The Moor Express Poem

Here is the Google Translate English version of the poem about the priests pulling the Moor Express (with a few corrections to the translation), followed by the German Original. (the picture above is from an earlier time when there were still Jews in the camp who pulled the Moor Express). That the men pulling the Moor Express are all priests is explicit in the poem. Kupher-Koberwitz was a kind of Offical Poet for the camp. He composed poems for all kinds of SS and prisoner-organized events, like birthdays, that were generally humourous. And was able to retain much of what he composed in his dairy since he worked in Praezifix so had many advantages compared to the average prisoner.

The Moor Express
by Edgar Kupher-Koberwitz
Version of Chain of Days – Poems from Dachau p. 24
Quote from Dachau Diary by EKK

What kind of horses are these – what a sad team? –
Eighteen men. –
They pull the heavy wagon,
over the paths full of stones and dirt,
they pull on ropes, panting and heavy,
the chest heaving and the stomach so empty:
the people as horses, what a sad team:
eighteen men. –

What kind of horses are these – what a sad team? _
Eighteen men. –
I see them wading in the rain
and early in the morning when the sun glows,
I see them walking in the snowstorm,
in heat and icy winds blow,
Horses without blankets, what a sad team:
eighteen men. –

What kind of horses are these – what a sad team? _
Eighteen men. –
They creep along wearily and sluggishly,
how hard they pull on the thick ropes –
If you ask them, they are all priests.
used as horses, what a sad team:
eighteen men. –

What kind of horses are these – what a sad team? _
Eighteen men. –
The sentries walk along laughing,
A revolver in his belt, a rifle in his arm,
guard the opprobrium that Germany devised,
where people were harnessed to heavy chariots,
the people as horses, the SS team:
eighteen men. –

What kind of horses are these – what a sad team? _
Eighteen men. –
And if someone comes and asks them,
why such a burden is placed on them,
because the SS says: “The horses are in the stable,
but they want to pull it themselves, definitely; –
that’s what the prisoners are like” strange team:
Eighteen men. –

What kind of horses are these – what a strange team? _
Eighteen men. –
And when the wagon moves so tired through the moor
drifts away like the song of wolverines,
Then – in order not to cry – we say boldly:
“Have you seen it, our Moor Express?”
“Comrades as horses, what a sad team:
eighteen men.”

German Original