Wessel was assassinated by communists in January 1930, apparently in retaliation for his mistreatment of a Berlin prostitute. The NSDAF and Joseph Goebbels politicised his murder, turned Wessel into a martyr and promoted the Horst Wessel Song as their anthem. The lyrics appear here in German with English translations:
Die Fahne hoch die Reihen fest geschlossen
(The flag is high, our ranks are closed)S. A. marschiert mit ruhig festem Schritt
(The S.A. marches with silent solid steps.)Kam’raden die Rotfront und Reaktion erschossen
(Comrades shot by the red front and reaction)Marschier’n im Geist in unsern Reihen mit
(March in spirit with us in our ranks.)Die Strasse frei den braunen Batallionen
(The street is free for the brown battalions)Die Strasse frei dem Sturmabteilungsmann
(The street is free for the Storm Troopers.)Es schau’n auf’s Hackenkreuz voll Hoffung schon Millionen
(Millions full of hope, look at our swastika)Der Tag fur Freiheit und fur Brot bricht an
(The day breaks for freedom and for bread.)Zum letzen Mal wird nun Appell geblasen
(For the last time the call will now be sounded)Zum Kampfe steh’n wir alle schon bereit
(For the struggle now we all stand ready.)Bald flattern Hitler-fahnen Uber allen Strassen
(Soon will fly Hitler’s banners over every street)Die Knechtschaft dauert nur mehr kurze Zeit
(Our slavery will last only a short time longer.)Die Fahne hoch die Reihen fest geschlossen
(The flag is high, our ranks are closed)S. A. marschiert mit ruhig festem Schritt
(The S.A. marches with silent solid steps.)Kam’raden die Rotfront und Reaktion erschossen
(Comrades shot by the red front and reaction)Marschier’n im Geist in unsern Reihen mit
(March in spirit with us in our ranks.)