Uploaded October 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This is a recording of Deutschlandlied played on a hand-pumped harmonium, a type of free-reed organ.
Discord: discord.com/invite/SGMHeZ7
Due to the compact nature of the instrument, its full range is not accessible all at once, so this is a combination of three separate recordings.
Deutschlandlied is the national anthem of Germany. Its tune, originally called "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser," was composed by Joseph Haydn in 1797 as a personal hymn for Francis II, who was the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and later the emperor of Austria. After the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Empire adopted the tune as its national anthem, changing the words from "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" to "Gott erhalte, Gott Beschütze." Austro-Hungarian Empire used the tune as its national anthem until its dissolution in 1918.
The lyrics to the German national anthem were written by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben in 1841, prior to German unification. The first verse includes the words "Deutschland über alles in der welt," meaning "Germany, above all in the world." These words were intended to be a call to prioritize a united Germany over the sovereignty of the small German states. The geographical boundaries of Germany included in the first verse do not fall within modern Germany but were within the German Confederation when the lyrics were written. However, due to Germany's history in the first half of the twentieth century, the first verse is often criticized for having an imperialistic tone. Hoffmann von Fallersleben also intended for the lyrics to be used as a drinking song, and the second verse includes mentions of German women, wine, and music. Only the third verse, which calls for unity, justice, and freedom, has been used in Germany since the end of the Second World War.
Lyrics:
Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,
Über alles in der Welt,
Wenn es stets zu Schutz und Trutze
Brüderlich zusammenhält;
Von der Maas bis an die Memel,
Von der Etsch bis an den Belt:
Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,
Über alles in der Welt!
Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue,
Deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang
Sollen in der Welt behalten
Ihren alten schönen Klang,
Uns zu edler Tat begeistern
Unser ganzes Leben lang:
Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue,
Deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang!
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!
Original lyrics:
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz!
Lange lebe Franz der Kaiser,
In des Glückes hellstem Glanz!
Ihm erblühen Lorbeerreiser,
Wo er geht, zum Ehrenkranz!
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz!
Later Austrian lyrics:
Gott erhalte, Gott beschütze
unsern Kaiser, unser Land!
Mächtig durch des Glaubens Stütze
führ' Er uns mit weiser Hand!
Lasst uns Seiner Väter Krone
schirmen wider jeden Feind;
Innig bleibt mit Habsburgs Throne
Österreichs Geschick vereint.
The tune is often the basis for the hymn "Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken:"
Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for his own abode;
on the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
thou may'st smile at all thy foes.
See the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters,
and all fear of want remove;
who can faint while such a river
ever flows their thirst t'assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord, the giver,
never fails from age to age.
Round each habitation hov'ring,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a cov'ring,
showing that the Lord is near;
thus deriving from their banner
light by night and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna
which he gives them when they pray.
Savior, if of Zion's city
I, through grace, a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in thy name;
fading is the worldling's pleasure,
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
none but Zion's children know.
This is a recording of Deutschlandlied played on a hand-pumped harmonium, a type of free-reed organ.
Discord: discord.com/invite/SGMHeZ7
Due to the compact nature of the instrument, its full range is not accessible all at once, so this is a combination of three separate recordings.
Deutschlandlied is the national anthem of Germany. Its tune, originally called "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser," was composed by Joseph Haydn in 1797 as a personal hymn for Francis II, who was the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and later the emperor of Austria. After the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Empire adopted the tune as its national anthem, changing the words from "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" to "Gott erhalte, Gott Beschütze." Austro-Hungarian Empire used the tune as its national anthem until its dissolution in 1918.
The lyrics to the German national anthem were written by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben in 1841, prior to German unification. The first verse includes the words "Deutschland über alles in der welt," meaning "Germany, above all in the world." These words were intended to be a call to prioritize a united Germany over the sovereignty of the small German states. The geographical boundaries of Germany included in the first verse do not fall within modern Germany but were within the German Confederation when the lyrics were written. However, due to Germany's history in the first half of the twentieth century, the first verse is often criticized for having an imperialistic tone. Hoffmann von Fallersleben also intended for the lyrics to be used as a drinking song, and the second verse includes mentions of German women, wine, and music. Only the third verse, which calls for unity, justice, and freedom, has been used in Germany since the end of the Second World War.
Lyrics:
Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,
Über alles in der Welt,
Wenn es stets zu Schutz und Trutze
Brüderlich zusammenhält;
Von der Maas bis an die Memel,
Von der Etsch bis an den Belt:
Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,
Über alles in der Welt!
Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue,
Deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang
Sollen in der Welt behalten
Ihren alten schönen Klang,
Uns zu edler Tat begeistern
Unser ganzes Leben lang:
Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue,
Deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang!
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!
Original lyrics:
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz!
Lange lebe Franz der Kaiser,
In des Glückes hellstem Glanz!
Ihm erblühen Lorbeerreiser,
Wo er geht, zum Ehrenkranz!
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz!
Later Austrian lyrics:
Gott erhalte, Gott beschütze
unsern Kaiser, unser Land!
Mächtig durch des Glaubens Stütze
führ' Er uns mit weiser Hand!
Lasst uns Seiner Väter Krone
schirmen wider jeden Feind;
Innig bleibt mit Habsburgs Throne
Österreichs Geschick vereint.
The tune is often the basis for the hymn "Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken:"
Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for his own abode;
on the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
thou may'st smile at all thy foes.
See the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters,
and all fear of want remove;
who can faint while such a river
ever flows their thirst t'assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord, the giver,
never fails from age to age.
Round each habitation hov'ring,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a cov'ring,
showing that the Lord is near;
thus deriving from their banner
light by night and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna
which he gives them when they pray.
Savior, if of Zion's city
I, through grace, a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in thy name;
fading is the worldling's pleasure,
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
none but Zion's children know.
