# Auferstanden aus Ruinen

"Auferstanden aus Ruinen" (German:; 'Risen from the Ruins') was the national anthem of East Germany during its existence from 1949 to 1990.

## Background

In 1949, the Soviet occupation zone of Allied-occupied Germany became a socialist state under the name of the "German Democratic Republic" (GDR). For the nascent state's national anthem, the poet Johannes Becher, who later became the East German Minister of Culture, wrote the lyrics. Two musicians, Ottmar Gerster and Hanns Eisler, proposed music to Becher's lyrics, and Eisler's version was selected.

## History

Written in 1949, the East German national anthem reflects the early stages of German separation and the nation literally rising from the ruins after World War II, in which continuing progress towards reunification of the occupation zones was seen by most Germans as appropriate and natural. Consequently, Becher's lyrics develop several connotations of "unity" and combine them with "fatherland" (einig Vaterland), meaning Germany as a whole. However, this concept soon would not conform to an Cold War context, associated with the Berlin Wall and after the Berlin Wall had been erected in 1961 by the East German government.
In September 1973, East and West Germany were admitted to the United Nations simultaneously, following talks between the two governments that conferred a degree of mutual recognition. The term Germany was later removed from the East German constitution, and only the national anthem's tune was played on official occasions. No new lyrics were ever written to replace Becher's, which continued to be used unofficially, especially after die Wende in late 1989: once it became clear that the countries were actually moving towards reunification, East German television Deutscher Fernsehfunk reinstated the work and signed off every night with a joyous symphonic rendition of the vocal arrangement, with accompanying picturesque footage of East Germany's main tourist attractions.
"Auferstanden aus Ruinen" ceased to be a national anthem when the German Democratic Republic dissolved and its states joined the Federal Republic of Germany as a result of German reunification in 1990. "Deutschlandlied", composed in 1841, became the national anthem of a united Germany again. East German Premier Lothar de Maizière had proposed that Becher's lyrics be added to the united German national anthem, but this was rejected by his West German counterpart, chancellor Helmut Kohl.
At the end of its last broadcast on 2 October 1990, the East German international radio broadcaster Radio Berlin International signed off with a vocal version of the East German national anthem.
In November 1995, "Auferstanden aus Ruinen" was played by mistake when German President Roman Herzog visited Brazil. This was the first event at which the anthem had been played since the German reunification.

## Lyrics

| German original | IPA transcription |
| I Auferstanden aus Ruinen und der Zukunft zugewandt, lasst uns Dir zum Guten dienen, Deutschland, einig Vaterland. Alte Not gilt es zu zwingen, und wir zwingen sie vereint, denn es muss uns doch gelingen, dass die Sonne schön wie nie 𝄆 Über Deutschland scheint. 𝄇 II Glück und Friede sei beschieden Deutschland, unserm Vaterland. Alle Welt sehnt sich nach Frieden, reicht den Völkern eure Hand. Wenn wir brüderlich uns einen, schlagen wir des Volkes Feind! Lasst das Licht des Friedens scheinen, dass nie eine Mutter mehr 𝄆 Ihren Sohn beweint. 𝄇 III Lasst uns pflügen, lasst uns bauen, lernt und schafft wie nie zuvor, und der eignen Kraft vertrauend, steigt ein frei Geschlecht empor. Deutsche Jugend, bestes Streben, unsres Volks in dir vereint, wirst du Deutschlands neues Leben. Und die Sonne schön wie nie 𝄆 Über Deutschland scheint. 𝄇 | I [ˈˀaʊf.ˀɛɐ.ˌʃtan.dən ˀaʊs ruː.ˈˀiː.nən] [ˀʊnt deːɐ ˈt͡suː.ˌkʊnft ˈt͡suː.gə.vant |] [las ˀʊns diːɐ t͡sʊm ˈguː.tən ˈdiː.nən] [ˈdɔʏt͡ʃ.lant ˈˀaɪ.nɪç ˈfaː.tɐ.ˌlant ‖] [ˈˀal.tə noːt gɪlt ˀɛs t͡suː ˈt͡svɪŋ.ən |] [ˀʊnt viːɐ ˈt͡svɪŋ.ən ziː fɐ.ˈˀaɪnt ‖] [dɛn ˀɛs mʊs ˀʊns dɔx gə.ˈlɪŋ.ən] [das diː ˈzɔ.nə ʃøːn viː niː |] 𝄆 [ˈˀyː.bɐ ˈdɔʏt͡ʃ.lant ʃaɪnt ‖] 𝄇 II [glʏk ˀʊnt ˈfriː.də zaɪ bə.ˈʃiː.dən] [ˈdɔʏt͡ʃ.lant ˈˀʊn.zɐm ˈfaː.tɐ.ˌlant |] [ˈˀa.lə vɛlt zeːnt zɪç naːx ˈfriː.dən] [raɪçt deːn ˈfœl.kɐn ˈˀɔʏ.rə hant ‖] [vɛn viːɐ ˈbryː.dɐ.lɪç ˀʊns ˈˀaɪ.nən |] [ˈʃlaː.gən viːɐ dɛs ˈfɔl.kəs faɪnt ‖] [last das lɪçt dɛs ˈfriː.dəns ʃaɪ.nən] [das niː ˈˀaɪ.nə ˈmʊ.tɐ meːɐ |] 𝄆 [ˈˀiː.rən zoːn bə.ˈvaɪnt ‖] 𝄇 III [last ˀʊns ˈpflyː.gən last ˀʊns ˈbaʊ.ən] [lɛɐnt ˀʊnt ʃaft viː niː t͡suː.ˈfoːɐ |] [ˀʊnt deːɐ ˈˀaɪg.nən kraft fɐ.ˈtraʊ.ənt] [ʃtaɪkt ˀaɪn fraɪ gə.ˈʃlɛçt ˀɛm.ˈpoːɐ ‖] [ˈdɔʏ.t͡ʃə ˈjuː.gənt ˈbɛ.stəs ˈʃtreː.bən |] [ˈˀʊn.zrəs fɔlks ˀɪn diːɐ fɐ.ˈˀaɪnt ‖] [vɪɐst duː ˈdɔʏt͡ʃ.lants ˈnɔʏ.əs ˈleː.bən] [ˀʊnt diː ˈzɔ.nə ʃøːn viː niː |] 𝄆 [ˈˀyː.bɐ ˈdɔʏt͡ʃ.lant ʃaɪnt ‖] 𝄇 |
| English version | Russian version |
| I From the ruins risen newly, To the future turned, we stand. Let us serve your good weal truly, Germany, our fatherland. Triumph over bygone sorrow, Can in unity be won. For we shall attain a morrow, When over our Germany, 𝄆 There's the shining sun! 𝄇 II May both peace and joy inspire, Germany, our fatherland. Peace is all the world's desire, To the peoples lend your hand. In fraternity united, We shall crush the people's foe. Let all paths by peace be lighted, That no mother shall again 𝄆 Mourn her son in woe! 𝄇 III Let us plow and build our nation, Learn and work as never yet, That a free new generation, Faith in its own strength begets! German youth, for whom the striving Of our people is at one, You are Germany's reviving, And over our Germany, 𝄆 There's the shining sun! 𝄇 | I Поднимаясь к новой жизни, Побеждая зло и тьму, Будем мы служить отчизне И народу своему. Все дороги нам открыты, Чтоб не знать нужды былой, Чтоб до самого зенита Солнце счастья поднялось 𝄆 Над родной Землёй. 𝄇 II Мир и счастье для народа Пусть Германия куёт! Всем народам честно подал Руку дружбы наш народ. Если мы едины будем, Все враги нам не страшны! Мы стоим за мир, чтоб людям Не терять своих детей 𝄆 На полях Войны. 𝄇 III Дружно, немцы, стройте, сейте, Мирный труд страны любя. Подрастают наши дети С крепкой верою в себя. Молодёжь — краса отчизны И грядущего оплот! Солнце новой, яркой жизни Над Германией родной 𝄆 На века Встаёт. 𝄇 |