This is a French song about a small town in Germany. It’s an updated cover of the song written by the French Holocaust survivor Monique Andrée Serf (stage name Barbara) in the 1960’s.

In its day it made a powerful statement. In this age of screaming and shouting, it is interesting to see a quiet and understated delivery of a powerful message.

Pomme “Göttingen”

English translation:

Of course, it’s not the Seine
It’s not the Bois de Vincennes.
But it’s pretty nevertheless
In Göttingen, in Göttingen.

No quays, and no old tunes,
Moaning and dragging on.
But anyhow love blossoms there
In Göttingen, in Göttingen.

They know better than us, I think,
The history of the kings of France
Hermann, Peter, Helga and Hans,
In Göttingen.

And nobody should feel offended,
But the tales of our childhood,
“Once upon a time..”, they start
In Göttingen.

Of course, we have the Seine,
And then - our Bois de Vincennes,
But God, the roses are beautiful
In Göttingen, in Göttingen.

We have our pale mornings,
And the grey soul of Verlaine.
Them, they are melancholy itself
In Göttingen, in Göttingen.

When they don’t have anything to say,
They stay here and smile to us.
But we understand them anyway,
The blond children of Göttingen.

Too bad for those who are stunned
May the others forgive me,
But children are the same,
In Paris or in Göttingen.

May never come back
The time of blood and hatred.
Because there are people I love
In Göttingen, in Göttingen.

When would ring the alarm,
If we had to take up arms again,
My heart would shed a tear
For Göttingen, for Göttingen.

My heart would shed a tear
For Göttingen, for Göttingen.

Göttingen (song)
en.wikipedia.org