Das Lied der Deutschen

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/das-lied-der-deutschen

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the poem's year of composition?1841
2. What is the original melody composer?Joseph Haydn
3. Who wrote the words of the song and when?August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben wrote the words in 1841 on the island of Heligoland. He wanted to help people feel united and work toward a single Germany.
4. Why did the song use a melody that was older than the words?The melody was originally written by Haydn in 1792 for the Holy Roman Emperor. Hoffmann paired his new, hopeful words with this respected tune to create a strong, familiar song.

Nationalism: A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one's country, often with an emphasis on its perceived superiority.
Liberal Nationalism: A form of nationalism that emphasizes individual rights, constitutional government, and national self-determination.
Propaganda: Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.