Song Meaning

The song opens with a stark invocation of historical trauma, referencing "broken glass, fire and plot" and the "9th of November," a date loaded with dark significance in German history. This immediately sets a tone of remembrance and a warning against forgetting past "treason." The lyrics then pivot to a satirical call to "Wake up, Deutschland, sleeping beauty," framing a new, aggressively "nice" German identity that stands in direct contrast to a perceived global "nuts" state. This new German persona is characterized by a deliberate subversion of traditional nationalist imagery, replacing "torches and pitchforks" with "bicycle helmets" and "Jack Wolfskin jackets." The central tension lies in the redefinition of "Deutsch" itself, moving from a potentially aggressive nationalistic identity to one defined by liberal, compassionate, and even mundane virtues like "compassionate, deutsch – considerate" and "munching Kebab and Müsli." The lyrics directly confront and mock authoritarian figures, labeling them "nationalist dorks" and "the past," while asserting that the "true germans" are now defined by their embrace of multiculturalism and social responsibility. This redefinition is presented as a conscious, learned response to historical failings, as the chorus repeatedly reminds, "we have once been stupid too." The most striking craft element is the relentless, almost overwhelming repetition of "Deutsch" in the chorus, paired with a litany of positive, progressive attributes. This creates a powerful, albeit ironic, declaration of a new national identity. The juxtaposition of this idealized "Deutsch" with the initial historical warning and the mocking of old-fashioned nationalism highlights a complex, self-aware commentary on German identity. The inclusion of specific, almost mundane details like "Dosenpfand" (deposit on bottles) and "Fahrvergnügen" (driving pleasure) alongside grander ideals like "human dignity" and "European unity" grounds this new identity in everyday reality, making the satire sharper. What makes these lyrics hit so hard is their bold, almost confrontational reappropriation of national identity. By taking the term "Deutsch" and filling it with progressive, inclusive, and even slightly absurd characteristics, the song satirizes both historical German nationalism and contemporary anxieties about identity. The final bridge, with its explicit mention of "socks and sandals" and "vegan sausage," and the child's aggressive, yet philosophically grounded, outburst referencing Kant, solidifies the message: the new "Deutsch" is not about aggressive power, but about embracing a flawed, teachable, and fundamentally humanistic existence, a stark contrast to the "murderous vandals" of the past.

POL1Z1STENS0HN a.k.a. Jan Böhmermann - Rock, Deutschland

Be Deutsch

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Duration: 4:16

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[Intro] Remember, remember The 9th of November Broken glass, fire and plot I know of no reason Why our very own treason Should ever be forgot [Verse 1] Wake up, Deutschland, sleeping beauty Can you hear your call of duty? The world has gone completely nuts That's why we're back to help, mein Schatz Achtung, germans on the rise But this time we are fucking nice [Verse 2] Authoritarian nationalist dorks So tough with your torches and pitchforks You are not the people, you are the past The true germans come for you! Better run fast Ten million bicycle helmets in sight Jack Wolfskin jackets marching through the night Birkenstocks stomp the ground Munching Kebab and Müsli, earth-shattering sound [Bridge] Guten Tag, the true germans are here We are xenophobic's biggest fear You call for strong leaders, for fences and walls But being like us takes bigger balls Cause we are— [Chorus] Deutsch – nice, deutsch – liberal Deutsch – compassionate, deutsch – considerate Deutsch – reasonable, deutsch – social Deutsch – temperate, deutsch – peaceful (Deutsch), say it clear, (deutsch) say it loud (Deutsch), we are proud of (deutsch) not being proud (Deutsch), we are here to (deutsch) remind you (Deutsch), That we have once been stupid (deutsch), too [Verse 3] Maniacs with wicked hair Ja, ja, ja, we have already been there Trust our teutonic expertise We know where assholery leads You have an election to vote for the best But we see it more like an IQ-test (You failed) We've learned our lesson, so take our advice Hold together, try to be nice and [Chorus] Deutsch – open, deutsch – multi-cultural Deutsch – modest, deutsch – help the weak and poor Deutsch – neighbours, deutsch – tolerant Deutsch – Grundgesetz, deutsch – Dosenpfand (Deutsch), say it clear, (deutsch) say it loud (Deutsch), we are proud of (deutsch) not being proud (Deutsch), human dignity is (deutsch) unimpeachable (Deutsch), you will learn, if even (deutsch) we were teachable [Bridge, Jan Böhmermann, child] We are no longer murderous vandals Be nice, or we'll come for you in socks and sandals Reserving your sun loungers with our towels Vegan sausage in our bowls Hey, you dickheads, take a good look at these legal citizens of the Bundesrepublik Deutschland in the year 2016 It's perfectly legal for them to do whatever the fuck they want to do, you stupid shit for brains And do you want to know why, fuckface? Because they're fucking human beings, like you and everyone else Have you ever heard of the categorical imperative, asshole? Read Kant, cunt He also was— [Chorus] Deutsch – enlightened, deutsch – responsible Deutsch – we cycle, deutsch – and recycle Deutsch – Weltmeister, deutsch – forgiving Deutsch – Weizenbier, deutsch – never forget Deutsch – Fahrvergnügen, deutsch – freedom of speech Deutsch – European, deutsch – unity Deutsch – Fanta, deutsch – diversity Deutsch – selfless, deutsch – we are germany (deutsch) [Outro] Not you, we! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha

Credits

Writers: POL1Z1STENS0HN a.k.a. Jan Böhmermann

Be Deutsch

Be Deutsch

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