Category Archives: Germany

“De Hamborger Veermaster” (The Hamburg Four-Master) is a sea shanty from Northern Germany, sung in a combination of English and Hamburgisch Low German, or Platt Deutsch dialect. The song dates back to the late 19th century, but is still beloved by the people of Hamburg and the surrounding areas as a work song and a piece of their folk identity.

De Hamborger Veermaster
Ick heff mol een Hamborger Veermaster sehn,
To my hooday!
De Masten so scheef as den Schipper sien Been,
To my hoo day, hoo day, ho – ho – ho – ho!

CHORUS
Blow, boys, blow, for Californio,
There’s plenty of gold, so I am told,
On the banks of Sacramento

Dat Deck weer vull Isen, vull Dreck un vull Smeer.
To my hooday!
„Rein Schipp“ weer den Oll’n sin scheunstes Pläseer.
To my hoo day, hoo day, ho – ho – ho – ho!

De Kombüs weer vull Lüüs, de Kajüt weer vull Schiet,
To my hooday!
De Beschüten, de leupen von sülvens all wiet.
To my hoo day, hoo day, ho – ho – ho – ho!

Dat Soltfleesch weer greun, un de Speck wör vull Modn.
To my hooday!
Un Köm geef dat blots an Wiehnachtsobend.
To my hoo day, hoo day, ho – ho – ho – ho!

Un wulln wi mol seiln, ick sech ji dat nur,
To my hooday!
Denn lööp he dree vorut un veer wedder retur.
To my hoo day, hoo day, ho – ho – ho – ho!

Un as dat Schipp, so weer ok de Kaptein,
To my hooday!
De Lüüd för dat Schipp, de weern ok blots schangheit.
To my hoo day, hoo day, ho – ho – ho – ho!

English Translation
I once saw a four-master from Hamburg.
To my hooday!
Her masts were as crooked as the skipper’s legs.
To my hoo day, hoo day, ho – ho – ho – ho!

CHORUS
Blow, boys, blow, for Californio,
There’s plenty of gold, so I am told,
On the banks of Sacramento

The deck was full of iron, dirt and grease.
To my hooday!
´Clean the ship´ was the captain’s most beautiful joy.
To my hoo day, hoo day, ho – ho – ho – ho!

The galley was full of lice, the cabin was full of shit.
To my hooday!
The biscuits walked away all by themselves.
To my hoo day, hoo day, ho – ho – ho – ho!

The salted meat was green, the bacon was full of maggots
To my hooday!
Snaps was only there at Christmas Eve.
To my hoo day, hoo day, ho – ho – ho – ho!

And if we wanted to sail, I merely say,
To my hooday!
She moved three footages ahead and four back again.
To my hoo day, hoo day, ho – ho – ho – ho!

And like the ship, so the captain was,
To my hooday!
The men for the ship were all shanghaied.
To my hoo day, hoo day, ho – ho – ho – ho!

Art, Berlin, Fairy Tales, Photos

Gallery: Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain

April 12, 2016 scarlett

The Fairy Tale Fountain was designed by architect Ludwig Hoffman from 1901-1913. Badly damaged in WWII, the fountain has been restored to its former glory. It includes statues of Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, The Seven Ravens, Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, Sister and Brother, and Cinderella. There are also statues of Ryubetsal and Mother Hulda nearby.

Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger

Der gestiefelte Kater - Puss in Boots, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger — Der gestiefelte Kater – Puss in Boots, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger

Die sieben Raben - The Seven Ravens, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger — Die sieben Raben – The Seven Ravens, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger

Hans im Glück - Lucky Hans, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger — Hans im Glück – Lucky Hans, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger

„Gretel“ aus Hänsel und Gretel - Gretel from Hansel and Gretel, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger — „Gretel“ aus Hänsel und Gretel – Gretel from Hansel and Gretel, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger

Schneewittchen mit dem „Menzel-Zwerg“ - Snow White and the Dwarves, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger — Schneewittchen mit dem „Menzel-Zwerg“ – Snow White and the Dwarves, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger

Rotkäppchen - Little Red Riding Hood, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger — Rotkäppchen – Little Red Riding Hood, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger

Rübezahl, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger

Aschenputtel - Cinderella, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger — Aschenputtel – Cinderella, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger

Dornröschen - Sleeping Beauty, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger — Dornröschen – Sleeping Beauty, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger

Mother Hulda, Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger

Art, Berlin, History, Photos

Gallery: Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin (Old Garrison Cemetery)

April 12, 2016 scarlett

My flatmate, Elliott, and I went to have Vietnamese food, which sounds strange for Berlin, but because we are in the former East Berlin there are dozens of Vietnamese restaurants that have been here since the 60s. On the way back, we found this small cemetery around the corner from our apartment on Kleine Rosenthaler Straße. It was our first cemetery here, and was a good introduction to the beauty and natural serenity of the German model for a final resting place. Cemeteries are everywhere and are treated like parks and greenspace by they community. People picnic in them, have lunch, meet with friends, take walks, even go there on dates. The cemeteries are always filled with people tending the graves and planting flowers.