Heil dir im Siegerkranz

"Heil dir im Siegerkranz" (pronounced [ˈhaɪ̯l diːɐ̯ ʔɪm ˈziːɡɐkʁant͡s]; German for "Hail to Thee in the Victor's Crown", literally: "Hail to Thee in the Victor's Wreath") was the official national anthem of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918.[1]

Heil dir im Siegerkranz

Former national anthem of  Germany
Royal anthem of  Prussia
LyricsHeinrich Harries, 1790
MusicUnknown composer (uses the melody of "God Save the King/Queen")
Adopted1795 (as the royal anthem of Prussia
1871 (as the national anthem of the German Empire)
Relinquished1918
Succeeded by"Das Lied der Deutschen"
Audio sample
"Heil dir im Siegerkranz"
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Before the foundation of the Empire in 1871, it had been the royal anthem of Prussia since 1795 and remained it after 1871.[2] The melody of the hymn derived from the British anthem "God Save the King". For these reasons, the song failed to become popular within all of Germany. Not only did it fail to win the support of most German nationalists, but it also was never recognized by the southern German states, such as Bavaria or Württemberg.[3] After World War I, the German Empire came to an end and "Das Lied der Deutschen" became the national anthem of the Weimar Republic.[4]

Lyrics

Heinrich Harries wrote the lyrics in 1790 in honour of King Christian VII of Denmark, and the line "Heil, Kaiser, dir" originally read "Heil, Christian, dir". In 1793, Harries' text was adapted by Balthasar Gerhard Schumacher (1755–1805) for use in Prussia. Schumacher shortened Harries' text and replaced the word Christian with König (king). After the proclamation of the German Empire, the word König was replaced by Kaiser (emperor).[5]

I. Heil dir im Siegerkranz,
Herrscher des Vaterlands!
Heil, Kaiser, dir!
𝄆 Fühl in des Thrones Glanz
Die hohe Wonne ganz,
Liebling des Volks zu sein!
Heil Kaiser, dir! 𝄇

II. Nicht Roß, nicht Reisige
Sichern die steile Höh’,
Wo Fürsten stehn:
𝄆 Liebe des Vaterlands,
Liebe des freien Manns
Gründen den Herrschers Thron
Wie Fels im Meer. 𝄇

III. Heilige Flamme, glüh’,
Glüh’ und erlösche nie
Für’s Vaterland!
𝄆 Wir alle stehen dann
Mutig für einen Mann,
Kämpfen und bluten gern
Für Thron und Reich! 𝄇

IV. Handlung und Wissenschaft
Hebe mit Mut und Kraft
Ihr Haupt empor!
𝄆 Krieger und Heldenthat
Finde ihr Lorbeerblatt
Treu aufgehoben dort,
An deinem Thron! 𝄇

V. Sei, Kaiser Wilhelm, hier
Lang deines Volkes Zier,
Der Menschheit Stolz!
𝄆 Fühl in des Thrones Glanz,
Die hohe Wonne ganz,
Liebling des Volks zu sein!
Heil, Kaiser, dir! 𝄇[6]

I. Hail thee to victor's crown,
Ruler of the Fatherland!
Hail to thee, emperor!
𝄆 Feel in the throne's splendor
The high majesty in full
To be the people's beloved!
Hail to thee, emperor! 𝄇

II. Neither steed nor mounted knight
Secure the towering height,
Where princes stand:
𝄆 Love of the Fatherland,
Love of the free man,
Secure the ruler's throne
Like crags at sea. 𝄇

III. Holy flame, glow,
Glow and expire not,
For the Fatherland!
𝄆 Then we shall all stand
Valiant for one man,
Fighting and bleeding gladly
For Empire and Throne! 𝄇

IV. Commerce and science
Hoist with courage and strength
Their head aloft!
𝄆 Warriors' and heroes' deeds
Find their laurel leaves
Faithfully preserved
Upon thy throne! 𝄇

V. Be, Emperor William, here,
Long thy people's treasure,
Pride of mankind!
𝄆 Feel in the throne's splendor
The high majesty in full
To be the people's beloved!
Hail to thee, emperor! 𝄇

Kaiser Wilhelm in the lyrics originally referred to William I who reigned until 1888. His son, Frederick III, who reigned for only 99 days, was succeeded by Wilhelm II. One of the jokes at the time was that the song's title is changed to "Heil Dir im Sonderzug" ("Hail to Thee in Thy Royal Train"), owing to Wilhelm II's frequent travels.

After the beginning of World War I in 1914, Hugo Kaun set the text of the anthem to new music to remove the similarity to "God Save the King".[7]

Other hymns

"Die Wacht am Rhein" ("The Watch on the Rhine") was also a patriotic hymn so popular that it was often regarded as an unofficial national anthem.[8]

In the Kingdom of Bavaria, the official hymn was "Bayerische Königshymne" ("Heil unserm König, Heil!"), also sung to the melody of "God Save the King". Likewise, Liechtenstein has "Oben am jungen Rhein" (1920), sung to the same melody.

The Hawaiian anthem "Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī", composed by the Prussian Kapellmeister Henri Berger, is a variation of the melody.[9]

See also

References

Notes

  1. Fischer & Senkel 2010, p. 90.
  2. Fischer & Senkel 2010, p. 91.
  3. Fehrenbach, Elisabeth. Politischer Umbruch und gesellschaftliche Bewegung: ausgewählte Aufsätze zur Geschichte Frankreichs und Deutschlands im 19. Jahrhundert. Oldenburg, 1997. p. 312.
  4. Sternburg, Wilhelm von. Die Geschichte der Deutschen. p. 131.
  5. Fischer & Senkel 2010, p. 93.
  6. Song No. 50 in Allgemeines Deutsches Kommersbuch, p. 47
  7. "Heil dir im Siegerkranz" (Kaun): Score and MIDI-based audio at the International Music Score Library Project
  8. Reichel, Peter. Schwarz-Rot-Gold: Kleine Geschichte deutscher Nationalsymbole nach 1945. C. H. Beck: Munich, 2005. p. 35.
  9. "Hawaiʻi ponoʻī". Archived from the original on 2018-01-17. Retrieved 2018-06-02. The melody was based on the Prussian hymn originally titled "Heil dir im Siegerkranz.

Sources

  • Fischer, Michael; Senkel, Christian (2010). Klaus Tanner (ed.). Reichsgründung 1871: Ereignis, Beschreibung, Inszenierung. Münster: Waxmann Verlag.
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