Heil dir im Siegerkranz
Imperial anthem of the German Empire, 1871–1918.
"Heil dir im Siegerkranz" served as the imperial anthem of the German Empire from 1871 until 1918, and before that, it had been the royal anthem of Prussia since 1795. Its tune was borrowed from the British anthem "God Save the King." Because of this, the song never gained widespread popularity across Germany. It failed to win over most German nationalists and was never accepted by southern states like Bavaria or Württemberg. When the German Empire collapsed near the end of World War I, "Das Lied der Deutschen" replaced it as the national anthem of the Weimar Republic. Although often regarded as the official national anthem of the German Empire, the Empire actually never had a formally designated anthem like the Weimar Republic or the Federal Republic of Germany. Along with "Die Wacht am Rhein," both songs held the status of unofficial national anthems.
The lyrics were written in 1790 by Heinrich Harries to honor King Christian VII of Denmark, with the line "Heil, Kaiser, dir" originally reading "Heil, Christian, dir." In 1793, Balthasar Gerhard Schumacher adapted the text for Prussia, shortening it and replacing "Christian" with "König" (king). After the German Empire was proclaimed, "König" was changed to "Kaiser" (emperor). The "Kaiser Wilhelm" in the lyrics originally referred to William I, who reigned until 1888. His son Frederick III ruled for only 99 days before being succeeded by Wilhelm II. A contemporary joke changed the song's title to "Heil Dir im Sonderzug" ("Hail to Thee in Thy Royal Train"), poking fun at Wilhelm II's frequent travels. After World War I began in 1914, Hugo Kaun set the text to new music to eliminate its similarity to "God Save the King."
Other patriotic hymns also served as unofficial anthems. "Die Wacht am Rhein" was so popular it was often treated as an unofficial national anthem. In the Kingdom of Bavaria, the official hymn was "Bayerische Königshymne" ("Heil unserm König, Heil!"), also sung to the melody of "God Save the King." Similarly, Liechtenstein's anthem "Oben am jungen Rhein" (1920) uses the same tune. The Hawaiian anthem "Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī," composed by Prussian Kapellmeister Henri Berger, is a variation of that melody.
- type
- Anthem
- language
- German
- melody_source
- God Save the King
- period_as_imperial_anthem
- 1871–1918
- period_as_Prussian_royal_anthem
- 1795–1918
- lyricist
- Heinrich Harries (1790), adapted by Balthasar Gerhard Schumacher (1793)
Lore & Background
Heinrich Harries wrote the lyrics in 1790 in honour of King Christian VII of Denmark, with the line "Heil, Kaiser, dir" originally reading "Heil, Christian, dir." In 1793, Balthasar Gerhard Schumacher adapted the text for Prussia, replacing "Christian" with "König" (king). After the proclamation of the German Empire, the word "König" was replaced by "Kaiser" (emperor).
The song failed to become popular within all of Germany. It did not win the support of most German nationalists and was never recognized by southern German states such as Bavaria or Württemberg. At the near end of World War I, the German Empire was overthrown, and "Das Lied der Deutschen" was adopted as the national anthem of its successor, the Weimar Republic.
Kaiser Wilhelm in the lyrics originally referred to William I, who reigned until 1888. His son Frederick III reigned for only 99 days and was succeeded by Wilhelm II. A contemporary joke changed the title to "Heil Dir im Sonderzug" due to Wilhelm II's frequent travels. After the beginning of World War I in 1914, Hugo Kaun set the text to new music to remove the similarity to "God Save the King."
Reader's Guide
"Heil dir im Siegerkranz" served as the de facto imperial anthem of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918, though it was never officially designated as such. Its melody, borrowed from "God Save the King," and its origins as a Prussian royal anthem limited its acceptance among German nationalists and in southern states like Bavaria and Württemberg. The song coexisted with "Die Wacht am Rhein" as an unofficial national anthem. Its lyrics underwent several adaptations: originally written for a Danish king, then adapted for Prussia, and finally for the German Emperor. The anthem's association with the monarchy ended with the Empire's overthrow near the end of World War I. Its legacy is tied to the contested nature of German national identity in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and its melody continues in other national anthems, such as Liechtenstein's and a variation in Hawaii's.
Did You Know?
- The melody derived from the British anthem "God Save the King."
- The lyrics were originally written in 1790 in honour of King Christian VII of Denmark.
- After World War I began in 1914, Hugo Kaun set the text to new music to remove the similarity to "God Save the King."
- The song was never recognized by southern German states such as Bavaria or Württemberg.
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