Rag parade

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Lumpenparade is a socially critical poem by the Bochum miner Heinrich Kämpchen , published in his poetry collection Aus Schacht und Hütte (1899).

background

The miners' strike of 1889 became the biggest dispute to date between the miners and the mining companies of the Ruhr area and led both sides to the edge of existence. In order to cushion the loss of work and earnings, the companies rely on the use of substitutes who are willing to work, so-called strike breakers . The strikers saw this as treason, which often led to the miners concerned being ostracized.

In the rag parade, Kämchen captures the excited, heated mood among the miners when they become aware of the approaching crowd of strikebreakers.

text

Squire, look at the rags, those
coming on the way,
escorted by the police,
comrades, come over!
In the front of the train, you know him,
stilts the "Tall One" from Dingesda - by
his side, called the "chicken",
the lame Ferdinand tripped.
Behind the two follow closely
“Wisper-Wilm” and the “
Affengesicht ”, still no good in struggle and hardship,
always licking each other for wages and bread. -
Again there are nice two,
Already notorious for many things,
Do you see the wrong, cross-eyed look?
Denounce, that's their trick. -
Follow them, in a beautiful wreath,
"Pulver-Fritze" and "Hagel-Franz",
otherwise never suffered from work rage,
now with the "Braven" they also toil. -
And so man after man,
all “defects”, line up in the train -
no one who has not already “calibrated” by you -
muckers and ducks, as far as it goes. -
So, squire, take care!
That you recognize them in the shaft,
When the terrible war is over,
When the right has won victory,
When the peace shawl rings out,
When you swing the wedge again -
Then, there can be no question,
you keep yourselves clean of the rags,
The constantly threatened your back, who
betrayed you in struggle and need. -
Therefore, squire, take good care
that you recognize her in the shaft. -

consequences

Heinrich Kämchen became known to the general public during the strike with such and similarly startling works. Hailed as a hero by the miners, he advanced to a persona non grata with employers, especially at his own Hasenwinkel colliery . Locked out for life, he made literature his profession from then on. a. as a freelancer for the Bergarbeiter-Zeitung .

swell