Lied derived from a poem written in 1919 by the Balto-German poetess Gertrud von den Brincken (cf. «Rigasche Zeitung», 6 June 1919, p. 5) just after the death of Hans von Manteuffel-Szoege.

Hans von Manteuffel-Szoege was the commander of the Stoßtrupp detachment, a branch of the Baltische Landeswehr.
Together with the other divisions of the Baltische Landeswehr (Detach. Malmede & Detach. von Jena), Hans von Manteuffel-Szoege marched on Riga to free the city from the communist occupiers. On the 22th of May, he lead his troops from the front across the Daugava River (in germ. "Düna") to storm the citadel where communists troops were detaining civilians - he died in the assault. His Stoßtrupp however won the day, thus liberating Riga from communist occupation.
In the next days the entire Riga paid homage to him, one of the last Balto-German barons descending from the Teutonic Knights.

The melody I used to pair with the poem is called "Der Soldat" (IFS 26, Es geht bei gedämpfter Trommel Klang) and was composed by Friedrich Silcher.


Achtung!
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