Die Brut 2000
Goethes Erben Lyrics

The lyrics to Goethes Erben's "Die Brut 2000" are a warning about the dangers of totalitarianism and the cycle of violence that it perpetuates. The song begins with the ominous prediction that "the day will come" when the future is obscured by hate and directed towards the gallows, with the guillotine standing as the axis of power. This is the language of the mob, the terminology of the rageful masses that are whipped into a frenzy by charismatic leaders who seek to manipulate and control them. Goethes Erben suggests that the descent into violence will occur in stages: first those who speak differently, then those who have dark hair, then those who think differently, until finally it will be everyone who does not belong to the ruling party or group. This is the cycle of othering, the way in which oppressive societies divide people into categories and then use those distinctions to justify persecution.

The second half of the song focuses on the brutality of this process. The march is filled with blood and symbols that have been twisted out of recognition, and the participants are joyous but ignorant of the consequences of their actions. In this world, thinking is pointless - it only gets in the way of blind obedience. Finally, the lyrics reference the leader who waits in the wings, unbeknownst to the general public, while his minions do his dirty work. This is a reference to the hidden hand of tyranny, the way in which totalitarian leaders manipulate the public sphere from behind the scenes. Goethes Erben suggest that even those who seem relatively harmless or even noble (like Röhm, the murdered Nazi lieutenant) may be complicit in the brutal regime that they enable.