West Germany
"Lied der Deutschen" (Song of the Germans)

Words by: August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben
Music by: Joseph Haydn
In use: 1952-1990

The first official anthem of West Germany, the "Hymne an Deutschland", remained without acceptance by the public, and therefore President Heuss and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer agreed in May 1952 to re-adopt "Lied der Deutschen" as the West German national anthem. It was declared that only the third verse, beginning with the words "Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit" (Unity and Right and Liberty) should be used at official occasions, due to the many misinterpretations of the first verse, and because of the first verse's mention of former German borders, long lost in subsequent wars.

See also: Germany (1922-1945, 1990-), West Germany (1949-1950), West Germany (1950-1952).