Dnem i Noch'yu -- My na Strazhe

PESNYA BOJCOV NKVD

Copyright © 2001 by Hugo S. Cunningham

First posted y10316
Latest change y11105

Does anyone have the musical score for this piece? Perhaps it is irretrievably lost; the song itself, with references to "Iron Commissar" N.I. Yezhov, would have been suppressed after Yezhov's replacement by L.P. Beria in Nov. 1938.

The references in the refrain to breaking claws (fingernails) and teeth bring to mind the "physical measures" used by N.I. Yezhov's interrogators. For example, Glasnost'-era tests on General Tukhachevsky's 1938 confession confirmed the presence of bloodstains, presumably his. With Yezhov's replacement, "physical measures" of interrogation were officially banned, though not given up entirely.

Ob"yasnenie latinskoj azbuki vospolzuemoj zdes'
Explanation of Russian transcription used here

From "Pravda," 21 Dec 1937, p. 3.:


Dnem i Noch'yu -- My na Strazhe Night and Day, We Are on Guard
PESNYA BOJCOV NKVD SONG OF THE NKVD FIGHTING-MEN
--
Nam respublika velela The republic told us
Ne smykat' orlinyx glaz. Not to close our eagle eyes.
My -- bojcy Narkomvnudela We are the fighting men of the NKVD
Pomnim rodiny prikaz. We remember the Motherland's command.
My ot chernoj sily vrazh'ej We defend our country
Berezhem stranu svoyu. from the dark power of the enemy.
Dnem i noch'yu -- my na strazhe, Day and night, we are on guard,
Dnem i noch'yu -- my v boyu. Day and night, we are in battle.
    Pripev:
    Refrain:
      Vrag -- umen, my umnej,
      The enemy is smart, we are smarter,
      Vrag -- silen, my sil'nej,--
      The enemy is strong, we are stronger,--
    Ves' sovetskij narod nam pomozhet
    The entire Soviet people helps us
      Vrazh'i kogti srubit',
      To chop the enemy's claws,
      Vrazh'i zuby spilit',
      To cut down the enemy's teeth,
    Vrazh'i gnezda ognem unichtozhit'!
    To destroy the nests of the enemy with fire!
-
Budut slavoyu svetit'sya The firm letters Ch.K.
Bukvy tverdye CheKa. will shine with glory.
Znamya gordoe chekistov A strong hand will hold
Derzhit krepkaya ruka. The proud banner of the Chekists.
My Dzerzhinskogo zavety We will hold Dzerzhinsky's precepts
V serdce plamennom xranim, in our flaming heart,
My svoyu stranu Sovetov We will defend our Soviet country
Po-ezhovski storozhim. In the Yezhov manner.
    [Pripev]
    [Refrain]
-
E^j, vragi! V lichinax novyx Hey, enemies! You can't hide
Vam ne spryatat' zlobnyx lic, Your malicious faces in new masks,
Ne ujti vam ot surovyx You cannot escape from our stern
Ot ezhovyx rukavic! Ezhov grip of steel!
Ne prolezt' polzuchim gadam Crawling reptiles cannot slither
K serdcu rodiny tajkom, -- Stealthily to the heart of the Motherland, --
Vsex otkroet zorkim vzglyadom Our untiring people's commissar
Nash nedremlyushchij narkom. discovers all with a sharp-eyed glance.
    [Pripev]
    [Refrain]
-
My -- zashchita millionov, We are the defense of millions,
My -- zashchita vsej strany We are the defense of the whole country
Ot predatelej, shpionov, From traitors, spies,
Podzhigatelej voiny. Inciters of war.
Diversantam -- net poshchady! To saboteurs, no mercy!
Nash otryad -- nepobedim, -- Our unit is unconquerable, --
Krov' po kaple, esli nado, If necessary, we will give our blood
My narodu otdadim! Drop by drop to the people!
    [Pripev]
    [Refrain]
-
[Povtorenie nachala] [Repetition of the beginning]
Nam respublika velela The republic told us
Ne smykat' orlinyx glaz. Not to close our eagle eyes.
My -- bojcy Narkomvnudela We are the fighting men of the NKVD
Pomnim rodiny prikaz. We remember the Motherland's command.
My ot chernoj sily vrazh'ej We defend our country
Berezhem stranu svoyu. from the dark power of the enemy.
Dnem i noch'yu -- my na strazhe, Day and night, we are on guard,
Dnem i noch'yu -- my v boyu. Day and night, we are in battle.
    Pripev:
    Refrain:
      Vrag -- umen, my umnej,
      The enemy is smart, we are smarter,
      Vrag -- silen, my sil'nej,--
      The enemy is strong, we are stronger,--
    Ves' sovetskij narod nam pomozhet
    The entire Soviet people helps us
      Vrazh'i kogti srubit',
      To chop the enemy's claws,
      Vrazh'i zuby spilit',
      To cut down the enemy's teeth,
    Vrazh'i gnezda ognem unichtozhit'!
    To destroy the nests of the enemy with fire!
        -- Vas. LEBEDEV-KUMACH.

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