65 anniversary of WWII-"Farewell of a Slavic woman"

Famous Russian military march (1912). Agapkin composed his march "A Slavic Farewell - Farewell to the Slavic Woman" in 1912, and it has been used to say farewell to Russian troops going to front ever since. He was conducting the famous November parade in Moscow in 1941 when German army were right next to Moscow.

The song was composed in 1912, as Russia was awash in rumors about the impending new Balkan War, in which the Slavs would be pitted against the Ottoman Turks, and Orthodox Christianity aganst Islam. Although, this particular war did not materialize, the song spread like wildfire, and became the most popular military march during WWI as well as WWII

Although it has its author, V. Lazarev, the text of the march that has become part of the urban folklore exists in several version. One of them, by A. Mingalev, is full of patriotic and martial spirit that is rather out of keeping with the elegiac and, perhaps, more authentic tone of the original. A more recent version was produced by Aleksandr Galich (1941 and 1970)..



The moment of parting is nigh
You look into my eyes with alarm.
I sense you dear breath,
And far away the storm is already gathering.

A tremor ran through the blue, misty air,
Alarm touched my temples,
And Russia calls us to a feat,
A breathe is wafting from the the marching regiments.

Farewell, the land of the fathers,
Remember us.
Farewell, dear glance,
Forgive-farewell, Forgive-
farewell...

Years fly buy
Trains disappear in the dark.
In them -- the soldiers.
And in the dark sky
The soldier's star is shining.

In them -- the soldiers.
And in the dark sky
The soldier's star is shining.

Farewell, the land of the fathers,
Remember us.
Farewell, dear glance,
Forgive-farewell, Forgive-
farewell...

Forests, the steppe, junctions stand in the steppe
The light of the twilight, evening, morning --
So, don't forget the Slavic woman's farewell,
Repeat it to yourself in your soul!

No, the soul will not be indifferent --
The lights of justice shine...
For love, for the great fraternity
We have sacrificed our lives.

Farewell, the land of the fathers,
Remember us.
Farewell, dear glance,
Not all of us shall return.

Years fly by,
A the song -- your are always with us.
We remember you,
And in the dark sky
The soldier's star is shining.

Farewell, the land of the fathers,
Remember us.
Farewell, dear glance,
Forgive-farewell, Forgive-
farewell...

Sources:www.russmus.net,www.softpanorama.org.