Laibach-apologie Lyrics - Laibach

Seit wann, Soehne der Wahrheit, seid ihr Brueder der Nacht? 

Was hat eure Haende blutrot gemacht? 

Der Ausbruch in der Nacht ist die Bluete des Leids, 

mit ihr kann nichts entschuldigt sein. 

Nicht zerschlagen laesst sich der Luegenaltar, der Altar 

der die Form vervielfacht immerdar. 

Unbeflecktes Bildnis, Lichter ohne Pein, 

schauriger Naechte Schutz allein 

Des Geistes Kinder sind wir und Brueder der Nacht, 

deren Versprechen nicht zustande gebracht. 

Wir sind schwarze Geister von dieser Welt, 

besingen des Kummers verrueckte Gestalt 

Die Erlaeuterung ist die Peitsche, und du tropfest Blut: 

Zum hundertsten Male zersplittert der Spiegel der Welt, 

eure Mueh' ist vergeblich; wir haben die Nacht ueberwunden. 

Unsre Schuld ist beglichen 

und unser das Licht 

(Laibach Apology 

Since when, sons of Truth, are you brothers of the Night? 

What has made your hands blood red? 

The outbreak in the night is the flower of pain [?], 

nothing can be excused by that. 

The altar of lies will not be broken, the altar 

that multiplies the form forever. 

Immaculate portrait, bringer of light [?] without pain, 

only protection for horrible nights 

We are children of the ghost [spirit] and brothers of the Night, 

that does not keep its promises. [?] 

We are black spirits of this world, 

we extol the mad shape of sorrow 

The explanation is the whip, and you drip of blood: 

Break the mirror of the world for the hundredth time, 

your hardship is in vain; we have defeated the Night. 

Our debt is paid 

and ours is the light) 

("Laibach-Apologie" (or "Apologija Laibach" as the Slovenian original 

version is called) was written in 1982 by then frontman of the band, Tomaz 

Hostnik, who committed suicide in December that year. I believe it was his 

suicide note. It doesn't appear as a song on this album, only as a poem 

(translated into German) in the CD booklet, but it appears on at least 

three other Laibach albums. A live version is found on "Baptism - Krst Pod 

Triglavom" (their score for a theatre production). A studio version is 

found on "Trans Slovenia Express", a 1994 collection of Slovenian bands 

covering Kraftwerk songs, and on the 1987 album "Slovenska Akropola", 

released in former Yugoslavia only.) 

(There is a much better English translation in the book "Neue Slowenische 

Kunst", but I don't have it.)