Сталинград [Stalingrad] [English translation]

A silence rests over the Mamayev kurgan.1

Such a silence rests.

On the Mamayev kurgan time, with bated breath.

Time, with bated breath,

Looks silently to the clouds!

Stalingrad, worn and burned!2

It still lives in the heart of all those who can't be broken!

Absolutely everything above the windows - 3

But don't give any ground under fire!

Stalingrad! Hold out, and cough up the fire!

Stalingrad! Radio static! Buried under the earth,4

And rising again even stronger!

Don't try to force war

On Russia ever, ever!

Stalingrad!

Chasing fear from the soul!

That only valor is left

To terrorize and break the enemy!

www.GL5.ru (lol!)

That they remember Stalingrad!5

They have to every day,

Casting their own people away

To become the heroes of legend!

Stalingrad!

Stalingrad!

1. Literally "On Mamayev kurgan such a quiet stands". Mamayev kurgan is a kurgan, a man-made hill with a tomb in the center, a burial mound. Possible translations of the word are "barrow" and, even more obscurely, "tumulus". If you've ever read the Lord of the Rings books, when the hobbits fight the Barrow-wights and are saved by Tom Bombadil, it's because they wandered into a haunted kurgan. Mamayev kurgan was a point of contention during the fight for Stalingrad, it was captured by one side then the other over the course of the battle, and many died attacking or defending it. Now a very impressive monument is built on it.2. Both of these give the idea of being worn/burned down to (almost) nothing.3. I admit my failing here to pick apart what this line is about. Literal translation: "All, that is higher than the entire windows." Usually in a matter like this there is some obvious answer that just escapes the mind, I'd love any input on it.4. I presume "хрипы рации" might also be translated into English as "dead air" the idea behind it being that no one is around to give sensible communication over the radio lines. Literally "wheezing".5. There is a bit of ambiguity in the original that has to be resolved when you translate it, it could also be "That we remember Stalingrad!" and "That Stalingrad is remembered!". In the original Russian it is all three, or any of these three, at the same time.