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"Erika"
"Erika"
Song
Genre	March
Composer(s)	Herms Niel
Lyricist(s)	Herms Niel

"Erika" is a German marching song. It is primarily associated with the German Army, especially that of Nazi Germany, although its text has no political content.^[1] It was created by Herms Niel and published in 1938, and soon came into usage by the Wehrmacht. It was frequently played during Nazi Party public events.^{[citation needed]} According to British soldier, historian, and author Major General Michael Tillotson, it was the single most popular marching song of any country during the Second World War.^[2]

Origins

"Erika" is both a common German female name and the German word for heather. The lyrics and melody of the song were written by Herms Niel, a German composer of marches. The exact year of the song's origin is not known; often the date is given as "about 1930",^[3] but this has never been substantiated. The song was originally published in 1938 by the publishing firm Carl Louis Oertel [de] in Großburgwedel, but it had been popular prior to that.^[4]

Music

The song begins with the line "Auf der Heide blüht ein kleines Blümelein" (On the heath a little flower blooms), the theme of a flower (Erika) bearing the name of a soldier's sweetheart.^[2] After each line, and after each time the name "Erika" is sung, there is a three beat pause, which is filled by the kettledrum or stamping feet (e.g. of marching soldiers), shown as (xxx) in the text below.

$\header { tagline = ##f } \paper { paper-width = 240\mm } \layout { indent = 0 \context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" } } global = { \key g \major \numericTimeSignature \time 2/4 } heidetenor = \relative c'' { b,4. c8 | d4 d | d g | g b | b4. a8 | g4 s | s2 | fis4 g | a s | s2 | b4. a8 | g4 s | s2 } tenorVoice = \relative c'' { \global \set midiInstrument = #"brass section" \voiceOne \dynamicUp \repeat volta 2 { \heidetenor \bar ":|." } d,4. g8 | fis4 fis | fis fis | e fis | g s | s2 | fis4. g8 | a4 a | a a | d4. c8 | b4 s | s2 \bar "|." } verse = \lyricmode { Auf der Hei -- de blüht ein klei -- nes Blü -- me -- lein, und das heißt E -- ri -- ka. Denn ihr Herz ist vol -- ler Sü -- ßig -- keit zar -- ter Duft ent -- strömt dem Blü -- ten -- kleid. } verseR = \lyricmode { Heiß von hun -- dert -- tau -- send klei -- nen Bie -- ne -- lein wird um -- schwärmt E -- ri -- ka. } heideshots = { s2*5 |s4 \override NoteHead #'style = #'cross e4 | e e | s2 | s4 e | e e | s2 | s4 e | e \mark \markup \small "Fine" e \bar ":|." } shots = \relative c'' { \global \set midiInstrument = #"gunshot" \voiceTwo \repeat volta 2 { \heideshots } s2*4 | s4 e | e e | s2*4 | s4 e | e \mark \markup \small "D.C. al Fine" e \bar "|." } \score { << \new Voice = "singer" { \tenorVoice } \addlyrics { \verse } \addlyrics { \verseR } \\ \new Voice = "shots" { \shots } >> \layout { } } \score { \unfoldRepeats { << \tenorVoice \\ \shots >> << \heidetenor \\ \heideshots >> } \midi { \tempo 4=120 \context { \Score midiChannelMapping = #'instrument } \context { \Staff \remove "Staff_performer" } \context { \Voice \consists "Staff_performer" } } }$

Lyrics

German original^[5]

English translation

I
Auf der Heide blüht ein kleines Blümelein
und das heißt Erika!
Heiß von hunderttausend kleinen Bienelein
wird umschwärmt Erika!

Denn ihr Herz ist voller Süßigkeit,
zarter Duft entströmt dem Blütenkleid.
Auf der Heide blüht ein kleines Blümelein
und das heißt Erika!

In der Heimat wohnt ein kleines Mägdelein
und das heißt Erika!
Dieses Mädel ist mein treues Schätzelein
und mein Glück, Erika!

Wenn das Heidekraut rot-lila blüht,
singe ich zum Gruß ihr dieses Lied.
Auf der Heide blüht ein kleines Blümelein
und das heißt: Erika!

In mein'm Kämmerlein blüht auch ein Blümelein
und das heißt Erika!
Schon beim Morgengrau'n sowie beim Dämmerschein
schaut's mich an, Erika!

Und dann ist es mir, als spräch' es laut:
„Denkst du auch an deine kleine Braut?“
In der Heimat weint um dich ein Mägdelein
und das heißt Erika!

I
On the heath there blooms a little flower
and it's called Erika!
Eagerly a hundred thousand little bees
swarm around Erika!

For her heart is full of sweetness,
a tender scent escapes her blossom-gown.
On the heath there blooms a little flower
and it's called Erika.

II
Back at home there lives a little maiden
and she's called Erika!
That girl is my faithful little darling
and my joy, Erika!

When the heather blooms in a reddish purple,
I sing her this song in greeting.
On the heath there blooms a little flower
and she's called Erika!

III
In my room there also blooms a little flower
and she's called Erika!
Already in the grey of dawn as it does at dusk
it looks at me, Erika!

And then it seems to me, as if it's saying aloud:
"Are you thinking of your little bride?"
Back at home a maiden weeps for you
and she's called Erika!

In politics and culture

Hell Let Loose, a tactical first-person shooter based in WW2 that uses the song when the Axis (German) side wins a round.^[6]
Girls und Panzer, a Japanese anime series about WW2-era tanks being maintained and used as a school sport for girls includes the song (used without lyrics) for the school (Kuromorimine Girls Academy) that uses Nazi Germany's tanks. The schools vice commander, Erika Itsumi, gets her name from the song whilst the name "Erika" is both a German and Japanese name respectively.^{[citation needed]}
Strike Witches, another Japanese anime series includes the song as an OST with Japanese lyrics.
In June 2024, members of the University of Warwick Conservative Association were allegedly reported to have sung and danced to the song during an annual event.^[7]^[8] University of Warwick representatives condemned the actions of the students.^[9] The association stressed that it was requested by a single member who was "no longer welcome", and apologised for any offence caused.^[10]