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Also known as „Hammer des Nordens“ and created by Kurt Kremers, Fahrtenname Turi.

A little bit of context: „Ormen Lange“ is a variation of „Ormrinn langi“ (/Ormurin langi), a particularly long and feared Viking longship owned by Olav Tryggvason, who ruled Norway as Olav I. from 995 to 1000. He was the son of the regional king Tryggvi Olafsson, the name „Tryggvi“ coming from Old Norse „tryggr“, which is related to German „treu“ and English „true“, meaning exactly this. The shared Germanic root is „trewwa“.

According to Norse sagas, Tryggvi was a grandson of Harald Fairhair, who – if the usually much younger sagas are to be believed – was the first king of Norway from 872 to 930. Olav Tryggvason was said to be the first Christian king of Norway and an important factor in the Norse regions becoming Christian for good. Apparently, Olav (before he became king) was part of an alliance led by Holy Roman (German) Emperor Otto II. (successfully) aiming to christianize Denmark under King Harald Bluetooth at some point. He ruled from Trondheim (which he is said to have founded), where a statue of him is situated on the city square.

Olav died in the Naval Battle of Svolder in the year 1000. The famous medieval German and Danish chroniclers Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus say he committed suicide by jumping into the sea in full armor after his flagship „Ormrinn langi“ had been surrounded. They also describe him as a rather vicious man, who spread Christianity with plenty of violence but still had heathen priests tell him the future via the „reading“ of bird bones, leading to the nickname „Craccaben“ (Crow bone). Norwegian and Icelandic accounts on him are more positive, some even say he survived and escaped the battle and was later seen in the Holy Land. All in all, Olav remains a mysterious figure we know little for certain about. The oldest non-poetic source we have today is the „Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum“ (Deeds of the Bishops of Hamburg) of Adam of Bremen, who lived almost a century after Olav.

In any case, „Ormrinn langi“ means „Long Serpent“ (literally more like „long worm“). If the poetic sources are true and comparisons with actual longships add up, it was 45 meters long and required 68 rowers. It’s interesting that the song mentions Olav and his flagship, since Olav as a Christian doesn’t fit the typical „Viking stereotype“ 100%.

Today, „Ormen Lange“ is the name given to a natural gas field near Norway’s coast. The spelling „Olaf“ is more common for normal names in modern German by the way.

Disclaimer: All videos are apolitical and this channel is against any form of extremism or hatespeech!
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Sturm bricht los aus Wolkentürmen:
Lasst ihn rasen, lasst ihn stürmen!
Soll das Schwache er verwehen –
Lässt er doch das Starke stehen!

Wie des Donners Hammer bebt!
Wie der Blitz im Auge lebt!
Wie des Donners Hammer bebt!
Wie der Blitz im Auge lebt!

Über eisig kalte Wogen
Kommen Schiffe angeflogen;
Auf den Steven grinsen Fratzen,
Ihre Ruder sind wie Tatzen.

Buckelschilde an den Borden,
Recken stark aus Nordlands Fjorden.
Buckelschilde an den Borden,
Recken stark aus Nordlands Fjorden.

Schrei schwillt auf in den Gewittern;
Könige und Kaiser zittern!
Feiste Mönche beten bange:
Olav naht auf Ormen Lange!

Wird euch bald zum Tanze spielen,
Wenn aufs Herz die Speere zielen.
Wird euch bald zum Tanze spielen,
Wenn aufs Herz die Speere zielen.

Was dem Bauer ihr gestohlen,
Kommt sich nun der Wiking holen:
Wird die Streitaxt schrecklich schwingen,
Lässt vom Hals die Köpfe springen.

Boote, schwer mit Gold beladen,
Kehrn zu heimischen Gestaden!
Boote, schwer mit Gold beladen,
Kehrn zu heimischen Gestaden!

(c) Dr.Ludwig