Kein schöner Land in dieser Zeit

In 1840, Anton Wilhelm von Zuccalmaglio published in the second volume of a collection of Volkslieder which was begun by Andreas Kretzschmer,[1] entitled Deutsche Volkslieder mit ihren Original-Weisen (German folk songs with their original tunes),[2] 382 songs which he collected himself, according to his preface. Some of the songs, however, were written and composed by Zuccalmaglio in the sense of a romantic Volkslied concept ("im Sinne eines romantischen Volksliedkonzeptes").[3] These include "Kein schöner Land in dieser Zeit", which he published under the title Abendlied (Evening Song) on page 494 as No. 274. It is marked as "Vom Niederrhein" (from Lower Rhenania),[4] probably invented by the author.[3]

After "Kein schöner Land" was included in the 1912 song book Unsere Lieder (Our Songs) of the Austrian Wandervogel, it gained popularity in the Wandervogel movement. This popularity resulted in several different text versions in the 1920s, such as a socialist version in 1929, and a version for Protestant girls and women.[3] Eva Öhlke, a member of the Neuwerk-Bewegung, a Protestant youth movement, added a fifth stanza which became popular beyond the movement.[5] The song has been included in most collections of songs in German.[3]

The poem's four stanzas are in five lines each, rhyming AABBA. The song, speaking in the first person plural, celebrates the ideal of a gathering of friends on a summer evening in nature ("Idealbild freundschaftlicher Zusammenkünfte an Sommerabenden in freier Natur"),[3] singing together. The singers express admiration of the beautiful country, and hope for similar gatherings in the future, God's grace permitting. They finally wish each other a good night under God's protection.[3]

The melody consists of elements from various Volkslieder, such as "Ich kann und mag nicht fröhlich sein" and "Ade, mein Schatz, ich muss nun fort". The last three lines are repeated.[3]

The melody was used in choral works such as Hans Lang's Kein schöner Land, a play for a two-part youth choir, Otto Jochum's An die Heimat: sein Werk beschauend., Op. 152, a suite of variations, and Hermann Erdlen's Kleine Hausmusik zum Singen und Spielen über das Volkslied "Kein schöner Land". The song was set for choirs often. Modern arrangements include Dieter Süverkrüp's Ein schönes Land (1963) and a version of the folk-rock group Ougenweide (1980). Süverkrüp wrote a parody, looking at the destruction of the environment.[7]

The first line was used for song books, recording collections and television, including the series by Günter Wewel, Kein schöner Land about regions,[8] and the political satire in six episodes Kein schöner Land directed by Klaus Emmerich after a script by Elke Heidenreich and Bernd Schroeder.[9] Books with the title include the novel Kein schöner Land by Patrick Findeis,[10] the play Kein schöner Land by Felix Mitterer,[11] the nonfiction Kein schöner Land. Ein deutscher Umweltatlas, a German atlas of environment by Emanuel Eckardt,[12] and Kein schöner Land. Die Zerstörung der sozialen Gerechtigkeit, about the destruction of social justice, by Heribert Prantl.[3]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kein schöner Land in dieser Zeit.

German Wikisource has original text related to this article: Abendlied (Zuccalmaglio)

• Walter Wiora: Die rheinisch-bergischen Melodien bei Zuccalmaglio und Brahms. Voggenreiter, Bad Godesberg 1953.
• Helmut Jensen: Bergisches Liederbuch. Ein praktisches Sing- und Musizierbuch. Heider, Bergisch Gladbach 1990, ISBN 3-87314-226-0.