Erika (song)

"Erika" is a German marching song. It is primarily associated with the German Army, especially that of Nazi Germany, although its text has no political content. It was created by Herms Niel and published in 1938, and soon came into usage by the Wehrmacht. It was frequently played during Nazi Party public events. According to British soldier, historian, and author Major General Michael Tillotson, it was the single most popular marching song of any country during the Second World War.

Origins
"Erika" is both a common German female name and the German word for heather. The lyrics and melody of the song were written by Herms Niel, a German composer of marches. The exact year of the song's origin is not known; often the date is given as "about 1930", but this has never been substantiated. The song was originally published in 1938 by the publishing firm Carl Louis Oertel in Großburgwedel, but it had been popular prior to the war.

Music
The song begins with the line "Auf der Heide blüht ein kleines Blümelein" (On the heath a little flower blooms), the theme of a flower (Erika) bearing the name of a soldier's sweetheart. After each line, and after each time the name "Erika" is sung, there is a three beat pause, which is filled by the kettledrum or stamping feet (e.g. of marching soldiers), shown as (xxx) in the text below.

In politics and culture

 * Hell Let Loose, a tactical first-person shooter based in WW2 uses the song when the Axis (German) side wins a round.
 * Girls und Panzer, a Japanese anime series about WW2-era tanks being maintained and used as a school sport for girls includes the song (used without lyrics) for the school that uses Nazi Germany's tanks.
 * Strike Witches, another Japanese anime series includes the song as an OST with Japanese lyrics.
 * In June 2024, members of the University of Warwick Conservative Association were widely reported to have sung and danced to the song during an annual event. University of Warwick representatives condemned the actions of the students. The association stressed that it was requested by a single member who was no longer welcome, and apologised for any offence caused.