C.D. Warner, et al., comp.
The Library of the World’s Best Literature. An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.

Georg Herwegh (1817–1875)

AS long as I’m a Protestant,

I’m botmden to protest:

Come, every German musiciant,

And fiddle me his best!

You’re singing of “the free old Rhine”;

But I say, No, good comrades mine,—

The Rhine could be

Greatly more free,

And that I do protest.

I scarce had got my christening o’er,

Or was in breeches dressed,

But I began to shout and roar

And mightily protest,

And since that time I’ve never stopped,

My protestations never dropped;

And blessed be they

Who every way

And everywhere protest.

There’s one thing certain in my creed,

And schism is all the rest,—

That who’s a Protestant indeed

For ever must protest.

What is the river Rhine to me?

For from its source unto the sea,

Men are not free,

Whate’er they be,

And that I do protest.

And every man in reason grants,

What always was confessed,

As long as we are Protestants,

We sternly must protest.

And when they sing “the free old Rhine,”

Answer them “No,” good comrades mine,—

The Rhine could be

Greatly more free,

And that you shall protest.