In 1956 she was the winner of the very first Eurovision Song Contest, in which she sang for Switzerland.[2] She had also been in the German national final of that year and returned to the contest again for Switzerland in 1957 and 1958.
In September 2011, Assia entered her song "C'était ma vie" written by Ralph Siegel and Jean Paul Cara into the Swiss national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The song, however, only came eighth in a closely fought national selection. She attended the event in Baku as a guest of honour.
In 2012, Assia again entered the Swiss national selection Die grosse Entscheidungs Show to represent Switzerland in Malmö at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 with the song "All In Your Head" featuring the hip-hop band New Jack. There were rumours of Assia representing San Marino, however it was announced on 30 January 2013 that Valentina Monetta would represent San Marino.
Assia married Johann Heinrich Kunz on 11 January 1957 in Zürich. Kunz died just nine months later after battling a serious illness. Assia then married Oscar Pedersen in 1963. Pedersen then died in 1995.
She died on 24 March 2018 at Zürich's Zollikerberg Hospital.
Sag' mir wo die Blumen sind
Lys Assia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wo sind sie geblieben?
Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind
Was ist gescheh'n?
Sag mir wo die Blumen sind
Mädchen pflückten sie geschwind
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
Sag mir, wo die Mädchen sind
Sag mir, sie geblieben?
Sag mir wo die Mädchen sind
Was ist gescheh'n?
Sag mir wo die Mädchen sind
Männer nahmen sie geschwind
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
Sag mir, wo die Männer sind
Wo sind sie geblieben?
Sag mir, wo die Männer sind
Was ist gescheh'n?
Sag mir wo die Männer sind
Zogen fort der Krieg beginnt
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
Sag, wo die Soldaten sind
Wo sind sie geblieben?
Sag, wo die Soldaten sind
Was ist gescheh'n?
Sag wo die Soldaten sind
Über Gräbern weht der Wind
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
Sag mir, wo die Gräber sind
Wo sind sie geblieben?
Sag mir, wo die Gräber sind
Was ist gescheh'n?
Sag mir wo die Gräber sind
Blumen blüh'n im Sommerwind
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind
Wo sind sie geblieben?
Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind
Was ist gescheh'n?
Sag mir wo die Blumen sind
Mädchen pflückten sie geschwind
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
Ach, wird man je versteh'n?
Lys Assia's song "Sag' mir wo die Blumen sind" (translated in English as "Where Have All the Flowers Gone") is a reflective masterpiece that speaks to the futility of war and its tragic toll on the lives of young people, particularly women. The song begins with the repeated question, "Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind?" (Where have all the flowers gone?), which is followed by a series of verses that explore the fate of different groups of people and the absence of beauty and life that results when war tears them apart. The first verse speaks of the flowers that have disappeared because young girls picked them, only to meet an untimely death at the hands of war. The next verse laments the absence of young women who were taken away by men, leaving behind only painful memories. The third verse mourns the loss of men who went off to war and never returned, reminding us that war leads to senseless violence and destruction. The fourth verse complements the third one by remembering the missing soldiers who perished on battlefields, leaving only their graves behind. Finally, the last verse speaks of the flowers once again, but this time they are blooming over the graves of the dead soldiers, representing the tragic cycle of life and death that war brings about.
Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on the destructive power of war, and it has become a symbol of peace and hope. The repetition of the question "when will we ever learn?" at the end of each verse carries a haunting message, calling us to reflect on the senseless violence that continues to plague our world. Lys Assia's interpretation of the song is poignant and emotional, highlighting the importance of remembrance and the need to work towards a more peaceful future.
Line by Line Meaning
Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind
Tell me, where have all the flowers gone?
Wo sind sie geblieben?
Where have they gone, all those colorful blooms?
Was ist gescheh'n?
What has happened to them, why have they disappeared?
Sag mir wo die Blumen sind
Tell me where have all the flowers gone?
Mädchen pflückten sie geschwind
Girls used to pick them quickly and with joy
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
When will we ever understand the reason behind their absence?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
When will we ever comprehend?
Sag mir, wo die Mädchen sind
Tell me, where have all the girls gone?
Sag mir, sie geblieben?
Have they gone away, never to return?
Sag mir wo die Mädchen sind
Tell me, where have all the girls gone?
Was ist gescheh'n?
What is the reason behind their disappearance?
Sag mir wo die Mädchen sind
Tell me, where have all the girls gone?
Männer nahmen sie geschwind
Men took them away quickly, without a whistle or a wind
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
When will we ever understand why they were taken away?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
When will we ever comprehend?
Sag mir, wo die Männer sind
Tell me, where have all the men gone?
Wo sind sie geblieben?
Where have they disappeared to?
Sag mir, wo die Männer sind
Tell me, where have all the men gone?
Was ist gescheh'n?
What happened to them, what made them leave?
Sag mir wo die Männer sind
Tell me, where have all the men gone?
Zogen fort der Krieg beginnt
They left for war when it began
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
When will we ever understand why wars happen and people have to leave?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
When will we ever comprehend?
Sag, wo die Soldaten sind
Tell me, where have all the soldiers gone?
Wo sind sie geblieben?
Where have they disappeared to?
Sag, wo die Soldaten sind
Tell me, where have all the soldiers gone?
Was ist gescheh'n?
What happened to them, why aren't they here anymore?
Sag wo die Soldaten sind
Tell me, where have all the soldiers gone?
Über Gräbern weht der Wind
Only the wind blows over their graves now
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
When will we ever understand the senselessness of war and its price?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
When will we ever comprehend?
Sag mir, wo die Gräber sind
Tell me, where have all the graves gone?
Wo sind sie geblieben?
Where did they disappear to?
Sag mir, wo die Gräber sind
Tell me, where have all the graves gone?
Was ist gescheh'n?
What happened to them, why did they vanish?
Sag mir wo die Gräber sind
Tell me, where have all the graves gone?
Blumen blüh'n im Sommerwind
Now the flowers bloom in the summer breeze, where once the graves were lined
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
When will we ever understand the full circle of life and death, and the beauty it can bring?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
When will we ever comprehend?
Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind
Tell me, where have all the flowers gone?
Wo sind sie geblieben?
Where have they disappeared to?
Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind
Tell me, where have all the flowers gone?
Was ist gescheh'n?
What happened to them, why aren't they here anymore?
Sag mir wo die Blumen sind
Tell me, where have all the flowers gone?
Mädchen pflückten sie geschwind
Girls used to pick them quickly and with joy
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
When will we ever understand the importance of preserving natural beauty and avoid destruction?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
When will we ever comprehend?
Wann wird man je versteh'n?
When will we ever understand?
Ach, wird man je versteh'n?
Oh, will we ever comprehend?
Writer(s): Colpet, Seeger
Contributed by Gavin C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.