The great cabarettist and revolutionary, Erich Mühsam, penned this number in 1907 and dedicated it "to German Social Democracy." At the time, Mühsam felt that the Social Democrats were getting too complacent and abandoning their revolutinary mission after their parliamentary victories. The song was a mainstay of the Weimar Kabarett stage in the 1920s, as evidenced in this recording by Ernst Busch (1929). Over one hundred years later, the song still resonates as it lambastes those who think change is possible without breaking anything: whether lampposts or Uber profits.
“Der Revoluzzer”
von Erich Mühsam (1907)
War einmal ein Revoluzzer,
Im Zivilstand Lampenputzer;
Ging im Revoluzzerschritt
Mit den Revoluzzern mit.
Showing rhythm and rhyme:
War einmal ein Revoluzzer,
Im Zivilstand Lampenputzer;
Ging im Revoluzzerschritt
Mit den Revoluzzern mit.
Und er schrie: „Ich revolüzze!“
Und die Revoluzzermütze
Schob er auf das linke Ohr,
Kam sich höchst gefährlich vor
Doch die Revoluzzer schritten
Mitten in der Straßen Mitten,
Wo er sonsten unverdrutzt
Alle Gaslaternen putzt
Sie vom Boden zu entfernen,
rupfte man die Gaslaternen
Aus dem Straßenpflaster aus,
Zwecks des Barrikadenbaus
Aber unser Revoluzzer
Schrie: „Ich bin der Lampenputzer
Dieses guten Leuchtelichts.
Bitte, bitte, tut ihm nichts!
Wenn wir ihn’ das Licht ausdrehen,
Kann kein Bürger nichts mehr sehen,
Laßt die Lampen stehn, ich bitt!
Denn sonst spiel’ ich nicht mehr mit!“
Doch die Revoluzzer lachten,
Und die Gaslaternen krachten,
Und der Lampenputzer schlich
Fort und weinte bitterlich
Dann ist er zuhaus geblieben
Und hat dort ein Buch geschrieben:
Nämlich, wie man revoluzzt
Und dabei doch Lampen putzt
Literal Translation
by the students in German 307 (2021)
“The Revolutionary”*
There was once a revolutionary,
A street lamp cleaner by profession;
He went in revolutionary step
Along with the revolutionaries.
And he cried, “I rebel!”
And he pushed his revolutionary cap
Over his left ear,
Feeling very dangerous indeed.
But the revolutionaries strode
Together in the middle of the street
Where he usually cleaned
all the gas lamps undauntedly.
To remove them from the ground,
They ripped the gas lanterns
from the street pavement
In order to build a barricade.
But our revolutionary
Cried: “I am the lamp-cleaner
Of this good lamplight.
Please, please, don’t hurt it!”
If we turn out their light,
Citizens won’t be able to see anymore,
Leave the lamps standing, I plead!
Because otherwise I won’t play along anymore!
But the revolutionaries laughed
And crashed the gas lamps
And the lamp cleaner snuck
Forth and cried bitterly
Then he stayed at home
And wrote a book there
Namely, how one can revolutionize
And in the process still clean lamps.
*Revoluzzer: Slightly pejorative slang term for revolutionary (from the point of view of ‘real’ revolutionaries => poser, bandwagon-joiner, wannabe, “Revo-loser”; from the point of view of conservatives => rabble rouser, rioter, “Revo-looter”)
Stylistic Translation
by the students in German 307 (2021)
(retaining rhyme and rhythm of original, updated to resonate in 2021)
“The Revolutionary”
A rebellious, woke Youtuber,
Making ends meet with his Uber,
Marched along--he was so hip--
Revolution in lockstep.
And he cried, “Down with the system!”
And his sign he waved in rhythm
Through the streets he marched upset
Feeling like a potent threat
Still insurgents kept on striding
‘Cross the city streets colliding
Where he normally got paid:
rideshares are all clean by trade.
Up and down the street came rebels,
Tearing up the poles and cables,
Halting drivers in their tracks,
With blockades of steel and scraps.
But our rebel wagonrider
Cried: “I am an uber driver,
Paid to drive the boulevard.
Please don’t leave the streetways barred!
If we block out ev’ry roadway
How will I receive my whole pay
Let the cars through, I implore!
Or I won’t play anymore!
But the protesters all laughed
And the car lights crickle-crashed
And the uber driver snuck
Out and cried, “it’s all amuck!”
Holed up in his room he posted
Youtube videos that boasted
How to harmlessly revolt;
Uber, in the end, promote!