What is it with this forum and it's anti German feeling all of a sudden?
Ok Babylon. You want to analyse the text Deutschland über alles then you HAVE to understand the time it was written in
please don't tell me that in those days there were many german lands not united
You say that, but that is exactly the point.
THAT IS WHY IT WAS WRITTEN!
There was, at the time of the composition of that hymn, NO Germany.
No emperor, no central government that first verse attempted to instill a sense of unity and aspiration to become better and one nation.
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.
Germany, Germany above everything
Above everything in the world
When, always, for protection and defence
Brothers stand together.
From the Maas to the Memel
From the Etsch to the Belt,
Germany, Germany above all
Above all in the world.
Now before you start saying being above all in the world is being rascist, it means in the sense of being esteemed above everything else (I love my country above all else; ya know Patriotism.) That is after all what they were trying to inspire.
Yes, the words got twisted and used by some to promote their own ends (rather like you just tried to do) and that's why in 1950 it was replaced with the current anthem. Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit... (which was the third verse of the original song)
Only sick, and racist nation could have such words in anthem.
Really, like the French anthem?
Sacred love of the fatherland, cherished liberty, strenghten our arm of vengence.... victory come to your male calls, let your dying enemies, see your triumph and your glory. To arms, citizens! Form your battalions! Let us march, let us march may impure blood soak our fields' furrows!
or perhaps the British one?
O Lord our God arise,
Scatter her enemies
And make them fall;
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix,
Oh, save us all!
Or perhaps the the American one?
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save
The hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
I could go on but i'm not going to labour the point.
