The "Panzerlied" ('Tank Song') is a Wehrmacht march of the Nazi era, sung primarily by the Panzerwaffe—the tank force of Nazi Germany during World War II. It is one of the best-known songs of the Wehrmacht and was popularised by the 1965 film Battle of the Bulge. It was composed by Oberleutnant Kurt Wiehle in 1933. It is still used today by the Chilean and Brazilian armies. The modern-day German Army has discontinued its use as Nazi symbols are banned in modern Germany.

History

The "Tank Song" was composed in 1933 by Oberleutnant Kurt Wiehle. In 2017, the German Army was banned from publishing song books containing Panzerlied and other marching songs by the Minister of Defence Ursula von der Leyen as part of new efforts at denazification. The song is sung by some motorised and parachute units of the Italian Army, most especially by the 185th Infantry Division "Folgore" under the title of "Sui Monti e Sui Mar". In France, the lyrics were adapted slightly to become the "Marche des Chars" used by the 501e régiment de chars de combat. The half portion of the song was used for Namibian patriotic song and unofficial anthem under South African rule, "The Southwestern Song". In the Brazilian Army, motorised and parachute units used the tune under the title "Canção da Tropa Blindada". A Spanish translation of the song is used by the Chilean Army as an armoured cavalry march, and by the Chilean Naval Academy as a pasacalle. French Foreign Legion also has this song in their repertoire under the name Kepi Blanc. The lyrics to "Panzerlied" were adapted to fit a Kriegsmarine song.

Lyrics