Lyrics of Night Witches by Sabaton
From the depths of hell in silence
Cast their spells, explosive violence
Russian night time flight perfected
Flawless vision, undetected
Pushing on and on their planes are going strong
Air force’s number one
Somewhere down below they’re looking for the foe
Bombers on a run
You can’t hide, you can’t move, just abide,
Their attack’s been proved
Raiders in the dark
Silent through the night the Witches join the fight
Never miss their mark
Canvas wings of death
Prepare to meet your fate
Night bomber regiment
588
Undetected
Unexpected
Wings of glory
Tell their story
Aviation
Deviation
Undetected
Stealth perfected
Foes are losing ground, retreating to the sound
Death is in the air
Suddenly appears, confirming all your fears
Strike from Witches lair
Target found, come around, barrels sound
From the battleground
Axis aiming high
Rodina awaits defeat them at the gates
Live to fight and fly
Beneath the starlight of the heavens
Unlikely heroes in the skies
Witches to attack, witches coming back
As they appear on the horizon
The wind will whisper when the Night Witches come
Historical Background
In short: The song is about Soviet female pilots in World War II, who were called “Nachthexen” (Night Witches) by the Germans.
Night Witches – The Female Pilots Who Terrorized the Nazis
Some warriors fight with guns. Others fight with wings and fire.
Night Witches isn’t just about fighter pilots—it’s about an all-female Soviet bomber regiment that struck fear into the hearts of the Nazis. The 588th Night Bomber Regiment wasn’t just a group of pilots—it was a force of relentless, silent destruction.
This is how a squadron of women turned the night into a battlefield.
Who Were the Night Witches?
“From the depths of hell in silence, cast their spells, explosive violence.”
In 1941, as Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa, the Soviet military formed an all-female regiment of bomber pilots—the 588th Night Bomber Regiment.
- They flew Polikarpov Po-2 biplanes made of wood and canvas.
- They attacked only at night, gliding silently before dropping their bombs.
- The Wehrmacht was so terrified of their attacks that they nicknamed them “Nachthexen” (Night Witches).
“Russian nighttime flight perfected, flawless vision, undetected.”
Their stealth and precision made them unstoppable.
How Did They Fight?
“Pushing on and on, their planes are going strong, Air Force’s number one.”
Despite facing better-equipped enemies, the Night Witches used brilliant tactics:
- They cut their engines before reaching enemy lines, gliding in absolute silence.
- They dropped bombs from low altitudes, then turned back before enemy fire could reach them.
- They flew multiple missions per night, sometimes up to 18 raids in a single evening.
“You can’t hide, you can’t move, just abide, their attack’s been proved.”
The Luftwaffe had no way to stop them.
What Made Them Unique?
“Canvas wings of death, prepare to meet your fate.”
Their planes were incredibly light, meaning they:
- Could take off and land almost anywhere.
- Were nearly invisible on radar.
- Could outmaneuver faster, heavier German aircraft.
However, they had no radios, no armor, and no parachutes—if they were hit, they went down with their planes.
“Undetected, unexpected, wings of glory, tell their story.”
But they never backed down.
Why Did the Nazis Fear Them?
“Foes are losing ground, retreating to the sound, death is in the air.”
The Night Witches became a nightmare for the German forces.
- They bombed supply depots, rail lines, and enemy camps, constantly disrupting the Eastern Front.
- German soldiers were terrified of their whispering glides before the bombs dropped.
- Any Nazi who shot down a Night Witch was automatically awarded the Iron Cross.
“Beneath the starlight of the heavens, unlikely heroes in the skies.”
By the end of the war, they had completed over 23,000 missions, dropping more than 3,000 tons of bombs.
Why Night Witches Still Matters
“Witches to attack, witches coming back.”
The Night Witches weren’t just pilots—they were pioneers.
- They proved that women could fight on the front lines just as fiercely as men.
- They rewrote history, becoming one of the most feared air regiments of WWII.
- Many of them became highly decorated heroes, with Nadezhda Popova and Yevdokiya Bershanskaya leading the charge.
“The wind will whisper when the Night Witches come.”
Their legacy lives on—as warriors who turned fear into fire and made history in the dark.
The Lesson?
Power isn’t in the machine—it’s in the warrior who pilots it.
And the Night Witches proved that warriors come in all forms.