“Variag” [Variag is the old Russian name of Viking, in this case it is name of the heroic cruiser “Variag”] The heroic cruiser "Variag" became a really immortal ship, it is the sign of the glory of Russian Navy. In the night of the January, 8th – 9th of 1904 some Japanese ships suddenly attacked Russian military ships in the roadstead of the Navy Base Porth-Arthur without the declaration of a war (they repeated it 37 years later in Pearl-Harbour). In this time two Russian military ships – the cruiser “Variag” and the gunboat “Koreets” were 260 miles to the south, in the Korean port Chemulpo. A large Japanese squadron blocked the entrance of the port. The French cruiser “Pascal” (in an other source - "Decart"), the Italian cruiser “Elba”, the British cruiser “Telbot”, the American gunboat “Viksburg” also were in the roadstead of Chemulpo. In 9:30 of January, 9th the Japanese commander sent an ultimatum to Captain of 1st Rank Rudnev, the commander of “Variag”, with an offer to surrender. If the Russian ships will not surrender so they had to go out from the port or the Japanese ships will attack them directly in the roadstead where the other ships were. In 11:00 the Russian ships became to move out from the port for making an attempt to breakthrough. When “Variag” was going by other nation’s military ships their orchestras played hymns. Captain of 1st rank Senes, the commander of the French cruiser “Pascal”, recalled later: “We saluted to the heroes who were facing a certain death so proudly”. The Russian armored-deck cruiser and the archaic gunboat had to fight against the 15 Japanese ships: the armored cruiser “Asama”, the armored-deck cruisers “Naniva”, “Takachio”, “Chiyoda”, “Akasi”, “Niitaka”, the courier ship “Chihaya” and 8 small destroyers. Russians had 2 203-mm guns, 13 152-mm guns and 7 torpedo-tubes, Japaneses had 4 203-mm guns, 38 152-mm guns and 43 torpedo-tubes, they had a threefold superiority! The battle occurred in 10 miles from Chemulpo and the foreign seamen saw it from the roadstead of Chemulpo. For an hour of the combat “Variag” and “Koreets” caused some heavy damage to “Asama” and “Takachio” but they also were damaged and had to return in Chemulpo. (There are other versions of Japanese casualties and damages. According one version "Variag" destroyed one small destroyer and damaged 3 cruisers.) Senes arrived in “Variag” exactly after the combat and recalled: “I shall never forget the tremendous sight which I saw. The deck was flooded by blood, many corpses and the parts of bodies are scattered all over. Nothing could avoid destruction” In "Variag" 31 seamen were killed and 91 seamen were wounded. Only two from 12 152-mm guns, 5 from 12 75-mm guns and no one 47-mm gun were operational. It was impossible to fight more and the crews of “Variag” and “Koreets” destroyed their ships. Japaneses demanded to deliver up the Russian seamen but the British, French and Italian seamen, who had become witnesses of the outstanding battle, stationed all the surviving Russian seamen in their ships and didn’t deliver up anyone Russians to Japaneses. Soon the seamen of "Variag" and “Koreets” returned in the Motherland and became real heroes in Russia. There was the special medal “For the combat of “Variag” and “Koreets”, every participant of that combat got this medal. According the words of modern Russian Admiral Nenashev the crew of "Variag" didn't ask an award, it were the foreign seamen who saw this combat, returned at their homes earlier than the Russian seamen and told for the World about the glorious feat of "Variag". From that time the Russian/Soviet/Russian Navy always has a ship with name "Variag", I heard that it is a missile cruiser now. And the text of this song was made in pre-WWI Germany as paying a tribute to the heroism of the Russian seamen! The Russian version is only the translation of the German text of Rudolf Greintz. ******************************************************************************************** “Variag” (Translated by Andrey) All hands on deck, comrades! Our last parade is beginning. Our proud “Variag” doesn’t surrender to an enemy Nobody asks for mercy. All pennants are curling and some chains are jingling While they are lifting some anchors. Placing in a row guns are preparing to a combat, They sparkles ominously on the sun. It is whining, and is thundering, and is roaring around There are the roar of guns and the hissing of shells. And our fearless proud “Variag” became equal To a sheer hell. Some bodies are quivering in mortal pains, There are the roar of guns, and a noise, and plaints. And the ship is enveloped by the sea of a fire, The minutes of a farewell began. Farewell, comrades, with God - Hurra! A boiling sea is under us We with you, old fellows, didn’t suppose yesterday That we shall die today under waves! Neither a stone, nor a cross will show where we died For the Glory of the Russian Banner, And only sea waves will glorify The heroic death of “Variag”. 1907 ******************************************************************************************** The Russian version (translit): "Variag" Naverkh vy, tovarishchi! Vse po mestam! Poslednii parad nastupaet. Vragu ne sdaiotsia nash gordyi "Variag", Poshchady nikto ne zhelaet. Vse vympely v'iutsia i tsepi gremiat, Naverkh iakoria podnimaia. Gotoviatsia k boiu orudiia v riad, Na solntse zloveshche sverkaia. Svistit i gremit, i grokhochet krugom. Grom pushek, shipen'e snariadov. I stal nash besstrashnyi i gordyi "Variag" Podoben kromeshnomu adu. V predsmertnykh muchen'iakh trepeshchut tela. Grom pushek, i shum, i stenan'ia. I sudno okhvacheno morem ognia, Nastali minuty proshchan'ia. Proshchaite, tovarishchi, s bogom - ura! Kipiashchee more pod nami. Ne dumali, brattsy, my s vami vchera, Chto nynche umriom pod volnami. Ne skazhet ni kamen', ni krest, gde legli Vo slavu my russkogo flaga, Lish' volny morskie proslaviat odni Geroiskuiu gibel' "Variaga". 1907