THE SACRED WAR - SOVIET SONGS of WORLD WAR II

THE SACRED WAR - Svyaschennaya Voyna (You can find an instrumental version of this song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfxI6O7J3dk) The Sacred War (Svyaschennaya Voyna) is both a Russian Folk Song and a patriotic march song. It was written in 1943 by Aleksandr Aleksandrov and was sung by the Alexandrov Ensemble, more popularly known today by the name of the Russian Red Army Choir. This song has serious and extreme patriotic overtones, to the point of making God Save The Queen look moderate in comparison. However, given the circumstances under which the song was sung and written, it's hardly surprising. For a patriotic song, it does what it's supposed to do. The first stanza itself is very much uplifting and urgent; it calls for the Soviet people to stand and fight against the foreign aggressors. At that time, their enemies were the fascist Nazi Germans under the direction of Adolf Hitler. The term vstavai was used intentionally and repeated for effect; the word means Stand Up! or Arise! in Russian, and was well-placed at the beginning to give the Soviet people a sense of urgency to act against oppressors. The chorus likens the wrath of the Russian people to an unstoppable wave, and most importantly it gives possession to the Soviet people not only towards their own country, but also the war. This is evinced in the lines ,"Idyot voyna narodnaya! Svyaschennaya Voyna!", which means "This is the people's war, A Sacred War!" To spread these concepts to a people at is crucial; citizens of a country must believe that their country belongs to them, and that they must also believe that they stand a chance of victory. The last three stanzas reinforce the whole patriotic theme of the song. It assures the people that the oppressors shall be halted and thrown back (Dadim otpor dusitelyam! Vsech plamminech idey!), that the planes and airforce of the enemy will not so much as lay a finger to precious Soviet skies (Ni smeyut krilya chorniye, nad rodinoy letat!), that their soldiers and tanks will not gain any more ground (Polya ejo prostornoiye, ne smeet vraag toptat!), and that every single enemy that so chooses to try will pay for it with their lives (Gniloy fascisti nyecisti, zagonim pulyu lob!). It gives the people a reason to fight and a reason to believe in victory. In times of war, it is important that the people of a nation remind themselves that no matter what, victory will be the final outcome. To have victory, one must believe in it. That helps to make the fight bearable for all intents and purposes. Propaganda always finds it´s way. After all, in the war they lost 20-25 million people and suffered the most destruction. Yet today, Russia is the 11th largest economy and the fastest growing economy in the world. The Sacred War is a monument and testament to the hard willpower of the Russian people. Lyrics: Вставай, страна огромная, Вставай на смертный бой С фашистской силой тёмною, С проклятою ордой. Припев: (2x) Пусть ярость благородная Вскипает, как волна! Идёт война народная, Священная война! Дадим отпор душителям Всех пламенных идей, Насильникам, грабителям, Мучителям людей! Припев Не смеют крылья чёрные Над Родиной летать, Поля её просторные Не смеет враг топтать! Припев Гнилой фашистской нечисти Загоним пулю в лоб, Отребью человечества Сколотим крепкий гроб! Припев (2x) Vstavay, strana ogromnaya Vstavay na smertnyy boy! S fashistskoy siloy tyomnoyu, S proklyatoyu ordoy. Pripev: (2x) Pust’ yarost’ blagorodnaya Vskipayet, kak volna! Idyot voyna narodnaya, Svyaschennaya voyna! Dadim otpor dushitelyam Vsekh plamennykh idey, Nasil’nikam, grabitelyam, Muchitelyam lyudey. Pripev Ne smeyut kryl’ya chornyye Nad Rodinoy letat’, Polya yeyo prostornyye Ne smeyet vrag toptat’. Pripev Gniloy fashistskoy nechisti Zagonim pulyu v lob, Otreb’yu chelovechestva Skolotim krepkiy grob! Pripev (2x) Arise, vast country, Arise for a fight to the death Against the dark fascist forces, Against the cursed hordes. Chorus: (2x) Let noble wrath Boil over like a wave! This is the people's war, a Sacred war! We shall repulse the oppressors Of all ardent ideas. The rapists and the plunderers, The torturers of people. Chorus The black wings shall not dare Fly over the Motherland, On her spacious fields The enemy shall not dare tread! Chorus We shall drive a bullet into the forehead Of the rotten fascist filth, For the scum of humanity We shall build a solid coffin! Chorus (2x) __________ Check out my friend who helped me with this video: @historicalwarfareinc ! Please check out his Instagram Page https://www.instagram.com/historicalwarfareinc/