Auferstanden aus Ruinen

Auferstanden aus Ruinen (Risen from the Ruins) was the national anthem of East Germany (German Democratic Republic, German: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, DDR). It was composed by Hanns Eisler and the text was written by the poet Johannes R. Becher who later became minister of education. Surprisingly, the much more influential dramatist and poet Bertolt Brecht was not asked to write the lyrics.

Related Topics:
National anthem - East Germany - German - Hanns Eisler - Poet - Johannes R. Becher - Dramatist - Bertolt Brecht

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Written in 1949, the hymn reflects the early stage of German separation, in which continuing progress towards reunification was seen by many Germans as appropriate and natural. Consequently, Becher´s lyrics develop several connotations of "unity" and combine them with "fatherland" (einig Vaterland), which here means Germany as a whole. However, this concept would not conform to an increasingly icy cold war context.

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In 1973, the FRG and the GDR were admitted to the United Nations simultaneously, which gave them the legitimacy they had separately pursued. The term Germany was later removed from the GDR constitution, and on official occasions only the hymn´s melody was performed.

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Auferstanden aus Ruinen ceased to be a national anthem when the two Germanys united in 1990 and Das Lied der Deutschen, which was already the anthem of West Germany, was adopted for all of Germany. Interestingly enough, the lyrics to the East German anthem can be sung almost perfectly to the melody of "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser". it can be also considered as an extension of das lied der deutschen. it shows rebirth.

Related Topics:
1990 - Das Lied der Deutschen

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