# National anthem of Austria

The National Anthem of Austria (Bundeshymne der Republik Österreich), also known by its incipit "Land der Berge, Land am Strome" (pronounced; 'Land of the Peaks, Land by the Stream'), was adopted in 1946. The melody, originally attributed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, was matched with a text by Paula von Preradović the following year.
The composer of the song remains disputed among various composers today and has been attributed to either Johann Holzer [de] or Paul Wranitzky.

## History

Nineteen days before his death on 5 December 1791, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed his last complete work, the Freimaurerkantate, K. 623. In parts of the printed edition of this cantata there appeared the song K. 623a "Lasst uns mit geschlungnen Händen" ("Let us with joined hands"). To this melody the Austrian national anthem is sung. Today, Mozart's authorship is regarded as dubious and the song is attributed to Johann Holzer [de] (either solely or co-authored with Mozart) or Paul Wranitzky.
Before the World War II Anschluss, Austria's state anthem was "Sei gesegnet ohne Ende", set to the tune of Haydn's "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser", the state anthem of imperial Austria since 1797. The current German national anthem "Deutschlandlied" uses the same tune, but with different words (it was also the co-national anthem of Germany during National Socialist rule). To avoid the association, and because singing it was banned for a time after the war, a new state anthem was created. The lyrics were written by Paula von Preradović, one of the few women to have written lyrics for a national anthem. On 22 October 1946, the song was officially declared Austria's national anthem, albeit without words. Lyrics were added in February 1947. On 1 January 2012, parts of the lyrics were changed to make the composition gender-neutral.

### Attempts at gender-neutral language

Since the 1990s, several attempts have been made to modify the lyrics to use more gender-neutral language. In 2005, Women's Minister Maria Rauch-Kallat of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) stated her objection to the words sons, fraternal and fatherland in the lyrics and proposed changes. Her proposal met strong resistance by Austria's largest newspaper, the Kronen Zeitung, and failed to gain support from the then coalition partner, the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ).
In January 2010, Austrian pop singer Christina Stürmer presented a pop rock version of the hymn "Heimat bist du großer Söhne und Töchter" ('Thou art home to great sons and daughters') as part of a campaign by the Austrian federal ministry of education. She was sued for violation of copyright by the estate of Paula von Preradović but subsequently cleared by the Austrian Supreme Court of Justice who called it "a mere modernisation" and allowed the version to stand.
Since 1 January 2012, a few words in the state anthem are different from before. The text and notes of the state anthem were officially codified in the Federal Act of the National Anthem of the Republic of Austria.

## Lyrics

Only the first verse is considered official and performed during official events.
| German original | IPA transcription | English translation |
| Land der Berge, Land am Strome, Land der Äcker, Land der Dome, Land der Hämmer, zukunftsreich! Heimat großer Töchter und Söhne, Volk, begnadet für das Schöne, 𝄆 Vielgerühmtes Österreich! 𝄇 Heiß umfehdet, wild umstritten, Liegst dem Erdteil du inmitten Einem starken Herzen gleich. Hast seit frühen Ahnentagen Hoher Sendung Last getragen, 𝄆 Vielgeprüftes Österreich. 𝄇 Mutig in die neuen Zeiten, Frei und gläubig sieh uns schreiten, Arbeitsfroh und hoffnungsreich. Einig laß in Jubelchören, Vaterland, dir Treue schwören. 𝄆 Vielgeliebtes Österreich. 𝄇 | [ˈlant dɛɐ ˈbɛɐ.gə lant am ˈʃtroː.mə |] [lant dɛɐ ˈɛ.kɐ lant dɛɐ ˈdoː.mə ‖] [lant dɛɐ ˈhɛ.mɐ ˈt͡suː.kʊɱft͡s.ˌraɪç |] [ˈhaɪ.mat ˈgroː.sɐ ˈtœx.tɐ ʊnt zøː.nə ‖] [fɔlk bə.ˈgnaː.dət fyːɐ das ˈʃøː.nə |] 𝄆 [ˈfiːl.gə.ˌryːm.təs ˈøː.stɐ.ˌraɪç ‖] 𝄇 [haɪs ʊɱ.ˈfeː.dət vɪlt ʊm.ˈstriː.tn̩ |] [ˈliːkst deːm ˈeːɐ.taɪl dʊ ˈiːn.mɪ.tn̩ ‖] [ˈaɪ.nəm ˈʃtar.kn̩ ˈhɛɐ.t͡sn̩ ˈglaɪç |] [hast zaɪt ˈfryː.ən ˈaː.nən.ˌtaː.gən ‖] [ˈhoː.ɛɐ ˈzɛn.dʊŋ last gə.ˈtraː.gən |] 𝄆 [ˈfiːl.gə.ˌpryːf.təs ˈøː.stɐ.ˌraɪç ‖] 𝄇 [ˈmuː.tɪk iːn diː ˈnoʏ.ən ˈt͡saɪ.tn̩ |] [fraɪ ʊnt ˈgloʏ.bɪk siː ʊns ˈʃraɪ.tn̩ ‖] [ˈar.baɪt͡s.ˌfroː ʊnt ˈhɔf.nʊŋs.ˌraɪç |] [ˈaɪ.nɪk las iːn ˈjuː.bəl.ˌkøː.rən ‖] [ˈfaː.tɐ.ˌlant diːɐ ˈtroʏ.ə ˈʃvøː.rən |] 𝄆 [ˈfiːl.gə.ˌliːp.təs ˈøː.stɐ.ˌraɪç ‖] 𝄇 | Land of the peaks, land by the stream, Land of the fields, land of holy place, Land of hammer, future-bound! Thou art home to prodigious kin, Shining brighter than ever been 𝄆 Austria, of high praise! 𝄇 Bold if battered, ne'er torn nor tattered Stands thou strong midst Europe fettered For thee art pledges saith! Since days long past, verily thou hast Trials of heated temper pas't 𝄆 Austria, of true faith. 𝄇 Joyfully jaunting, future-bound, As one nation, safe and sound, In high spirits newly found! Let's sing together in jubilation To thee, we pledge with animation 𝄆 Austria, dearly loved! 𝄇 |

### Slovene verse

A Slovene-language version of the third verse was written for the Carinthian Slovenes of Carinthia. It was translated from the pre-2012 German version of the third verse.
    Hrabro v novi čas stopimo,
    prosto, verno, glej, hodimo;
    upa polni, delavni.
    Bratski zbor prisega hkrati,
    domovini zvestobo dati.
    𝄆 Ljubljena nam Avstrija. 𝄇

## Parodies
### Otto and Fritz Molden

The same evening after von Preradović learned that her lyrics were chosen for the national anthem, her sons Otto and Fritz Molden [de] composed a satirical version of them.
Land der Erbsen, Land der Bohnen, Land der vier Besatzungszonen, Wir verkaufen dich im Schleich! Und droben überm Hermannskogel Flattert froh der Bundesvogel. Vielgeliebtes Österreich!
Land of the peas, land of the beans, Land of the four zones of occupation, we sell thee on the black market! And up there over the Hermannskogel gladly the federal bird flutters. Much beloved Austria!
According to media researcher Peter Diem [de], the first two of these lines were popular in the schools of Vienna in 1955.

### Drahdiwaberl

In 1979, the music group Drahdiwaberl [de] released their parody of "Land der Berge, Land am Strone", titled "Kaiserhymne / Pink Punk Shirt". The following text is modeled after von Preradović's lyrics and sung to the same tune.
Land der Äcker, Land der Dome Land am Strom ohne Atome, Land der Titel und Diplome
Heimat bist du großer Söhne Heimat bist du großer Töchter Zusatzvers der Frauenrechtler
Land der unmöglich begrenzten, Land der Berg’, der allerschensten, Land der Seen und Lipizzaner, Der Prohaskas und des Klammer
Land der Krone, Land des Staberl Land der Gruppe Drahdiwaberl.
Land of the fields, land of holy place Land on the river without atoms, Land of titles and diplomas
Home thou art of great sons Home thou art of great daughters Additional verse from feminists
Land of the impossibly limited, Land of the peaks, the most beautiful, Land of lakes and the Lipizzans, The Prohaskas and the Klammer
Land of the crown, land of the Staberl Land of the Drahdiwaberl group.

### Rotzpipn

In 2012, the Viennese band Rotzpipn won the 9th protest song contest with their "Hymne 2.0". The jury included Ernst Molden, grandson of Paula von Preradović, who gave the group the highest score.