Ikh hob gemakht kokletn

The song is about the most controversial food served in the Łódź ghetto: horse meat.  The desirability of eating horse meat, though it was not kosher, must be reconsidered when hunger and starvation loom.  Horse meat is mentioned also in the hit song 'Rumkowski Khayim'.  Most of the people accepted rabbinical dispensation and consumed horsemeat. The Orthodox, however, would not eat it.

The song describes the food: the meat is not the best and spoils quickly but when there is nothing else to eat, people are happy with meatballs made of horse meat.  To get rid of the taste, they drink a glass of tea sweetened with saccharine.

Ikh hob gemakht kokletn
 
Ikh hob gemakht kokletn,
Tsulib ale yidn.
In fin ferder’s flaysh kokletn,
Zenen mentshn oykh tsefridn
Men shtelt avek oyf shpeter shtayn
Vet es bald farshtinken,
Trinkt men nukh a gleyzel tay,
Mit a sakharinke.
Bim, bom, bim, bom biribom
Bim bim bom biribiribom.

I’ve made meatballs
For all the Jews.
From horse’s flesh, meatballs.
People are satisfied.
When this meat stands a while
It starts to stink.
We drink a glass of tea,
With a little saccharine.

Bim bom bim bom biribom
Bim bim bom biribiribom.

Articles associés