Volk ans Gewehr

Volk ans Gewehr (People to Arms) was the refrain of the very popular 1931 Nazi song "Siehst du im Osten das Morgenrot" (Do you see dawn in the east).

[2] The song, which was characterized by a hammering march rhythm, was first heard at a rally in the Berlin Sportpalast on 8 January 1932 by about 150 Sturmabteilung (SA) people of Standard 7 and performed publicly by the Fuhsel Chapel.

[citation needed] A Swedish translation of the song, Folk i gevär, was additionally used as an anthem by the Nationalsocialistiska Arbetarepartiet.

[3] The decisive bars of the song were used shortly after the Nazi seizure of power by the Berlin radio station.

Lectures at German universities or student council meetings also started with the song after 1933.

The historian Jutta Sywottek describes this as a subtle educational tool of the National Socialists for propaganda and preparation for war.

[citation needed] Siehst du im Osten das Morgenrot?

Wir halten zusammen, auf lebend, ob tot, mag kommen, laß immer da wolle!

Born among the people, a leader arose to us and gave faith and hope to Germany again.

Deutscher, wach auf nun und reihen dich ein, wir schreiten dem Siege entgegen!

The slogan People to arms goes back to a poem from 1820 ("Freedom, your tree is rotting/everyone on the begging stick/soon bites into the hunger grave/people's rifle").

The melody has a minor character, fifth and fourth structures, as well as echoes of church modes of the 19th century song type.

In Austria, comparable provisions apply due to Section 3 of the Prohibition Act of 1947.