Heil dir im Siegerkranz
"Heil dir im Siegerkranz" (pronounced [ˈhaɪ̯l diːɐ̯ ʔɪm ˈziːɡɐkʁant͡s]; German for "Hail to Thee in the Victor's Crown", literally: "Hail to Thee in the Victor's Wreath") was the official national anthem of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918.[1]
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Former national anthem of  Germany
Royal anthem of  Prussia | |
| Lyrics | Heinrich Harries, 1790 |
|---|---|
| Music | Unknown composer (uses the melody of "God Save the King/Queen") |
| Adopted | 1795 (as the royal anthem of Prussia 1871 (as the national anthem of the German Empire) |
| Relinquished | 1918 |
| Succeeded by | "Das Lied der Deutschen" |
| Audio sample | |
"Heil dir im Siegerkranz" | |
Before the foundation of the Empire in 1871, it had been the royal anthem of Prussia since 1795 and remained it after 1871.[2] The melody of the hymn derived from the British anthem "God Save the King". For these reasons, the song failed to become popular within all of Germany. Not only did it fail to win the support of most German nationalists, but it also was never recognized by the southern German states, such as Bavaria or Württemberg.[3] After World War I, the German Empire came to an end and "Das Lied der Deutschen" became the national anthem of the Weimar Republic.[4]