory of the Prussians over the allied Austrians and Saxons on 4 June 1745 during the Second Silesian War at the Battle of Hohenfriedberg, near Striegau.

History

There are many legends surrounding the origins of the march. Supposedly, the Bayreuther dragoon regiment, which was crucial in securing a Prussian victory, reported to its quarters the day after the battle while the march was played. Whether the march was actually played then is just as questionable as the claim that Frederick II of Prussia was the composer of the piece. (The melody appears to be largely derived from The Pappenheimer March, which dates from the early-17th century.) It is understood that the king issued to the Bayreuther dragoon regiment a Gnadenbrief, or "letter of grace", that authorized it to play both grenadier marches of the foot soldiers (with flutes and drums) and the cuirassier marches of the cavalry (with kettledrums and trumpet fanfare).

The lyrics were certainly composed later; at the time of the victory of Hohenfriedberg, these Dragoons did not yet bear the title "Ansbach-Bayreuth".

The first outline (piano rendition) was written in 1795. For the first time in 1845, in celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the battle, the march was given lyrics, "Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner! Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth!...." because the regiment by then had been renamed "Ansbach-Bayreuth". In the time of the German Kaiser the title "Hohenfriedberger" was symbolic both on the basis of its connection with the great military victories of Friedrich II and because of the authorship of the House of Hohenzollern.

In the year 1866, in commemoration of the victories of Friedrich II against the Austrians, Johann Gottfried Piefke added Der Hohenfriedberger as a trio to his "Königgrätzer Marsch" written after the victorious Battle of Königgrätz.

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Lyrics

Original 1845 commermorativeGerman lyrics	English translation
1st Stanza: Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner! Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth	Schnall um deinen Säbel und rüste dich zum Streit! Prinz Karl ist erschienen auf Friedbergs Höh'n, Sich das preußische Heer mal anzusehen.	1st Stanza: Up, Ansbach-Dragoons! Up, Ansbach-Bayreuth	Buckle on your sabre and brace yourself for battle! Prince Charles has appeared on Friedberg's heights himself to look at the Prussian Army.
Refrain (2x): Drum, Kinder, seid lustig und allesamt bereit: Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner! Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth	Drum, Kinder, seid lustig und allesamt bereit: Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner! Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth		Refrain (2x): So, boys, be jolly and all ready to go. Up, Ansbach Dragoons! Up, Ansbach-Bayreuth	So, boys, be jolly and all ready to go. Up, Ansbach Dragoons! Up, Ansbach-Bayreuth
2nd Stanza: Hab'n Sie keine Angst, Herr Oberst von Schwerin, Ein preuß'scher Dragoner tut niemals nicht flieh'n! Und stünd'n sie auch noch so dicht auf Friedbergs Höh'n, Wir reiten sie zusammen wie Frühlingsschnee.	2nd Stanza: Have no worries, Colonel von Schwerin,^[1] A Prussian Dragoon does not flee, never! And they^[2] also still stand so close together on Friedberg's height, We could ride them down like spring snow.^[3]
Refrain (2x): Ob Säbel, ob Kanon', ob Kleingewehr uns dräut: Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner! Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth	Drum, Kinder, seid lustig und allesamt bereit: Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner! Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth		Refrain (2x): Whether sabre, whether cannon, whether musket, threaten us: Up, Ansbach Dragoons! Up, Ansbach-Bayreuth	So, boys, be jolly and all ready to go: Up, Ansbach Dragoons! Up, Ansbach-Bayreuth
3rd Stanza: Halt, Ansbach-Dragoner! Halt, Ansbach-Bayreuth	Wisch ab deinen Säbel und laß vom Streit; Denn ringsumher auf Friedbergs Höh'n Ist weit und breit kein Feind mehr zu seh'n.	3rd Stanza Stop, Ansbach Dragoons! Stop, Ansbach-Bayreuth	Wipe your saber and leave the battle; For all around on Friedberg's heights Is far and wide seen no more of our Enemy^[4]
Refrain: Und ruft unser König, zur Stelle sind wir heut': Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner! Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth	Drum, Kinder, seid lustig und allesamt bereit: Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner! Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth		Refrain: And calls our King, to the place we are today: Up, Ansbach Dragoons! Up, Ansbach-Bayreuth	So, boys, be jolly and all ready to go: To the Ansbach Dragoons! To Ansbach-Bayreuth

See also

• Königgrätzer Marsch
• Yorckscher Marsch
• Badonviller Marsch
• Old Comrades

Notes and References

1. Refers to Otto Magnus von Schwerin, the regiment's Colonel. He is not to be confused with his contemporary Kurt Christoph, Graf von Schwerin (no relation), the famous Prussian Field Marshal.
2. "They" refers to the Austrians, still positioned on the Friedburg Heights above them.
3. The uniforms of the allied Austrian and Saxon forces were white, like fresh snow. The speaker is boasting that the close-packed white-coated Austrians would melt away before the Dragoons' charge like a field of springtime snow.
4. The Prussian 5th (Bayreuther) Dragoon Regiment (later renamed the Ansbach-Bayreuth Dragoons) destroyed 20 battalions of Austrian and Saxon troops and captured 2,500 prisoners and 67 regimental standards. This forced Prince Charles of Lorraine to retreat.