The most common version of this song is below...

Notes

*The word "Röckchen" is used in the region of Silesia as a synonym of "Schneefloken" –snowflake.
**Journey

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The original German version of this song is by Hedwig Haberkern (born Stenzel, 1837-1902), a teacher in Breslau. She wrote these lyrics on the tune of Wir Kinder, wir schmecken der Freuden so viel (text by Christian Adolph Overbeck set to music by Mozart) because she wanted to keep the tune alive, but several other melodies were composed for her song after 1900.

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Jeanette wrote the following about the translation above:

Hi Lisa,

My name is Jeanette, I live in Australia but I was born in Germany. I've been here for 24 years however. I was just surfing the net for some Stories & Songs from my Childhood and Schneefloeckchen is one of my Favourites.

The problem with translating is that if you literally translate things may not make any sense. Anyway I will attempt to do my best.

1st in the German Language we add "chen" to some words. Schneeflocke is a Snowflake add chen & that will, for the want of a better word, cutefy the word & make it a little Snowflake.

Other examples:
Rock = Skirt, Roeckchen is a little skirt therefore Weiss Roeckchen is a little white skirt.

I hope this attempt will be of use to you.
Kind regards & greetings from Down under
Jeanette

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Rachel wrote: "I was just looking at 'Schneeflöckchen, Weißröckchen' and noticed that there are only four verses. I learnt this for the Weihnachtsfest (Christmas party, although it was more like a concert) with German school last year, and there were five, another at the end:

"Schneeflöckchen, Weißröckchen,
Du Wintervöglein.
Wir kommen, wir kommen,
Bei gros und bei klein."

A translation might be,

"Little snowflakes, little white skirts,
You little winter bird.
We come, we come,
Big and small."

Comments

Lisa Maria sent the following:

I have another English version of Schneefloecken that I learned at a Waldorf school in British Columbia. It is not a literal translation, as above, but a beautiful alternative.

Oh, where do you come from,
You little flakes of snow?
Falling softly, falling softly,
To the earth below.
On the trees and the bushes,
On the mountains so far,
Tell me snowflakes,
Do you come from
Where the angels are?

Thanks again for your site. I absolutely love it!
Lisa Maria

Thanks Lisa Maria for the alternate English version! -Mama Lisa

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Here's a slightly different version sent and translated by Loralee. The English translation is rhyming and singable...

Schneeflöckchen, Weißröckchen,  
Wann kommst du geschneit? 
Du wohnst in den Wolken, 
Dein Weg ist so weit.  

Komm, setz dich ans Fenster, 
Du lieglicher Stern, 
Malst Blumen und Blätter, 
Wir haben dich gern. 

Schneeflöckchen, Weißröckchen,  
Komm zu ins Tal, 
Dann bau’n wir den Schneemann 
Und werfen den Ball. 

Schneeflöckchen, Weißröckchen, 
Deck die Blümelein zu, 
Dann schlafen sie sicher 
In himmlischer Ruh’.

English Translation:

Dancing Snow-flakes, White-lace flowers,
How long till it will snow?
You live in the high clouds
A long fall we know.

Co-me dance at the window,
You lovely lacey star,
Paint flowers and branches
How talented you are.

Dancing Snow-flakes, White-lace flowers,
Come on down here to play
We will make us a snowman
And throw snowballs today

Dancing Snow-flakes, White-lace flowers,
Cover blossoms in fleece
Then surely they'll sleep
In heavenly peace.

Many thanks to Loralee Jo Kurzius for contributing and translating this version of the song.

Download MIDI Tune

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Thanks to Jeanette Schneidereit for sending this song (translation edited by Mama Lisa). Thanks to Rachel Hay for the 5th verse.

Vielen Dank!