Translation of the song Willy artist Konstantin Wecker

Mei, Willy, jetz wo i di so doliegn sich, so weit weg hinter dera Glasscheibn, genau oa Lebn zweit weg, da denk i ma doch, es hat wohl so kumma müassn – i glaub oiwei, du hast as so wolln, Willy!

Well, Willy, now that I see you lying there, so far away behind that glass pane, exactly one life too far away, I think to myself, it must have been inevitable – I sometimes think, this was what you wanted, Willy!

Ogfanga hat des ja alles siebenundsechzge, woaßt as no?

It all started in sixtyseven, do you remember?

Alle zwoa san ma mitglaffa für die Freiheit und fürn Friedn, mit große Augn, und plärrt habn ma:

The both of us marched along for freedom and peace, big-eyed, and we were chanting,

Bürger lasst das Glotzen sein

„Citizens, stop gawking,

Kommt herunter, reiht euch ein!

come downstairs and join us!“

Und du, du warst halt immer oan Dreh weiter wia mir – immer a bisserl wuider und a bisserl ehrlicher

And you, you always were a little bit ahead of us – always a bit wilder and a bit more honest.

Mia habns eana zoagn wolln, Willy, und du hast ma damals scho gsagt: Freiheit, Wecker, Freiheit hoaßt koa Angst habn, vor neamands! Aber san ma doch ehrlich, a bisserl a laus Gfühl habn ma doch damals scho ghabt, wega de ganzen Glätzen, die einfach mitglaffa san, weils aufgeht. Wega de Sonntagnachmittagrevoluzzer: d'Freindin fotzen, wenns an andern oschaugt, aber über de bürgerliche Moral herziagn! Die gleichn, Willy, die jetzt ganz brav as Mei haltn, weils eana sonst naß nei geht! Und du hast damals scho gsagt: Lang halt des ned, da is zvui Mode dabei, wenn scho die Schickeria ihrn Porsche gegan 2 CV umtauscht, dann muaß was faul sei an der großen Revolution – mitlaffa ohne Denken ko ned guat sei, aa ned für a guate Sach!

We wanted to demonstrate it to them, Willy, and you told me already in those days: „Freedom, Wecker, freedom means to be not afraid, and not to fear anyone!“ But let's be honest, we had a slightly lukewarm feeling back in those days already, because of all the screwballs who simply joined us, because it was hip. Because of those Sunday-afternoon-revolutionaries: slapping their girlfriend, when she looks at another boy, but complaining about burgeois morality! These are the same ones, who today keep their mouths shut, because otherwise they might run into problems. And you told us already back then, „This will not last for long, too much of a fashion along with that. If in-people already swap their Porsches for a 2 CV, something must be rotten with the big revolution – marching along without thinking can't be good, even when it is for a good cause!“

Gestern habns an Willy daschlogn

Yesterday, Willy was slain,

Und heit, und heit, und heit werd a begrobn!

and today, today, today he will be buried.

Gestern habns an Willy daschlogn

Yesterday, Willy was slain,

Und heit, und heit, und heit werd a begrobn!

and today, today, today he will be buried.

Dann hast plötzlich mim Schlucka ogfanga, und i glaub, a bisserl aufgebn hast damals scho. I versteh di, des is ja koa Wunder, wenn man bedenkt, was alles wordn is aus de großen Kämpfer. Heit denkas ja scho mit siebzehn an ihr Rente, und de Madln schütteln weise an Kopf, wenn d'Muater iam Mo as Zeig hischmeißt und sagt: Mach doch dein Krampf alloa, i möcht lebn! Trotzdem, Willy, ma muaß weiterkämpfen, kämpfen bis zum Umfalln, a wenn die ganze Welt an Arsch offen hat – oder grad deswegn!

Then you suddenly had started drinking, and I believe you already had begun to give up a little at that time. I can understand you, it's no surprise, considering, what has become of all the big fighters. Nowadays everyone thinks about their pensions already, when they are just seventeen, and girls sagely shake their heads, when their mothers throw the stuff at their husbands' feet and say, „Mind your own business, I wanna live!“ Nevertheless, Willy, one must keep on fighting, go on until the bitter end, even if the whole world is nuts, or just because it is!

Und irgendwann hast dann ogfanga, die echten Leit zum suacha, de wo ned dauernd Ja, Herr Lehrer! sagn – hinten in dene Kneipn am Viktualienmarkt und am Bahnhofseck. Echter san de scho, Willy, aber i hab di gwarnt, aufpassen muaßt bei dene, weil des san Gschlagene, und wer dauernd treten werd, der tritt halt aa amoi zruck! Aber du hast koa Angst ghabt, i kenn di doch: Mia duad koana was! – mei, Willy, du dummer Hund du, jetzt sickst as ja, wia da koana was duad!

And at some point you began to search for the genuine people – those who do not always say, „yes, teacher!“ - in the back rooms of them barrel houses at Viktualienmarkt and Railway Station Corner. They are really more authentic, Willy, but I warned you, you have to watch out, because they are the beaten ones, and if one's constantly kicked, one will kick back at some opportunity! But you were never afraid, I know you: „Nobody will harm me!“ - Well, Willy, you chump, now it's obvious to you, how nobody harms you!

Gestern habns an Willy daschlogn

Yesterday, Willy was slain,

Und heit, und heit, und heit werd a begrobn!

and today, today, today he will be buried.

Gestern habns an Willy daschlogn

Yesterday, Willy was slain,

Und heit, und heit, und heit werd a begrobn!

and today, today, today he will be buried.

Sakrament, Willy! Warst gestern bloß aufm Mond gwesen oder aufm Amazonas in am Einbaum oder ganz alloa aufm Gipfel, drei Schritt vom Himme weg – überall, bloß ned in dera unselign Boazn!

Bloody hell, Willy! If you had only been on the moon yesterday, or on the Amazonas in a dugout boat, or all alone on a peak, three steps away from the skies – anywhere else but in this damned bar!

I hab in da Früah no gsagt: Fahrn ma raus! As Wetter is so glasig, die Berg san so nah, schwänz ma a paar Tag, wia damals in da Herrnschui! An Schlafsack und die Welt in der Taschn!. Aber du hast scho wiederamoi oan sitzn ghabt in aller Früah, und am Abnd hast as dann wiedar amoi zoagn müassn, dassd doch no oana bist!

In the morning I had already suggested, „Let's go for a trip, the weather is so clear, the mountains are so close, let's skip a few days, like we used to do at the Herrenschule! A sleeping bag and the world in our pockets!“ But you had already been drunk so early in the morning, and in the evening you needed to show off once again, show, that you are still somebody!

Am Anfang wars ja no ganz gmüatlich. Und natürlich habn ma den alten Schmarrn wieder aufgwärmt, wieder amoi umanandgstritten, wer jetz eigentlich mim Lehrer Huber seiner Frau poussiert hat am Faschingsball. Sentimental san ma gwordn, so richtig schee wars, bis der Depp an unsern Tisch kumma is mit seim Dreikantschlüsselkopf – kloa, schwammig und braun. Und dann hat a uns gfragt, ob ma beim Bund gwesen san – na ja, des habn ma ja noch ganz lustig gfunden, und dass a so froh wär, dass jetzt wieder Ordnung kummt in die rote Staatssauce, und die Jugend werd ja aa wieder ganz vernünftig, und die Bayern wissens as eh scho lang, wos lang geht politisch. Willy, i hab gnau gwusst, des haltst du ned lang aus – und dann hat a plötzlich as Singa ogfanga, so was vom Horst Wessel1. Hinten an de andern Tisch habns scho leise mitgsummt, und dei Birn is ogschwolln, und plötzlich springst auf und plärrst:

It all started out cosy and pleasant. And of course we dug up the old stories, we argued about who had messed around with teacher Huber's wife at the carnival ball. We got sentimental, it was really nice, until this dimwit came over to our table, with his triangular-shaped skull – small, podgy and brown. And then he asked us, if we had been in the army – ok, we still took that for funny, and that he were very pleased, that law and order were applied to the red sauce in our state, and the young people were becoming more reasonable again, and anyway, the Bavarians knew where to go, politically. Willy, I knew for sure that you wouldn't be able to stand this very long – And then all of a sudden, he started to sing, something by Horst Wessel1. In the Background at the other tables they began to join in, humming, and your head swelled up, and suddenly you jump up and yell:

Halts Mei – Faschist!

„Shut up – Fascist!“

Stad wars, knistert hats – die Luft war wiara Wand. Zum Festhalten. Da hätt ma no geh kenna, Willy – aber na, i verstehs ja, du hast bleibn muässn – und dann is losganga an de andern Tisch: Geh doch in d'Sowjetunion, Kommunist! Freili, Willy, da muass ma narrisch werdn, wenns scho wieder soweit is. Aber trotzdem: Lassn geh!, hab i gsagt, der schad doch neamands mehr, der oide Depp!“ - Nix, hast gsagt, alle schadens – de oiden und de junga Deppen! Und dann hat der am Nebentisch plötzlich sei Glasl daschlogn, ganz ruhig, und is aufgstanden, Willy, du dumme Sau, i hab di bei da Joppen packt und wollt di rausziagn, obwohl i's scho nimmer glaubt hab, und du hast di losgrissen: Freiheit, des hoaßt koa Angst habn vor neamands! und bist auf ean zua und nacha hat a halt auszogn...

Silence, crackling – the air was like a wall. Tangible. At that point we still could have left, Willy – but no, I do understand that, you had to stay – and then it started off at the other tables: „Go to the Soviet Union, you communist!“ It's clear to me, Willy, one has to go nuts, when these times come back again. But nevertheless: „Let's leave!“, I said, „he no longer can harm anyone, that old dimwit!“ - „No“, you replied, „all of them are harmful – the old and the young fools!“ And then the one from the next table suddenly smashed his glass, very calm, and stood up. Willy, you stupid asshole, I grabbed your jacket and tried to pull you away, although I had already lost any hope, and you broke loose: „Freedom means, to be not afraid, and not to fear anyone!“ And then you attacked him, and then he drew near...

Willy, Willy, warn ma bloß weggfahrn in da Früah, i hätt di doch no braucht – wir alle brauchen doch solche, wia du oana bist!

Willy, Willy, if only we had gone for the trip in the morning, I still would have needed you – all of us need folks who are like you!

Gestern habns an Willy daschlogn

Yesterday, Willy was slain,

Und heit, und heit, und heit werd a begrobn!

and today, today, today he will be buried.