Posted on 12/20/2005 4:08:38 AM PST by TheOldGlory
And it was wrongly interpreted by the Nazis and the foreign both. When Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben wrote the song in 1841 in his exile on the island of Helgoland (then UK), he had the desperate wish that the split country (35 states and 4 free cities) shall unite. Hoffmann von Fallersleben was a democrat and thus opponent of the aristocracy. The geographical marks were Germanys borders then. There´s nothing wrong with this song. The third stanza is still the anthem of Germany.
Just nice to meet a fellow European on the forum.
I always thought it was a beautiful song musically, no matter the politcal context. Ever hear Nico's version of it? Amazing!
I wish he would quit claiming his Austrianness then. He's crossed the Rubicon.
Perhaps it is over-compensation for the fact that they were not so 'wishy-washy' during the period, 1938-1945 when their country was an integral part of the '1000 Year Reich'?
Exactly.
Now as you know the historically correct interpretation, you may have no problems at all listening to it. I haven´t heard Nico´s version, but there´s a nice classic version accessable on the sites of the German government. You can find a linke when you click on my profile. I hope you enjoy it. :-)
Hi Tom, I´m wondering why it took a year to meet on the board. You surely have met many other Euros here, right? We´ve lots of Poles, even a French and a few Germans here - and of course the Brits. :-) I even remember a guy from Sweden and one from DK.
No, I´ve never been to Norway, but I definitely don´t want to die before I haven´t traveled through all European countries. If I only had the time, the money´d be the smaller problem.
I know what you mean regarding the language. The skandinavian languages have a very similar sound to German. Fortunately, I can speak German and English both very well. One American asked me after a few minutes of talking where I come from - and when I answered Germany, he still didn´t expect me to be a German. I´m trying to lose the German accent when speaking English, and to replace it with the American accent. Sounds better, it´s easier to speak and you don´t feel so sophisticated ;-)
You know, I thought about that too.....and there might be something to it. Their complicity in marching so many to slaughterin WWII...now they wish to show their 'respect' for life. But this 'Tookie' savage is not a good poster boy in campaign against the death penalty.
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