Pulled into war to serve a vision that’s supposed to last a thousand years Part of a machine unstoppable, as merciless as tidal waves Were they the victims of the time, or proud parts of larger goals? Propaganda of the Reich, masterful machine Time and again the battle rages on beyond the gates of misery As casualties rise and millions die around them did they see it all? Crazy madmen on a leash, or young men who lost their way? Grand illusions of the Reich may seem real at times Panzers on a line form the Wehrmacht’s spine Lethal grand design What about the men executing orders? Ad victoriam Ex machina Non sibi sed patriae Pulled into war to serve a vision that just didn’t last a thousand years Part of a machine, though stoppable, as merciless as tidal waves
The Wehrmacht was the united armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. The designation “Wehrmacht” (“Defence Force”) for Nazi Germany replaced the previously used term “Reichswehr” and constituted the Third Reich’s efforts to rearm the nation to a greater extent than the Treaty of Versailles permitted. (Text credits: Gregory Sandoz)