Sunday, June 28, 2015

Deutschlandied (German national anthem) - Germany above all else


The German national anthem Deutschlandied was written in 1848, but it was not adopted as the national anthem of Germany until 1922. Originally the first verse was supposed to be a call to unity, but its connotations were a bit different under Nazi Germany. Here is the first verse in English:
Germany, Germany above all things,
Above everything in the world,
when, for protection and defense,
it always stands brotherly together .
From the Meuse to the Memel,
From the Adige to the Belt,
|: Germany, Germany above all things,
Above everything in the world! :|
There are 4 places mentioned in that verse, but only the Belt and the Memel were ever actually boundaries of Germany. As of 1920 the Belt was no longer in Germany. As of 1945 the Memel was no longer in Germany. So, post 1945, none of those 4 locations is actually in Germany.

When Germany was split up, West Germany eventually decided (in 1950) to switch from the 1st to the 3rd verse as the official anthem. It sounds a little less take-over-the-world-ish:
Unity and justice and freedom
For the German fatherland!
Let us all strive for this purpose
Brotherly with heart and hand!
Unity and justice and freedom
Are the pledge of happiness;
|: Bloom in the glow of happiness,
Bloom, German fatherland! :|
The verses above are wikipedia's translations. The translation in Britannica of the above verses looks a little different:
Germany, Germany above all,
above all else in the world,
When it steadfastly holds together,
offensively and defensively, with brotherhood.
From the Maas to the Memel,
from the Etsch to the [Little] Belt,
Germany, Germany above all,
above all else in the world.

Unity and rights and freedom
for the German fatherland.
Let us strive for it together,
brotherly with heart and hand.
Unity and rights and freedom
are the basis of good fortune.
Flower in the light of this good fortune,
flower German fatherland.

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