Die schlesischen Weber (The Silesian Weavers) (English Translation, Interpretation)

Summary, analysis and interpretation

At the time Heinrich Heine was writing his well-known poem “Die Schlesischen Weber” the first period of the industrialisation in Germany starts. New industrial centres and factories arose. Due to the introduction of economic freedom people flew from rural areas into cities hoping for a better life and employment. However, they were exploited and a new class of population arose: the proletariat (workers). These people lived at poverty level. As a reaction to this poverty they started the rebellion of the weavers in Silesia in winter 1844. In his poem “Die Schlesischen Weber” Heinrich Heine describes the rage of the weavers as well as the general situation in Prussia at this time.

The poem consists of five stanzas. It is of significance that Heine makes use of the A-A-B scheme, which is mainly used in the volkslied: Each stanza is written in two rhyming couplets (A-A) and a returning refrain (B). This is already a hint that the song of the weavers is addressed to the general public. The first stanza introduces the event.

The first rhyming couplets ”düstern“ (gloomy), “Träne” (tear) and “fletschen die Zähne” (to snarl) already create a dark basic mood. They describe the situation of the weavers, who do not have any tears left as nobody helps them out of their misery. The only reaction they show is snarling. They are ready to fight against their powerlessness and their exploitation. Their desperation turns into rage. In the following rhyming couplets the weavers themselves speak. They threaten Germany to weave its burial shroud: “Deutschland, wir weben dein Leichentuch/ wir weben hinein den dreifachen Fluch” (line 3). The use of the word “Leichentuch“ stresses the weavers‘ intention to defeat the ruling class. The expression “dreifacher Fluch” (triple curse), a symbol that can be found in legends, too, emphasises this. Again, a connection to the ‘Volksliedstrophe’ and the people can be found.

In the following three stanzas three curses are spoken out and explained. At first the weavers express their rage by addressing God: “Gotte, zu dem wir gebeten” (line 6). Hence, Heine first criticises clergy. The next two lines further explain the reasons for their curse: they vainly hoped for heavenly assistance (“vergeblichen Hoffen”). “Winterskälte und Hüngernöte” are an allusion to the crop failures and potato blight in 1844 as well as to the price rise of basic food. Beside this time reference the alliteration¹ “vergebens gehofft und geharrt” (line 8) (vainly hoped for and waited) is a further point of criticism: the expression “Gott” (God) as well as the promise for a life in the beyond were used as justifications for the current situation by the authority. By preaching the hope for a better life due to acts of God they managed to keep the exploitees calm – as Marx stated: Religion is the opium of the people. Hence, the rebellion of the weavers resembles an awakening that God has teased the weavers (“geäfft, gefoppt und genarrt” line 9). This accumulation highlights the weavers’ rage. Their fury shows even an increase in the third stanza. In this stanza the secular authorities are cursed. The king is labelled as “König der Reichen” (line 11) (king of the rich), who only takes but does not give: “[presst] den letzten Groschen” (line 13). He supports those who profit by the industrialisation, namely entrepreneur, upper class and aristocracy. The poverty of the others, however, is increased by him. He, who should be a symbol for justice, opposes the majority of his people. He ignores, disrespects them and let them die: “wie Hunde erschießen lässt” (line 14). This comparison shows the missing respect with which he faces the workers and at the same time stresses the weavers’ fury. It can be also seen as an allusion to the bloody defeat of the rebellion in 1844, which were ordered by the “König der Reichen” Friedrich Wilhelm IV from Prussia.

In the fourth stanza the fatherland is cursed. The expression “Vaterland“, which is connected to patriotism, is called “falsch” (fake). In the following three lines an anaphora² can be found: “wo”, describing the fatherland as a place of doom. The alliteration “Schmach und Schande” in line 17 and the metaphor³ “Blume […] zu früh geknickt“ (line 18) (flower that was fold too early) as well as the words “Fäulnis und Moder” (line 19) (decay and mould) imply that Germany has become unhuman and cruel, the reign of the king being responsible for the current oppression. The flower is folded too early and all improvements come to nothing. Decay and mould are dominant over the weavers’ intentions and only the ruling class and the entrepreneurs benefit from the workers’ poverty.

When taking a closer look at the three curses one realises that Heine’s weavers curse God, the king and the fatherland – the three most important entities at that time. It has to be mentioned that ’Gott, König, Vaterland‘ was the slogan of the Prussian military, the motto for Friedrich Willhelm IV’s decision to put down the weavers’ rebellion in 1884.

As the first stanza the last stanza describes the weavers sitting at their weaving looms. They weave day and night, designing the burial shroud of “Altdeutschland” (line 23). Here, it is interesting to note that Heine only talks about ‘old/former’-Germany, a hint that the weavers’ intention is a complete collapse of the ruling system.

To conclude, this poem is something new and revolutionary and belongs to the so-called ‘politische Gedichte’. These political poems were written during the age of Metternich, a period between the Congress of Vienna and the March Revolution in 1848. The political poems arose because they could be easily disturbed on leaflets and the censorship paid no attention to poetry. Germany’s shroud, about which Heine writes, however, should be finished later. Even though the poem denounced the ruling system and expressed opposition, the workers’ efforts were chocked off by the introduction of laws that banned any kind of rebellion. It also has to be mentioned that the first public insurances were established only 40 years later protecting the workers from exploitation at least a little.