"Hail Thee to Victor's Crown" was the national anthem of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918 when "Deutschlandlied" was used in lieu of it when the Weimar Republic (German Reich) was established. It was additionally the royal anthem of Prussia from 1795 to 1918, while its national anthem was "Preussenlied". Having its melody based on that of "God Save the Queen", the lyrics were written by Protestant pastor Heinrich Harries in 1790.
"Die Wacht am Rhein" was often regarded to be the unofficial national anthem.[1]
"Heil unserm König, Heil!", the national anthem of the Kingdom of Bavaria, used the same melody. Other German-language anthems used the tune of the British anthem, such as "Rufst du, mein Vaterland" and "Oben am jungen Rhein".
The Hawaiian anthem "Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī" is a variation of the melody, as it was composed by Henri Berger, a Prussian Kapellmeister who was the royal bandmaster of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi between 1872 and 1915.[2]
Lyrics[]
German original[]
Latin script | IPA transcription |
---|---|
Heil dir im Siegerkranz, |
[haɪ̯l diːɐ̯ ɪm ˈziː.ɡɐ.ˌkʁant͡s] |
English version[]
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! 𝄇
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. 𝄇
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! 𝄇
Commerce and science
Hoist with courage and strength
Their head aloft!
𝄆 Warriors' and heroes' deeds
Find their laurel leaves
Faithfully preserved
Upon thy throne! 𝄇
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! 𝄇
References[]
- ↑ Reichel, Peter. Schwarz-Rot-Gold: Kleine Geschichte deutscher Nationalsymbole nach 1945. C. H. Beck: Munich, 2005. p. 35.
- ↑ Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī
- ↑ Song No. 50 in Allgemeines Deutsches Kommersbuch, p. 47.