Did you know this popular Viennese song dates back to 1800? The rumour goes it was inspired by ballad singer and bagpiper Marx Augustin who toured Vienna entertaining people during the Great Plague.
Apparently he got drunk one night and fell asleep in a gutter - dangerous past-time at the best of times never mind a plague year. Thinking he was dead gravediggers, who were patrolling the city, picked him up and threw him into a pit filled with plague bodies.
Fortunately they threw the bagpipes in with him and when he woke up he started to play them and he was rescued. Ever since he has been a symbol oof hope for Viennese people.
'Ach Du Lieber Augustin' in English
Oh, you dear Augustin, Augustin, Augustin, Oh, you dear Augustin, all is lost!
Money's gone, girlfriend's gone, All is lost, Augustin! Oh, you dear Augustin, All is lost!
Coat is gone, staff is gone, Augustin lies in the dirt. Oh, you dear Augustin, All is lost!
Even that rich town Vienna, Broke is it like Augustin; Shed tears with me with thoughts akin, All is lost!
Every day was a feast, Now we just have the plague! Just a great corpse's feast, That is all that's left.
Augustin, Augustin, Lie down in your grave! Oh, you dear Augustin, All is lost!
'Ach Du Lieber Augustin' original German lyrics
O du lieber Augustin, Augustin, Augustin, O du lieber Augustin, alles ist hin.
Geld ist weg, Mäd'l ist weg, Alles hin, Augustin. O du lieber Augustin, Alles ist hin.
Rock ist weg, Stock ist weg, Augustin liegt im Dreck, O du lieber Augustin, Alles ist hin.
Und selbst das reiche Wien, Hin ist's wie Augustin; Weint mit mir im gleichen Sinn, Alles ist hin!
Jeder Tag war ein Fest, Und was jetzt? Pest, die Pest! Nur ein groß' Leichenfest, Das ist der Rest.
Augustin, Augustin, Leg' nur ins Grab dich hin! O du lieber Augustin, Alles ist hin!