Adonis

1 There on the wide staircase,

on the staircase of tears,

in the deep Wiener Graben 2

in the quarry of lamentations.

Jews and rebels walk,

Jews and rebels fall,

a rock on their backs they carry,

a rock as a cross of death.

There Adonis the voice

a voice, a voice he hears.

Oh comrade, oh comrade3

help me go up the stairs.

But there on the wide staircase

and the staircase of tears,

such help is an insult,

such pity is a curse.

The Jew falls on the step

and the staircase is painted red

and you young lad come here,

carry double the rock.

I'll take double, I'll take triple,

my name is Adonis

and if you're a man, come here

in the marble threshing floor.

1. Adonis is a greek name, analogous to Anthony
2. The Wiener Graben stone quarry, originally owned by the City of Vienna, was rented in April 1938 by the SS and taken over by the SS in August of the same year.It was one of the main reasons for establishing a concentration camp in Mauthausen
3. In the greek lyrics, "Καμαράντ" is not a greek word but a sound imitation, presumably of the German word for "comrade", "Kamerad"

Original lyrics

Ο Αντώνης

Maria Farantouri: Top 3

1.	Σαν το μετανάστη (San to metanásti)
2.	Άσμα ασμάτων (Asma asmaton)
3.	Άντρα μου πάει (Ántra mou páei)

Comments