August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben wrote the words of what is now the German national anthem. He wrote the “Song of the Germans” in 1841 on the island of Helgoland to a melody by Joseph Haydn. After the First World War, the first president of the Weimar Republic, Friedrich Ebert, chose the song as the German national anthem. Since 1952, the third verse of the song has been the national anthem of the Federal Republic of Germany.


Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
Für das deutsche Vaterland!
Danach laßt uns alle streben,
Brüderlich mit Herz und Hand!
Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
Sind des Glückes Unterpfand:
Blüh im Glanze dieses Glückes,
Blühe, deutsches Vaterland!


Unity, justice and freedom
for the German Fatherland!
Let us strive towards this purpose
Like brothers, with heart and hand.
Unity, justice and freedom
are the pledge of happiness.
Flourish in this fortune's glory,
Flourish, German Fatherland.