Page 264 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2021. Opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama ▪︎ Operetta between the Two World Wars. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 5
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opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama
Table 1: Joseph Beer, Polnische Hochzeit, Act I, no. 4, the scene of Boleslav’s arrival
Polnische Hochzeit [libretto], 20–1.
Polska! Polska! Poland! Poland!
Alles, was wir lieben, liegt in diesem Wort! All we love is in this word!
Polska! Polska! Poland! Poland!
Laßt die alten Lieder klingen! Let old songs sound!
Polenland, mein Heimatland! The land of Poles, my homeland!
Jetzt bin ich wieder dein! I am yours again!
Was auch immer sei, As it has always been,
Einmal wirst du frei! you will be free now!
Polenland, mein Heimatland! The land of Poles, my homeland!
Jetzt bin ich wieder dein! I am yours again!
Herrlich ist’s, daheim zu sein! It is great to be back home again!
Wo solche Blumen blüh’n, Where such flowers bloom,
die schönsten Frau’n, The most beautiful women,
Wohin die Augen seh’n Wherever you take a look,
Flammenheiße Blicke glüh’n; Ardent looks are burning.
Die Polin ist so schön! A Polish woman is so beautiful!
Polenland, mein Heimatland! The land of Poles, my homeland!
Jetzt bin ich wieder dein! I am yours again!
Herrlich ist’s, daheim zu sein! It is great to be back home again!
Halka! Talka! Halka! Talka!
Kommt, ihr drallen Mädel, Come, girls in bloom,
alle kommt zu mir! Come all to me!
Kasja, Stasja, Kasia, Stasia
Laßt uns sie Mazurka tanzen. Let’s dance mazurka.
Manja, Stanja, Mania, Stania
heute sind wir lustig, heute tanzen wir! Today we are merry, today we’re dancing!
Karja, Marja! Karia, Maria!
Kommt, wir woll’n Mazurka tanzen. Come, let’s dance mazurka.
the song. What should also be noted is the fact that some of the main char-
acters’ names are also diminutive forms (Mietek=Mieczysław, Staschek-
=Stanisław, Jadja=Jadwiga, Suza=Zuzanna).
The national stereotype of Poles as a nation eagerly reaching for al-
cohol is explicitly presented in the cartoonish characteristics of Count
Staschek, who gladly enumerates various kinds of alcohol bearing typi-
cally Polish names. In the Polnische Hochzeit’s plot, they are pronounced
in Germanised and inaccurate versions, but even a Polish listener can ef-
fortlessly recognise their native prototypes, e.g. Borowitschka (borovička,
a widespread spirit in Slovakia, a type of gin) or Jerczebinka (rowanber-
ry spirit, berry brandy). As an appetizer served with alcohol, Staschek or-
ders “Flatschki” (chitterlings), a hot, typically Polish meat dish. Standard
toasts in the Polish language – “Niech żyje!” [Long live!] or “Na strowje”
(in a phonetic version, correctly: “Na zdrowie!” [Cheers!]) complement this
262
Table 1: Joseph Beer, Polnische Hochzeit, Act I, no. 4, the scene of Boleslav’s arrival
Polnische Hochzeit [libretto], 20–1.
Polska! Polska! Poland! Poland!
Alles, was wir lieben, liegt in diesem Wort! All we love is in this word!
Polska! Polska! Poland! Poland!
Laßt die alten Lieder klingen! Let old songs sound!
Polenland, mein Heimatland! The land of Poles, my homeland!
Jetzt bin ich wieder dein! I am yours again!
Was auch immer sei, As it has always been,
Einmal wirst du frei! you will be free now!
Polenland, mein Heimatland! The land of Poles, my homeland!
Jetzt bin ich wieder dein! I am yours again!
Herrlich ist’s, daheim zu sein! It is great to be back home again!
Wo solche Blumen blüh’n, Where such flowers bloom,
die schönsten Frau’n, The most beautiful women,
Wohin die Augen seh’n Wherever you take a look,
Flammenheiße Blicke glüh’n; Ardent looks are burning.
Die Polin ist so schön! A Polish woman is so beautiful!
Polenland, mein Heimatland! The land of Poles, my homeland!
Jetzt bin ich wieder dein! I am yours again!
Herrlich ist’s, daheim zu sein! It is great to be back home again!
Halka! Talka! Halka! Talka!
Kommt, ihr drallen Mädel, Come, girls in bloom,
alle kommt zu mir! Come all to me!
Kasja, Stasja, Kasia, Stasia
Laßt uns sie Mazurka tanzen. Let’s dance mazurka.
Manja, Stanja, Mania, Stania
heute sind wir lustig, heute tanzen wir! Today we are merry, today we’re dancing!
Karja, Marja! Karia, Maria!
Kommt, wir woll’n Mazurka tanzen. Come, let’s dance mazurka.
the song. What should also be noted is the fact that some of the main char-
acters’ names are also diminutive forms (Mietek=Mieczysław, Staschek-
=Stanisław, Jadja=Jadwiga, Suza=Zuzanna).
The national stereotype of Poles as a nation eagerly reaching for al-
cohol is explicitly presented in the cartoonish characteristics of Count
Staschek, who gladly enumerates various kinds of alcohol bearing typi-
cally Polish names. In the Polnische Hochzeit’s plot, they are pronounced
in Germanised and inaccurate versions, but even a Polish listener can ef-
fortlessly recognise their native prototypes, e.g. Borowitschka (borovička,
a widespread spirit in Slovakia, a type of gin) or Jerczebinka (rowanber-
ry spirit, berry brandy). As an appetizer served with alcohol, Staschek or-
ders “Flatschki” (chitterlings), a hot, typically Polish meat dish. Standard
toasts in the Polish language – “Niech żyje!” [Long live!] or “Na strowje”
(in a phonetic version, correctly: “Na zdrowie!” [Cheers!]) complement this
262
