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Erika (Auf der Heide blüht ein kleines Blümelein) [Marsch- und Soldatenlied]
Composer/Lyricist: Herms Niel (1888-1954)
Arranger: Erich Walden [Erich Kümmel] (1906-1960)
Publisher: Louis Oertel Musikverlag, Hannover, 1939
Opening Line: Auf der Heide blüht ein kleines Blümelein
Vocal Group: Die vier lustigen Jungens, Berlin [Rudi Schuricke etc]
Musical Group: Musikkorps der Luftnachrichten-Abteilung des Oberbefehlshabers der Luftwaffe, Potsdam-Eiche
Conductor: Musikmeister Erich Kiesant
Recording Date: 1939
Recording Location: Berlin
Record Company: Carl Lindström AG, Berlin
Digitized by Ivan Ž., 2008
NOT to be used for commercial or propaganda purposes
"Erika" is a German love song from 1939, about a soldier and his young and attractive bride, Erika. He describes her in a very poetic way - as a flower, with the same name, which is attracting all the bees (other men). But he is not worried and knows she is faithful to him - for there's another little Erika-flower, in his barracks, through which his girl speaks to him every day, saying that she cries and misses him too... Song was published for the first time in January 1939 and it instantly became a huge hit. Although it was officially a "Marsch- und Soldatenlied" [marching - and soldiers' song], it was generally performed by civilian artists at the time. It was played also as a march-fox, and by the end of 1939 mostly as a waltz. Song was translated in English by Tedy Demey ("Tavern Waltz"), in Dutch by Jacques van Tol ("Prikkeldraad"), in Danish by Victor Skaarup ("Erika"), in Finnish by Reino Palmroth ("Kaarina"), in Hungarian by Szendrő Endre ("Rózsika"), in South African by Vincent Hesse... It kept its (international) popularity after WWII as well, and it became one of the most recorded songs by the bands of the Bundeswehr. Today, most people around the world consider it to be The typical German soldiers' song. "Erika" originally had three strophes, the 1st and the 2nd (and the ending line of the 3rd) were recorded here.
Official Herms Niel Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/herms.niel/
