Auferstanden aus Ruinen

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates "" (; 'Risen from Ruins') was the national anthem of East Germany.

Background

In 1949, the Soviet occupation zone of Allied-occupied Germany became a socialist state under the name of the "German Democratic Republic" (GDR). For the new state's national anthem, the poet Johannes Becher, who later became the East German Minister of Culture, wrote the lyrics. Two musicians, Ottmar Gerster and Hanns Eisler, proposed music to Becher's lyrics, and Eisler's version was selected.

History

Written in 1949 following the proclamation of the German Democratic Republic, the East German national anthem reflects the early stages of German separation and the nation literally rising from the ruins after World War II, in which continuing progress towards reunification of the occupation zones was seen by most Germans as appropriate and natural. Consequently, Becher's lyrics develop several connotations of "unity" and combine them with "fatherland" (), meaning Germany as a whole. However, this concept soon would not conform to a Cold War context, associated with the Berlin Wall and after the Berlin Wall had been erected in 1961 by the East German government.

In September 1973, East and West Germany were admitted to the United Nations simultaneously, following talks between the two governments that conferred a degree of mutual recognition. The term Germany was later removed from the East German constitution, and only the national anthem's tune was played on official occasions. No new lyrics were ever written to replace Becher's, which continued to be used unofficially, especially after the Peaceful Revolution () in late 1989: once it became clear that the countries were actually moving towards reunification, East German television Deutscher Fernsehfunk reinstated the work and signed off every night with a joyous symphonic rendition of the vocal arrangement, with accompanying picturesque footage of East Germany's main tourist attractions.

"" ceased to be a national anthem when the German Democratic Republic dissolved and its states joined the Federal Republic of Germany as a result of German reunification in 1990. "Deutschlandlied", composed in 1841, became the national anthem of a united Germany again. East German Premier Lothar de Maizière had proposed that Becher's lyrics be added to the united German national anthem, but this was rejected by his West German counterpart, chancellor Helmut Kohl.

At the end of its last broadcast on 2 October 1990, the East German international radio broadcaster Radio Berlin International signed off with a vocal version of the East German national anthem.

In November 1995, "" was played by mistake when German President Roman Herzog visited Brazil. This was the first event at which the anthem had been played since the German reunification.

Lyrics

German original	IPA transcriptionTemplate:Efn	English version	Russian version
		I From the ruins risen newly, To the future turned, we stand. Let us serve your good weal truly, Germany, our fatherland. Triumph over bygone sorrow, Can in unity be won. For we shall attain a morrow, When over our Germany, 𝄆 There's the shining sun! 𝄇 II May both peace and joy inspire, Germany, our fatherland. Peace is all the world's desire, To the peoples lend your hand. In fraternity united, We shall crush the people's foe. Let all paths by peace be lighted, That no mother shall again 𝄆 Mourn her son in woe! 𝄇 III Let us plow and build our nation, Learn and work as never yet, That a free new generation, Faith in its own strength begets! German youth, for whom the striving Of our people is at one, You are Germany's reviving, And over our Germany, 𝄆 There's the shining sun! 𝄇

See also

• "Der Heimliche Aufmarsch"
• "The Internationale"
• "Einheitsfrontlied"
• "Kinderhymne"
• "Lied der Partei"
• "Lied von der blauen Fahne"
• "Unsere Heimat"

External links

• Template:Sister-inline
• "Auferstanden aus Ruinen", MP3 at sovmusic.ru
• Text and melody (MIDI) and sheetmusic at ingeb.org