Ralph McTell — The Case of Otto Schwarzkopf

The case of Otto Schwarzkopf has reached Jerusalem The letters "A L L l" branded in black Are burned into the leather and there's a Prague address A faded hotel sticker on the back Which shows the Tyrol prayer all draped with snow Blue skies, pine trees, a lake Were you alone? Was this a family outing? Did you read or did you swim on this life-affirming break? Did you climb or simply walk below the mountain? The case gapes open wide, its emptiness a soundless cry We pause to gaze at it, at you, through time Where nowhe socks, the toothbrush The shirts and underwear, the family snaps, the works of Heinrich Heine In winter nineteen forty-four the German order came Take what you think you'll need, you're moving East And don't make any fuss just leave everything to us Twenty kilos or just one suitcase each And now it's here on show, its palm-warmed handle cold The leather cracked, its metal clasps corroded As the steam train pulled away from Theresienstadt that day Did it rain or did you weep as it was loaded? [Spoken] Reference to your trip: Stroke "A L L 1" Stroke Cattle trucks as per specification The livestock rule allows thirty pigs or seven cows One hundred and twenty Jews for transportation The case of Otto Schwarzkopf has made its way without him To Jerusalem in anger, guilt and sorrow Pray humanity can hear what it cannot see through tears The cry of yesterday before tomorrow