With grateful thanks to Historian, Writer, Translator and Poet
AC Benus* for his help with this post, for his advice and his on-going support for this project
Born on 13th June 1894, Wilhelm grew up in Silesia. He volunteered to serve in the German Army during the First World War and was sent to the Western Front. Wilhelm was wounded in November 1914.
Once recovered, Wilhelm returned to the Western Front and was killed on 22nd March 1918 fighting at Arras in France.
Wilhelm Runge’s collection of poetry was “Das Denken träumt : Gedichte” (Tr. "The Dreaming Mind" : Poems), which was published in 1918 around the time of his death.
Du bist ein reißender Strom
erwürgst alle Brücken
bist du nicht da
irrt meines Blutes Herde
hirtenlos
und nahst du
flieht es
ein geschlagen Heer
scheu senken meine Augen ihre Lanzen
Bin ein träumend Dorf
im Geheg der Sterne
deine Augen werfen Brand
in die Giebel
deiner Hände Siegespsalmen bet ich
in den wilden Tempeln
meines Munds
Sonne blühen deiner Stirne Alpen
nie lieg ich so selig
wie zu deiner Stimme Füßen
diesem uferlosen Mai
Translations by AC Benus:
You’re a torrent able to
strangle all my bridges
for when you’re gone
my blood-herds roam shepherdless
aimlessly
but at your
approach
my eyes lower their spears
and flee like a timid army in defeat
I’m a dreaming town
where the corral of stars
thrown from your eyes goes up to
the high gables
your hands pitch for me to pray psalms
through the untamed temple
of my mouth
The sun blooms on your forehead while the Alps
have never lain so bliss-filled
as I do at your voice’s feet
on this lovely day in May
Schrecken zäunt die spieligen Gedanken
Mondschein hätschelt seine wilde Nacht
zuckend blutet Welt vom Sims der Sterne
Seele hastet Herzen wimmre Wunden
wankend
tastet zager Sommertag
Translation:
Sheer terror bridles any playful thoughts
the moonlight may cradle through its wild nights
while twitching bleeds upon a ledge of stars
and the soul teeters hastily as wounds
are rocked
to palpate bleak summer days
Seufzer bangt
des Auges voller Garten
steht in Regen
durch der Stirne Wüstensand
schleppt sich die Gedankenkarawane
sonnetaumelnd
durstentlang
alles Blut verdunkelt wolkenschwül
und der Hände scheue Tauben
ängsten
da springt auf der Seele wildes Tier
donnerheult
die Hölle seiner Schrecken
und zerstampft den Frieden in die Wildnis
die das Eiland seiner Stärke ist
Translation
Sighing pops
in the full garden of eyes
erect in rain
upon desert sand ridges
hauling slow caravans of thought with them
getting sun-stroked
and thirsty
while along the way blood clouds darken
and the cowardly hands doves fear
worriedly
soon have wild beasts pouncing upon them
like thunder
be-howling the horrors of hell
which trample peace underfoot in the wilds
because it is their island of strength
From “Das Denken träumt : Gedichte” (Tr. "The Dreaming Mind: Poems"),
Additional source:
http://www.deutsche-liebeslyrik.de/runge_wilhelm.htm
* AC Benus is the author of a book about German WW1 poet Hans Ehrenbaum-Degele : “The Thousandth Regiment: A Translation of and Commentary on Hans Ehrenbaum-Degele’s War Poems” by AC Benus (AC Benus, San Francisco, 2020). Along with Hans's story, the book includes original poems as well as translations. ISBN: 978-1657220584
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1657220583
