Heil Sztajnbach
Paweł Kukiz Lyrics
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Tamten mi zabrali
Hitler i Stalin, ręka w rękę szli
Ribbentrop-Mołotow razem ustalali,
Jak mordować ludzi, by w dostatku żyć?
Jeden we Lwowie, a drugi w Auschwitz
O dziadkach moich mówię, kąpiesz się w ich krwi
Jesteś politykiem, jak Adolf na fali
(po niemiecku)
Jeden naród
Jedna ojczyzna
Polacy won
Chwała Sztajnbach!
To tutaj jest mój dom
Z tamtego wypędzili
Twój ojciec, dziadek, stryjek, wujek oraz jego brat
Wspólnie z kolegami z Armii Czerwonej
W Europie krzyży sadzili las
Pomódl się, kobieto, za tych swoich braci,
Których siłą w Wermacht Adolf Hitler brał
Pomódl się na grobach tych, co poginęli
Zostaję tutaj, ty zostań tam.
In Paweł Kukiz's song "Heil Sztajnbach," the lyrics depict the painful history of Poland during World War II, where Polish citizens were caught in the midst of a power struggle between Hitler and Stalin. The lyrics lament the loss of the singer's own home and the forced displacement of his family members at the hands of both German and Soviet forces. The brutality of this time is highlighted by the line "Jeden we Lwowie, a drugi w Auschwitz," which refers to the tragedy of the Polish Jews who were sent to Auschwitz, a Nazi concentration camp located in Poland.
The song also makes a political statement, calling out politicians who may share similar sentiments with Adolf Hitler. The singer accuses them of wanting to be called out with the infamous phrase "Heil Sztajnbach," which is a mockingly invented name for a Jewish-Polish person, meant to offend both Jews and Poles. This phrase is used in the chorus of the song along with the line "Jeden naród, jedna ojczyzna, Polacy won," which translates to "One nation, one homeland, Poles go away." The singer is opposing the politics of exclusion that Hitler promoted in his regime.
The lyrics of "Heil Sztajnbach" are highly charged and emotional, referencing the atrocities of the war and calling attention to the dangers of nationalism and hate speech. The song reflects the deep pain and hurt that the Polish people experienced during this time, and the need to remember and learn from this history.
Line by Line Meaning
Tutaj jest mój dom
This is my home
Tamten mi zabrali
They took that away from me
Hitler i Stalin, ręka w rękę szli
Hitler and Stalin walked hand in hand
Ribbentrop-Mołotow razem ustalali,
Ribbentrop-Molotov agreed together
Jak mordować ludzi, by w dostatku żyć?
How to murder people to live in abundance?
Jeden we Lwowie, a drugi w Auschwitz
One in Lviv, the other in Auschwitz
O dziadkach moich mówię, kąpiesz się w ich krwi
I speak of my grandparents, you bathe in their blood
Jesteś politykiem, jak Adolf na fali
You're a politician, like Adolf riding the wave
Marzysz o tym, by wołano Ci:
You dream of being called:
(po niemiecku)
(in German)
Jeden naród
One nation
Jedna ojczyzna
One homeland
Polacy won
Poles go away
Chwała Sztajnbach!
Hail Sztajnbach!
To tutaj jest mój dom
This is my home
Z tamtego wypędzili
They expelled me from there
Twój ojciec, dziadek, stryjek, wujek oraz jego brat
Your father, grandfather, uncle, and his brother
Wspólnie z kolegami z Armii Czerwonej
Together with their colleagues from the Red Army
Europie krzyży sadzili las
Planted forests of crosses in Europe
Pomódl się, kobieto, za tych swoich braci,
Pray, woman, for your brothers
Których siłą w Wermacht Adolf Hitler brał
Whom Adolf Hitler took by force into the Wehrmacht
Pomódl się na grobach tych, co poginęli
Pray on the graves of those who died
Zostaję tutaj, ty zostań tam.
I'm staying here, you stay there.
Contributed by Savannah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.