Es ist für uns eine Zeit angekommen
For us it is a time had arrived originally a Christian carol singers song from Switzerland and has found over time in the German speaking different text traditions. As a Christmas song, it has been included in some regional editions of the Protestant hymnal in 1993/94 and thus has been given the status of a true hymn. A now widespread, resulting in 1939 paraphrase of the text has the song to a " reference of all Christian [ ... ] stripped [ s ] " made winter song.
Melody
The popular melody of the song comes from the tradition of carolers in the Swiss Wiggertal in Canton Luzern. There, the song has appeared in the 19th century. The folk song collector Alfred Leonz Gassmann (1876-1962) reported in 1906 by the custom of the Epiphany singing, the singer in the evening went from house to house and announced the birth of Jesus with this song. A singer wore a star above ( "Star Dreher "), which was covered with different colored paper and with a glowing from the inside candle gave an impressive picture. The carol singers in Wiggertal custom was practiced until the end of the 19th century, but then became extinct.
For the song, there are not only different (and not so famous ) tune versions, but also different forms of text.
Text
Christmas carol
19th Century / Canton of Lucerne
From Wiggertaler carolers song two ways are in the second and third verse narrated from Uffikon and from the book:
Verse 1: It has come a time for us, it is for us a great grace ', For there is a child born and that was the highest king, Our Saviour Jesus Christ, of us who for us who became man for us.
Verse 2 ( Uffikon ): Herod was so annoyed, Wiel he can not bear this. For it was in the hard crib and even still a rock was: Between the ox and the donkey you lie low, you lie low the Infant Jesus. Verse 3 ( Uffikon ): In the manger he must be and if it's the hardest rock would: Between the ox and the donkey you lie low, you lie low the Infant Jesus.
Verse 2 ( book): The wise men, they came to travel on, they came from the East. ' Accompany beautiful A star ity and led them to Bethlehem. They knelt before the little child, great sacrifice, a sacrifice they brought dar. Verse 3 ( book): The kings came to visit him, the star performs ' them to Bethlehem, they laid him off his crown and scepter, great sacrifice, a sacrifice they brought dar.
1902/Kanton Aargau
The song was sung in high German language, but also in vernacular version, Such writing comes from the Swiss canton of Aargau, where it has Otto von Greyerz found. The verses from the Wiggertal get any further six verses in dialectal coloring. Here the melody was now another.
Verse 1: It has come a time for us it brings us great mercy: Our Saviour Jesus Christ, of us who for us who became man for us. The shepherds of em field eso running quickly. You run and jump and Maenge hear singing: The honor God in the Hoh and peace be on earth! Verse 2: Infant Jesus lying in the manger on a hard rock stone. Between the ox and Esulein. O you poor, O you poor, o you poor little Jesus. Oh God, have mercy! What is the Mueter eso poor! She has no Pfännelein, to cook the little child, no bread, no salt no butter and no lard.
Verse 3: It came to travel forth three kings. They came from the East. A star ity they accompany and led them up, took them to, led them to Bethlehem. In the East, there it is eso cold. ' s Mueß Maenge verfriere and ds Läbe lose. But d ' Mueter, au no so poor they keep d' s Chindli warm. Verse 4: About a stall, as did the star silent. They stepped into the dark room; kneuleten over before the little child; great sacrifice, a sacrifice, great sacrifice they brought dar. "We come here, that we wish for you: a guetes glücksäligs, healthy and Frohlich, guetes a new year, we want to you. "
1957/Maria Wolters
In the second half of the 20th century, the Swiss star singers song also appeared in Germany in appearance. As Gottfried Wolters wanted to record the song in his 1957 Christmas collection of folk songs, the original text had been robbed by the shape of Paul Hermann its contents. His wife Maria Wolters completed the first recorded verse from the Wiggertal with eight new verses. In this form, the song has then 1993/94 found their way into regional editions of the Protestant hymnal:
Verse 1: It has come a time for us, which brings us great mercy. Our Saviour Jesus Christ, of us who for us who became man for us. Verse 2: There, God sent his angel from heaven, who spoke to the Virgin Mary: "You should be mother of God, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ your Söhnelein. " Verse 3: Maria heard the Lord's desire, is she leaning said to the angel: "Look, I am the Lord's servant, was happening to me, was happening to me, gescheh me as you said. " Verse 4: And it issued a decree from Caesar, that all the world should geschätzet. Joseph and Mary Gentle, full of grace, full of grace, were carried out according the City of David. Verse 5: Unable to find no room in the hostel, there was no place for poor people. In the barn with donkeys and cattle came into the world, came into the world, came into the world the Heilge child.
Verse 6: There were shepherds at night in the field, an angel appeared to them: " Fürcht not ' you, you Hirtenleut! Peace and joy, peace and joy, Peace and joy verkünd I today. Verse 7: For unto you is born this day a Savior, and he is Christ our Lord. This shall be a sign for you: s'Kindlein is, s'Kindlein is, s'Kindlein is in the manger. " Verse 8: They went with haste, and found the two, Mary and Joseph in the stable and to the little child, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ in the manger. Verse 9: From the East came three kings, a star leads them to Bethlehem. Myrrh, frankincense and gold brought them, they brought, brought them hold the young child.
In Protestant hymnal is after the ninth verse again sang the first verse.
1966/Kath. youth
From the year 1966 can be found in a Catholic Songbook, a three-verse re- writing, the birth story of Jesus unfolds not such as the writing of Maria Wolters, on the other hand closely conforms to the original song:
Verse 1: It has come a time for us, which brings us great mercy: our Savior Jesus Christ, of us who for us who became man for us. Verse 2: In a manger of the Savior must be on hay and straw in the cold night. Between the ox and the donkey liest thou liest thou, liest thou, poor little Jesus. Verse 3: There are kings to worship him, a star leads them to Bethlehem. Crown and scepter drop it, bring him, bring him bring him their Opfergab.
Winter song
In 1939, a secular winter paraphrase of the song was created. The composer and music teacher Paul Hermann (1904-1970) wrote the lyrics in 1939 a version that describes an idyllic winter landscape, but any reference to religion leaves open. Here it is not about the " grace " of the birth of Jesus Christ, but to the "joy " over winter nature. In the last stanza breaks the silence but then a big event which itself remains unnamed. The intention of this text form corresponded to the Nazi ideology that all that is Christian, was now looking just to pay off in the carols. The text is thus an " example of the Kontrafakturmethoden the Nazi - songwriter ". Despite this problematic development background of the text Paul Hermann is in the presence of uneven known as the original Swiss carolers song - although in some songbooks certainly both versions of the text will be printed - because the text underlay the song fits right and now a Christian approach is never explicitly addressed at a critical point, but nevertheless is conceivable. Whether the "joy " of the first stanza is thus related only to the natural idyll or not but also to the large Christian event, remains open.
Verse 1: It has come a time for us, it brings us great joy. Over schneebeglänzte field We walk, we walk through the wide, white world. Verse 2: It streams and lakes to sleep under the ice, it dreams of the forest a deep dream. With the snow falling softly, We walk, we walk through the wide, white world. Verse 3: From the far sky a luminous silence fills the hearts with bliss. Bottom sternbeglänzten tent We walk, we walk through the wide, white world.