Auferstanden aus Ruinen

"Auferstanden aus Ruinen" (German pronunciation: [ˈaʊfɐˌʃtandn̩ ʔaʊs ʁuˈiːnən]; "Risen from Ruins", lit. 'Resurrected out [of] Ruins') was the national anthem of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), often known informally as East Germany, during its existence from 1949 to 1990.

Auferstanden aus Ruinen
English: Risen from the Ruins
National anthem of the German Democratic Republic
LyricsJohannes Becher, 1949
MusicHanns Eisler, 1949
AdoptedNovember 14, 1949 (1949-11-14)
Relinquished3 October 1990 (1990-10-03)

History

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 nascent 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, 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" (einig Vaterland), meaning Germany as a whole. However, this concept soon would not conform to an increasingly icy Cold War context, especially after the Berlin Wall had been erected in 1961 by the East German government.[1]

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.[2] No new lyrics were ever written to replace Becher's, which continued to be used unofficially, especially after die Wende 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.[3]

"Auferstanden aus Ruinen" 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.[4]

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.[5]

In November 1995, "Auferstanden aus Ruinen" was played again when German President Roman Herzog visited Brazil. This was the first event at which the anthem had been played since the German reunification.[6]

Lyrics
German original IPA transcription[lower-alpha 1] Literal English translation Poetic English translation

I
Auferstanden aus Ruinen
und der Zukunft zugewandt,
laßt uns Dir zum Guten dienen,
Deutschland, einig Vaterland.
Alte Not gilt es zu zwingen,
und wir zwingen sie vereint,
denn es muß uns doch gelingen,
daß die Sonne schön wie nie
𝄆 Über Deutschland scheint. 𝄇

II
Glück und Friede sei beschieden
Deutschland, unserm Vaterland.
Alle Welt sehnt sich nach Frieden,
reicht den Völkern eure Hand.
Wenn wir brüderlich uns einen,
schlagen wir des Volkes Feind!
Laßt das Licht des Friedens scheinen,
daß nie eine Mutter mehr
𝄆 Ihren Sohn beweint. 𝄇

III
Laßt uns pflügen, laßt uns bauen,
lernt und schafft wie nie zuvor,
und der eignen Kraft vertrauend,
steigt ein frei Geschlecht empor.
Deutsche Jugend, bestes Streben,
unsres Volks in dir vereint,
wirst du Deutschlands neues Leben.
Und die Sonne schön wie nie
𝄆 Über Deutschland scheint. 𝄇

1
[ˈaʊf.(ʔ)ɛɐ̯.ˌʃtan.dən aʊs ʁuː.ˈiː.nən]
[ʊnt deːɐ̯ ˈt͡suː.kʊnft ˈt͡suː.gə.vant]
[las ʊns diːɐ̯ t͡sʊm ˈguː.tən ˈdiː.nən]
[ˈdɔʏt͡ʃ.lant ˈaɪ.nɪç ˈfaː.tɐ.lant]
[ˈal.tə noːt gɪlt ɛs t͡suː ˈt͡svɪŋ.ən]
[ʊnt viːɐ̯ ˈt͡svɪŋ.ən ziː fɐ.ˈʔaɪnt]
[dɛn ɛs mʊs ʊns dɔx gə.ˈlɪŋ.ən]
[das diː ˈzɔ.nə ʃøːn viː niː]
𝄆 [ˈyː.bɐ ˈdɔʏt͡ʃ.lant ʃaɪnt] 𝄇

2
[glʏk ʊnt ˈfʁiː.də zaɪ bə.ˈʃiː.dən]
[ˈdɔʏt͡ʃ.lant ˈʊn.zɐm ˈfaː.tɐ.lant]
[ˈa.lə vɛlt zeːnt zɪç naːx ˈfʁiː.dən]
[ʁaɪçt deːn ˈfœl.kɐn ˈɔʏ.ʁə hant]
[vɛn viːɐ̯ ˈbʁyː.dɐ.lɪç ʊns ˈaɪ.nən]
[ˈʃlaː.gən viːɐ̯ dɛs ˈfɔl.kəs faɪnt]
[last das lɪçt dɛs ˈfʁiː.dəns ʃaɪ.nən]
[das niː ˈaɪ.nə ˈmʊ.tɐ meːɐ]
𝄆 [ˈiː.ʁən zoːn bə.ˈvaɪnt] 𝄇

3
[last ʊns ˈpflyː.gən last ʊns ˈbaʊ.ən]
[lɛɐ̯nt ʊnt ʃaft viː niː t͡suː.ˈfoːɐ̯]
[ʊnt deːɐ̯ ˈaɪg.nən kʁaft fɐ.ˈtʁaʊ.ənt]
[ʃtaɪkt aɪn fʁaɪ gə.ˈʃlɛçt ɛm.ˈpoːɐ̯]
[ˈdɔʏ.t͡ʃə ˈjuː.gənt ˈbɛs.təs ˈʃtʁeː.bən]
[ˈʊn.zʁəs fɔlks ɪn diːɐ̯ fɐ.ˈʔaɪnt]
[vɪɐ̯st duː ˈdɔʏt͡ʃ.lants ˈnɔʏ.əs ˈleː.bən]
[ʊnt diː ˈzɔ.nə ʃøːn viː niː]
𝄆 [ˈyː.bɐ ˈdɔʏt͡ʃ.lant ʃaɪnt] 𝄇

I
Risen from the ruins
and turned toward the future,
Let us serve you for the common good,
Germany, united Fatherland.
Our task is to overcome old distress,
and we shall overcome it together,
and we shall surely succeed,
so that the sun, more beautifully than ever before,
𝄆 Shines over Germany. 𝄇

II
May happiness and peace be granted
to Germany, our Fatherland.
The whole world longs for peace,
extend your hand to all peoples.
If we unite fraternally,
we will defeat the enemy of the People.
Let the light of peace shine,
so that a mother never again
𝄆 Mourns her son. 𝄇

III
Let us plough, let us build,
learn and achieve as never before,
That, trusting in our own strength,
a free generation shall arise.
German youth, the best striving
of our people united in you,
Will revitalise Germany
And the sun, more beautifully than ever before
𝄆 Shines over Germany. 𝄇

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

Notes
  1. See Help:IPA/German and German phonology.

References
  1. "East Germany (GDR) – Auferstanden aus Ruinen". NationalAnthems.me. Archived from the original on 24 June 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  2. Hymne der DDR at LeMO Archived 5 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  3. DDR Fernsehen DFF Aktuelle Kamera Sendeschluss Programmvorschau Nationalhymne der DDR on YouTube, Deutscher Fernsehfunk
  4. "Neuer Vorschlag: "Auferstanden aus Ruinen" in Nationalhymne?". Rheinische Post. 21 August 2010. Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  5. RBI, last broadcast, 2 October 1990 on YouTube, Radio Berlin International
  6. Auferstanden aus Ruinen… Die Nationalhymne der DDR 1949 bis 1990. Berlin: Dietz. 1997. p. 140.
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