It was written to honor German World War II veterans who had joined the French Foreign Legion in the 1950s. The Modern Extension:
The Melancholy Echo: Understanding the History and Sheet Music of "Wo alle Straßen enden"
The song was originally titled "Marsch der Verdammten" (March of the Damned) and was composed in the late 1950s or early 1960s by Horst-Heinz Henning .
