| "Ermutigung" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Wolf Biermann | |
| from the album 4 neue Lieder aah-ja! | |
| Language | German |
| English title | "Encouragement" |
| Published | 1968 |
| Recorded | 1968 |
| Genre | Political song |
| Label |
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| Songwriter(s) | Wolf Biermann |
"Ermutigung" ("Encouragement") is a poem and song by the German Liedermacher and lyricist Wolf Biermann. It was first published in 1968 in the poetry collection Mit Marx- und Engelszungen by Verlag Klaus Wagenbach, which also released the poem set to music as part of the single 4 neue Lieder ("4 New Songs"). Biermann later released the song on his 1974 LP album aah-ja!, released by Columbia Records.
The text of "Ermutigung" warns the listener/reader not to become hardened or embittered. The final verse ends with the optimistic image of a coming spring. Biermann dedicated the poem to his friend Peter Huchel, who was under house arrest and surveillance by the Stasi at the time. It also reflected on his own resignation as a blacklisted East German artist. The song version was popular in both East and West Germany and remains one of Biermann's most famous songs.