Below, I translated the lyrics of the song DEUTSCHLAND by Rammstein from German to English.
These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!
Verse 1
You've cried a lot
This is also referencing another famous song by Rammstein called 'Du Hast'
In spirit separated
Referencing how Germany was previously separated into different countries before the re-unification
In heart united
We've been together a very long time
Or: We've been together for a very long time
Your breath cold
The heart in flames
Or: Your heart on fire
You, you can
I, I know
We, we are
You all, you all stay
Chorus 1
Germany! My heart in flames
The burning heart also appeared before in a previous Rammstein song: 'Mein Herz brennt' (My heart burns)
I want to love you and damn you
He wants to love Germany, but has internal resistance to do so because of the past actions of his country
Germany! Your breath cold
So young and yet so old
Germany!
Verse 2
I! You have
I never want to leave you
One can love you
And wants to hate you
Or (combined with the previous lyric): One wants to love you and also to hate you
Arrogant, superior
This likely refers to the presumptous (überheblich) theory of the Nazis that the Germans would be superior (überlegen) over others
To take over, to hand over
To surprise, to attack
This likely refers to the surprise attack of Germany on Poland during the war in 1939
Germany, Germany above everyone
This is a reference to the old version of the German anthem, which is no longer sung due to it's heave usage during the war times
Chorus 2
Germany! My heart in flames
I want to love you and damn you
Germany! Your breath cold
So young and yet so old
Germany! Your love is a blessing and a curse
Talking about his love for his country, his homeland, the singer also reflects on the evil history of Germany
Germany! My love I cannot give you
This could refer to how he wants to love Germany, but cannot because of the other people's potential misunderstanding of his intent when he would say he loves Germany (because of the past)
Germany!
Bridge
You, I, we, you all
Or: You, I, we, all of you. The use of these pronouns are a suggestion of the 'us vs. them' discourse that's common in Nationalist rhetoric
Overpowering, superfluous
Weary of supermen
He who climbs high will fall low
Germany, Germany above everyone
Chorus 3
Germany! Your heart in flames
Germany! Your heart on fire
I want to love you and damn you
Germany! My breath cold
So young and yet so old
Germany! Your love is a blessing and a curse
Germany! My love I cannot give you
In the song, it sounds like the singer refers to Germany as 'Meine Liebe', 'My love', but then retracts that saying he cannot give his love and fully support his country
Germany!
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Did you like this lyrics translation?
verdammen — to condemn / to damn
Verdammen is a powerful verb meaning 'to condemn' or 'to damn'. It conveys a much stronger sentiment than simply disliking something; it's an act of passing severe judgment.
In the song's iconic chorus, the line "Will dich lieben und verdammen" (I want to love you and condemn you) creates a shocking contrast. This powerful lyric is the key to understanding the song's theme: a deeply conflicted, painful, and passionate relationship with Germany and its history.
Rammstein's relationship with their home country is... complicated. This song is a powerful, head-on look at what it means to be German. The lyrics swing between love and hate, pride and shame. The singer declares, "Mein Herz in Flammen / Will dich lieben und verdammen" (My heart in flames / Want to love and damn you), which pretty much sums it up. It's a feeling of being tied to a place with a long, difficult history, described as "So jung und doch so alt" (So young and yet so old).
They don't shy away from the darkest parts of that history. The song uses the controversial line "Deutschland, Deutschland über allen" (Germany, Germany above all), taken from the old national anthem and famously used by the Nazis. But Rammstein isn't celebrating this idea. They pair it with lines like "Wer hoch steigt, der wird tief fallen" (He who climbs high, will fall deep), a clear warning against arrogance. The song is a brutal, honest confession: it's impossible to give simple, uncomplicated love to a country whose love is both a "Fluch und Segen" (curse and a blessing).
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