Die Toten Hosen is a punk band from Düsseldorf (NRW), Germany. They are one… Read Full Bio ↴Die Toten Hosen is a punk band from Düsseldorf (NRW), Germany. They are one of very few German-language acts who have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.

The band formed out of the ashes of punk band, ZK, founded 1978. The members of Die Toten Hosen (literally "The Dead Trousers" in English; "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "lifeless", "boring", or "nothing going on") are Campino (Andreas Frege), Kuddel (Andreas von Holst), Vom (Stephen George Ritchie), Andi (Andreas Meurer) and Breiti (Michael Breitkopf). Vom replaced Wölli as the drummer in 1999 (Wölli's untimely departure from the band was due to injuries caused by a car accident), who himself had replaced Trini in 1985 and is still an honorary member of the band; Trini became the band's manager.

The band has existed for over 20 years, and their songs' focus gradually shifted from funny and nonsensical to serious; the songs from their first LP were mostly about having fun, but by the end of the 1980s they were focusing more on political and social issues such as racism.

Part of the folklore surounding the band is the story that in their early days they played for free on private birthday parties or similar events. However only under the conditions that the host provided for unlimited beer supply and paid for all damages caused by the band.

The debut single "Wir sind bereit" ("We are ready") was released in 1982, and was followed by their first album, "Opel-Gang", the next year. In 1988, Die Toten Hosen released the LP "Ein kleines bisschen Horrorschau". It refers to the movie A Clockwork Orange based on the book by Anthony Burgess. In 1993, Frank Castorf produced a German theater version of the book, in which Die Toten Hosen performed as actors and musicians.

Their 1000th concert was on 28th June 1997, in the Düsseldorfer Rheinstadium, and was attended by more than 60,000 fans. A Dutch girl died in the crowd; after various talks with security and police, the band decided to play soft songs until the end, in order not to panic the crowd. Later the band produced the song "Alles ist Eins" in memoriam for the Dutch girl.

Die Toten Hosen have collaborated with numerous other musicians (like Bad Religion, AC/DC, U2, Rolling Stones); they are also one of the few German punk bands popular outside of Germany (esp. in South America, Australia, eastern Europe) other notable bands being Die Ärzte and Rammstein.

As longtime fans of the their local soccer team Fortuna Düsseldorf they have been sponsoring the club from 2001 to 2003.

After their Unplugged concert in the end of 2005 they've taken a time-out. But they disclaimed rumors, that this is the end of the band.

In 2008 they released the Album "In aller Stille.

In 2012, Die Toten Hosen released their album Ballast der Republik. A special edition includes a bonus CD with cover versions of songs that influenced the band. On 26 April 2016, it was announced that former drummer Wolfgang Rohde had died of cancer.

Die Moorsoldaten
Die Toten Hosen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Wohin auch das Auge blickt
Moor und Heide nur ringsherum
Vogelsang uns nie erquickt
Eichen stehen kahl und krumm

Wir sind die Moorsoldaten
Und ziehen mit dem Spaten ins Moor

Hier in dieser öden Heide
Ist das Lager aufgebaut
Wo wir fern von jeder Freude
Hinter Stacheldraht verstaut

Wir sind die Moorsoldaten
Und ziehen mit dem Spaten ins Moor

Morgens ziehen die Kolonnen
In das Moor zur Arbeit hin
Graben bei dem Brand der Sonne
Doch zur Heimat steht ihr Sinn

Wir sind die Moorsoldaten
Und ziehen mit dem Spaten ins Moor
Wir sind die Moorsoldaten
Und ziehen mit dem Spaten ins Moor

Auf und nieder geh'n die Posten
Keiner, keiner kann hindurch!
Flucht wird nur das Leben kosten
Vierfach ist umzäunt die Burg

Wir sind die Moorsoldaten
Und ziehen mit dem Spaten ins Moor
Wir sind die Moorsoldaten

Und ziehen mit dem Spaten ins Moor

Doch für uns gibt es kein Klagen
Ewig kann's nicht Winter sein!
Einmal werden froh wir sagen:
Heimat du bist wieder mein!

Dann zieh'n die Moorsoldaten
Nicht mehr mit dem Spaten ins Moor
Dann zieh'n die Moorsoldaten
Nie mehr mit dem Spaten ins Moor

Overall Meaning

The first verse of Die Toten Hosen's "Die Moorsoldaten" describes the desolate conditions in which a group of prisoners are living. The opening lines suggest the vastness of their surroundings with "wohin auch das Auge blickt" (wherever the eye looks). However, all they see is "Moor und Heide nur ringsherum" (peat bogs and heather all around). The lack of any kind of natural beauty is emphasized with the line "Vogelsang uns nie erquickt" (the singing of birds never gives us pleasure). The final line, "eichen stehen kahl und krumm" (oaks stand bare and crooked), amplifies this sense of emptiness and despair.

The chorus, repeated throughout the song, highlights their arduous labor: "Wir sind die Moorsoldaten und ziehen mit dem Spaten ins Moor" (we are the moor soldiers and we go to the moors with our spades). The second verse describes the conditions in which they live. They are held behind barbed wire in an isolated camp, "fern von jeder Freude" (far from every joy). The use of the past participle "verstaut" (stored) to describe their placement behind barbed wire is dehumanizing.

The third verse illustrates the daily routine of the prisoners. They march into the moors to work under the sun's blazing heat. Yet, with every swing of their spades, they long for their native land. The final verse offers a glimmer of hope. It suggests that despite being currently trapped behind barbed wire, they believe that they will eventually return to their homeland. When that day comes, they will no longer be forced to work in the moors.

Line by Line Meaning

Wohin auch das Auge blickt
Everywhere we look, we see moors and heath

Moor und Heide nur ringsherum
Moors and heath surround us

Vogelsang uns nie erquickt
Even the singing of birds doesn't bring us any joy

Eichen stehen kahl und krumm
The oak trees are bare and twisted

Wir sind die Moorsoldaten
We are the soldiers working in the moors

Und ziehen mit dem Spaten ins Moor
We march with our shovels, ready to work in the moors

Hier in dieser öden Heide
Here in this desolate heath

Ist das Lager aufgebaut
Our camp is set up

Wo wir fern von jeder Freude
Where we are far from any joy

Hinter Stacheldraht verstaut
Separated by barbed wire

Morgens ziehen die Kolonnen
In the mornings, we march in columns