View source for Alte Kameraden

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{short description|German military march}}
{{Infobox musical composition
| name     = "Alte Kameraden"
| translation = "Old Comrades"
| type     = [[w:March (music)|March]]
| composer = [[w:Carl Teike|Carl Teike]]
| catalogue     = [[w:Armeemarschsammlung|Armeemarschsammlung]] HM II, 150
| composed = {{Start date|1889}}: Germany
}}
{{Listen
| filename    = Alte Kameraden (Old Comrades) - Victor Militarkapelle.mp3
| title       = Alte Kameraden (Old Comrades)
| description = Alte Kameraden (Old Comrades) by Victor Militarkapelle; Taike Victor (73285-B)
| pos         = right
}}
"'''{{lang|de|italic=no|Alte Kameraden}}'''" ("Old Comrades") is the title of a popular German military [[w:march (music)|march]].<ref name="Teike">{{cite news |date=2 June 1965 |title=Neue Kameraden |url=https://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-46272866.html |work=[[w:Der Spiegel|Der Spiegel]] |location=Hamburg |language=de |access-date=9 April 2019}}</ref> It is included in the ''[[w:Armeemarschsammlung|Armeemarschsammlung]]'' as HM II, 150.

==History==
[[File:Carl Albert Hermann Teike.png|thumb|upright|[[w:Carl Teike|Carl Teike]] in 1895]]

The march was written around 1889 in [[w:Ulm|Ulm]], Germany, by military music composer [[w:Carl Teike|Carl Teike]].<ref name="Kameraden">{{cite news |last=Schröder |first=Dietrich |date=7 May 2014 |title=Wie die "Alten Kameraden" nach Gorzów kamen |url=https://www.moz.de/kultur/artikelansicht/dg/0/1/1277245/ |work=MOZ.de |location=Frankfurt an der Oder |publisher=Märkisches Medienhaus |language=de |access-date=8 April 2019}}</ref> Teike wrote many pieces for the marching band of Grenadier-Regiment König Karl (5. Württembergisches) No. 123. When bringing his newly composed march to the regiment, the [[w:Kapellmeister|Kapellmeister]] Oelte simply told him: "We've got plenty enough of musical marches, put this one in the stove!".<ref name="Kameraden" /> This episode eventually led to Teike taking his leave of the band and naming the march as "Alte Kameraden". A publisher purchased the song from him for 25 German Goldmark.<ref name="Hohenstein" /> In 1895, the Nowaweser Kapelle Fritz Köhler premiered the march.<ref name="Hohenstein" /> Alte Kameraden later became one of the most popular marches in the world.<ref name="Hohenstein" /> It was played in 1937 at the coronation ceremony for English King George VI.<ref name="Hohenstein" /> The march can also be heard in the film ''[[w:Der blaue Engel|Der blaue Engel]]''.<ref name="Hohenstein" /> Teike later worked as a police officer but also continued composing military marches.<ref name="Hohenstein">{{cite news |last=Hohenstein |first=Erhart |date=4 August 2007 |title=Weltberühmte "Alte Kameraden" |url=https://www.pnn.de/potsdam/weltberuehmte-alte-kameraden/22486470.html |work=[[w:Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten|Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten]] |location=Potsdam |access-date=21 August 2020}}</ref>

Due to its militaristic connotations, the march was banned in Germany after both [[w:World War I|World War I]] and [[w:World War II|World War II]]. According to one source, the march became popular among Finnish amateur photography clubs after "kameraden" was mistranslated to "cameramen" in [[w:Finnish language|Finnish]].<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Kaup|first1=Monika|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tCF5Cif9nxIC&q=Alte+Kameraden+pop+culture&pg=PA19|title=Mixing Race, Mixing Culture: Inter-American Literary Dialogues|last2=Rosenthal|first2=Debra|date=15 August 2002|publisher=University of Texas Press|isbn=978-0-292-74348-9|language=en}}</ref>

== Lyrics ==
:<score sound="1">
\relative c'' { 
  \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"flute"
  \tempo 2 = 120
  \key bes \major
  \time 2/2
  d4 r4 d4 r4 | d4 r4 d8 cis d es | f4 r4 f4 r4 | f4 r4 f8 e f a | bes4 r4 a4 r4 | g r8 f8 e4 r8 f8 | a1 ~ a4 r4 r2
}
</score>
{|
|<poem>{{Lang|de|italic=no|Alte Kameraden auf dem Marsch durchs Land
Schließen Freundschaft felsenfest und treu.
Ob in Not oder in Gefahr,
Stets zusammen halten sie auf's neu.}}</poem>
|<poem>Old comrades on the march through the country
Hold friendship rock solid and true.
Whether in need or in danger
Always together they keep it new.</poem>
|-
|<poem>{{Lang|de|italic=no|Zur Attacke geht es Schlag auf Schlag,
Ruhm und Ehr soll bringen uns der Sieg,
Los, Kameraden, frisch wird geladen,
Das ist unsere Marschmusik.}}</poem>
|<poem>During the attack, things happen fast,
Victory will bring us glory and honor,
Come, comrades, we shall reload,
This is our marching music.</poem>
|-
|<poem>{{Lang|de|italic=no|Im Manöver zog das ganze Regiment
Ins Quartier zum nächsten Dorfhauselement
Und beim Wirte das Geflirte
Mit den Mädels und des Wirtes Töchterlein.}}</poem>
|<poem>During maneuvers, the whole regiment
Took quarters in a nearby village
And at the inn we had a flirt
With the girls and the landlord's daughter.</poem>
|-
|<poem>{{Lang|de|italic=no|Lachen scherzen, lachen scherzen, heute ist ja heut'
Morgen ist das ganze Regiment wer weiß wie weit.
Kameraden, ja das Scheiden ist nun einmal unser Los,{{0|—}}
Darum nehmt das Glas zur Hand und wir rufen "Prost".}}</poem>
|<poem>Laughing joking, laughing joking, today is today
Tomorrow the whole regiment will be who knows how far away.
Comrades, that parting is truly now our fate
So take up the glass and we shout "Cheers".</poem>
|-
|<poem>{{Lang|de|italic=no|Alter Wein gibt Jugendkraft;
Denn es schmeckt des Weines Lebenssaft.
Sind wir alt, das Herz bleibt jung
Und gewaltig die Erinnerung.}}</poem>
|<poem>Old wine gives the strength of youth,
Because the taste of wine is the elixir of life.
Even if we are old, the heart stays young
And grand the memories.</poem>
|-
|<poem>{{Lang|de|italic=no|Ob in Freude, ob in Not,
Bleiben wir getreu bis in den Tod.
Trinket aus und schenket ein
Und laßt uns alte Kameraden sein.}}</poem>
|<poem>Whether in joy, whether in need,
We remain faithful unto death.
Drink up and pour again
And let's be old comrades.</poem>
|-
|<poem>{{Lang|de|italic=no|Sind wir alt, das Herz bleibt jung,
Schwelgen in Erinnerung.
Trinket aus und schenket ein
Und laßt uns alte Kameraden sein.}}</poem>
|<poem>Even if we are old, the heart stays young,
Delighting in memories.
Drink up and pour again
And let's be old comrades.</poem>
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Döll | first=Karl Anton | title=Alte Kameraden | year=1965 | oclc=73323052 | language=de | page=}}

== External links ==
*{{YouTube|-ai6DCuH-OM|"Alte Kameraden" (wind band)}}
*{{YouTube|2JrL9VpLBac|"Alte Kameraden" (band, choir)|link=no}}
*[http://victor.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/talent/detail/46083/Teike_Carl_composer Carl Teike] on [[w:Victor Records|Victor Records]]

[[Category:German songs]]
[[Category:German military marches]]
[[Category:1889 songs]]
[[Category:Songs about friendship]]