Nun danket alle Gott!

Der Choral wurde 1955 im Lager Friedland nach Ankunft der offiziell letzten deutschen Kriegsgefangenen aus der Sowjetunion, deren Heimkehr Bundeskanzler Konrad Adenauer erwirkt hatte, angestimmt.

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[1manuscriptman]

For those English speakers wondering what this is about, these are the remnants of the Eastern armies returning to germany after 10 years as prisoners to Stalin. Only 5 percent survived. The families are holding up wartime pictures so that the soldiers will know their own families. Those whose sons did not come home are weeping bitterly. Those reunited families are then singing Bach's "Now Thank we All our God". This was the traditional hymn of the german soldier who survived a battle.

[19StZ83]

Diese Bilder treiben einem auch heute die Tränen in die Augen. Man kann sich gar nicht vorstellen, was diese Männer durchstehen mußten.

[muisire]

Mann mag wohl das folgende Buch auch lesen:'Unter den Sternen - Weihnachtsgeschichten aus schwerer Zeit', herausgegeben vom Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge, Kassel,

[1manuscriptman]

You're quite welcome! I occurred to me that other English speaking people should get a chance to fully appreciate the video's impact, which is part of a documentary on German Prisoners kept in Siberia called:"Deutsche Gefangenen Ab Nach Siberien " also here on youtube. Ironically,several Germans have pointed out that Bach, along with other composers,borrowed this melody from Martin Rinckart. That aside, everything else I said is correct, and I'm glad to be of service in some small way.

[jpstenino]

1manuscriptman Thank you for being so considerate by posting a description of this incredibly moving video.

1manuscriptman Vielen Dank für so rücksichtsvoll, indem Sie eine Beschreibung dieses unglaublich bewegendes Video.

[LutherJordan]

Amen, lieber Leopard422... Bundeskanzler Adenauer ist in einer Moskauer Kirche auf die Knie gegangen und hat Gott um Weisheit für die Verhandlungen mit den Russen gebeten.

[LutherJordan]

Ich freu mich, dass Sie Gott danken. Was für eine Gnade und Freude, dass Ihr Großvater zu den Heimkehreren gehören durfte. Gott sei wirklich Dank!

Er segne Sie.

[1manuscriptman]

This clip is from a documentary about the experiences of German POWs kept in Russian Labor Camps, mostly in Siberia, after the War. The documentary is called:Deutsche Gefangenen Ab Nach Siberien and is on youtube.

[1manuscriptman]

You are correct. Bach used the hymn for five cantatas, but Rinckart wrote the lyrics. The tune predated Rinckart.

Even so the hymn is considered the national hymn of thanksgiving for Germany. Its most dramatic use was after the Battle of Leutzen, when one grenadier began singing it, with the other 25,000 survivors eventually joining in and singing together.

Thanks for the correction on authorship, thought its purpose remains the same.

[1manuscriptman]

An excellent article, heavily citationed,is Wikipedia's :"German Prisoner's of War in the Soviet Union." It states that of 170,000 Germans in Russian captivity in 1943 only 6000 survived. At war's end over 2 million German Soldiers surrendered en masse to Russia, but determining their death rates are complicated by the Soviet's impressing millions of German civilians into forced labor, many of whom also died in captivity. Many scholars not rate casualties for the 2nd group at around 60%.

[1manuscriptman]

As a professional War Historian and former professor of History and International Relations, I have seen this statistic quoted numerous times over the years,with the statistics for Stalingrad POW's being the most prominent. I will try to find a source citation for you, but I am older and ill, and therefore slow. In the meantime, could any of you provide a relevant citation for this person?