CA Country Anthems

Germany National Anthem History

Deutschlandlied

The "Deutschlandlied," with lyrics written in 1841 to Joseph Haydn's 1797 melody, has a complex history. Adopted as the national anthem in 1922, it was later misused by the Nazis before being prohibited and eventually restored in part after German reunification.

Germany Deutschlandlied

Germany

Language
German
Anthem
Deutschlandlied
Duration
1:14
Status
Today, only the third verse of the "Deutschlandlied" is the official national anthem of reunified Germany, though singing other stanzas is not forbidden for unofficial uses.

History timeline

  1. 1841

    August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben writes the lyrics for "Lied der Deutschen," intending the first verse to promote German unity.

  2. 1922

    President Friedrich Ebert officially declares "Deutschlandlied" the national anthem of the Weimar Republic, using all three verses.

  3. 1933

    The Nazi regime retains the anthem but misuses its first verse and pairs it with the Nazi party's Horst Wessel Lied.

  4. 1945

    Allied powers prohibit the "Deutschlandlied" along with other national symbols of Nazi Germany after World War II.

  5. 1991

    Following reunification, the third verse of the "Lied der Deutschen" with Haydn's melody is officially declared Germany's national anthem.

The first verse, "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles," was originally an appeal for a unified Germany to be prioritized over its many principalities, not a call for global dominance.