Das Deutschlandlied

"Das Deutschlandlied" (The Song of Germany) is the national anthem of Germany, originally composed in the key of C major by Austrian composer Joseph Haydn in 1797. The lyrics were written by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben in 1841, with the current version adopted as the national anthem in 1922. The anthem was used during the time of the German Empire, then discontinued during the Nazi era, and later reinstated in 1952 with only the third stanza being used. An interesting fact is that the melody of "Das Deutschlandlied" was later used as the basis for the European Union anthem, "Ode to Joy," composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. The melody features a stately and dignified composition, reflecting themes of unity and patriotism.