Gott erhalte, Gott beschütze

"Gotta erhalte Franz den Kaiser" (, meaning "God Save Francis the Emperor") was the national anthem of Austria-Hungary. It was sometimes known as the "Kaiserhymne" (). It was a personal hymn for Emperor Francis II of the Holy Roman Empire.

The words of the song were written by Lorenz Leopold Haschka in 1797, and in that same year, the music was composed by the famous musician Joseph Haydn. The melody would later be used in other songs, such as "Deutschlandlied", the German national anthem.

After the empire broke up, the hymn was later replaced by "Deutschösterreich, du herrliches Land" in Austria, and "Himnusz" in Hungary.

Due to the popularity of the anthem, it has been translated into many different languages, including Hungarian, Czech, Croatian, Polish, Romanian, Italian, English, Slovene, Banat Romanian, Ukrainian, and Friulian.

Lyrics
German original
1797 version
Words of the song in GermanTranslation of these words into English Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz!
Lange lebe Franz, der Kaiser,
In des Glückes hellstem Glanz!
Ihm erblühen Lorbeerreiser,
Wo er geht, zum Ehrenkranz!
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz!

Laß von seiner Fahne Spitzen
Strahlen Sieg und Fruchtbarkeit!
Laß in seinem Rate Sitzen
Weisheit, Klugheit, Redlichkeit;
Und mit Seiner Hoheit Blitzen
Schalten nur Gerechtigkeit!
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz!

Ströme deiner Gaben Fülle
Über ihn, sein Haus und Reich!
Brich der Bosheit Macht, enthülle
Jeden Schelm- und Bubenstreich!
Dein Gesetz sei stets sein Wille,
Dieser uns Gesetzen gleich.
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz!

Froh erleb' er seiner Lande,
Seiner Völker höchsten Flor!
Seh' sie, Eins durch Bruderbande,
Ragen allen andern vor!
Und vernehm' noch an dem Rande
Später Gruft der Enkel Chor.
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz!God keep Francis the Emperor,
Our good emperor Francis!
Long live Francis the emperor,
In the brightest splendour of happiness!
May sprigs of laurel bloom for him
As a garland of honour, wherever he goes.
God keep Francis the Emperor,
Our good emperor Francis!

From the tips of his flag
May victory and fruitfulness shine!
In his council
May knowledge, wisdom and honesty sit!
And with his Highness's lightning
May justice but prevail!
God keep Francis the Emperor,
Our good emperor Francis!

May the abundance of thy gifts
Pour over him, his house and Empire!
Break the power of wickedness, and reveal
Every trick of rogues and knaves!
May thy Law always be his Will,
And may this be like laws to us.
God keep Francis the Emperor,
Our good emperor Francis!

May he gladly experience the highest bloom
Of his land and of his peoples!
May he see them, united by the bonds of brothers,
Loom over all others!
And may he hear at the edge
Of his late tomb his grandchildren's chorus.
God keep Francis the Emperor,
Our good emperor Francis!

1854 version
In 1854, the words of the song was changed by Johann Gabriel Seidl.
Words of the song in GermanPronunciation of these words using the IPATranslation of these words into English Gott erhalte, Gott beschütze
unsern Kaiser, unser Land!
Mächtig durch des Glaubens Stütze
führ' Er uns mit weiser Hand!
Laßt uns Seiner Väter Krone
schirmen wider jeden Feind;
𝄆 Innig bleibt mit Habsburgs Throne
Österreichs Geschick vereint. 𝄇 

Fromm und bieder, wahr und offen
laßt für Recht und Pflicht uns stehn,
laßt, wenn's gilt, mit frohem Hoffen
muthvoll in den Kampf uns gehn!
Eingedenk der Lorbeerreiser,
die das Heer so oft sich wand,
𝄆 Gut und Blut für unsern Kaiser,
Gut und Blut für's Vaterland! 𝄇 

Was der Bürger Fleiß geschaffen
schütze treu des Kriegers Kraft;
mit des Geistes heitern Waffen
siege Kunst und Wissenschaft!
Segen sei dem Land beschieden,
und sein Ruhm dem Segen gleich:
𝄆 Gottes Sonne strahl' in Frieden
auf ein glücklich Österreich! 𝄇 

Laßt uns fest zusammenhalten,
In der Eintracht liegt die Macht;
Mit vereinter Kräfte Walten
Wird das Schwere leicht vollbracht,
Laßt uns Eins durch Brüderbande
Gleichem Ziel entgegengehn!
𝄆 Heil dem Kaiser, Heil dem Lande,
Österreich wird ewig stehn! 𝄇

An des Kaisers Seite waltet,
Ihm verwandt durch Stamm und Sinn,
Reich an Reiz, der nie veraltet,
Uns’re holde Kaiserin.
Was als Glück zu höchst gepriesen
Ström’ auf sie der Himmel aus:
𝄆 Heil Franz Josef, Heil Elisen,
Segen Habsburgs ganzem Haus! 𝄇  God preserve, God protect,
Our Emperor, our Country!
Powerful through the support of the Faith,
He leads us with a wise hand!
Let us defend the Crown of his fathers,
Shielding it from every foe.
𝄆 Forever with the Habsburg Throne,
Austria's fate remains united. 𝄇 

Devout and honest, true and open,
Let us stand for right and duty!
Let us, if needed, with joyous Hope,
Go courageously in the battle!
Mindful of the laurel wreaths,
That the army so often wove itself.
𝄆 Treasure and Blood for Our Emperor,
Treasure and Blood for Our Fatherland! 𝄇 

What was wrought by the diligence of citizens,
may the soldier’s power faithfully protect!
With cheery weapons of mind,
Arts and Science may triumph!
Blessings be granted into the Land,
And its fame match the blessings.
𝄆 God’s sunshine in peace,
On a happy Austria! 𝄇

Let us always stand together,
For unity there is power!
With our combined strength,
The difficult is easily overcome!
Let us, brotherly united,
Go towards the same goal.
𝄆 Hail to the Emperor, Hail to the Empire,
Austria will forever stand! 𝄇

At the side of Emperor prevails,
Related to him by descent and mind!
Rich in charm that never becames outdated,
Our gracious empress!
What is praised as luck most highly,
Heaven pour on them!
𝄆 Hail to Franz Joseph, Hail to Elisabeth,
Blessing to the entire House of Habsburg! 𝄇 

Hungarian version
Tartsa Isten, óvja Isten
Királyunk s a közhazát!
Erőt lelve a szent hitben
Ossza bölcs parancsszavát!
Hadd védnünk ős koronáját
Bárhonnét fenyítse vész!
Magyar honnal Habsburg trónját
Egyesíté égi kéz

Czech version

Croatian version

Polish version

Slovene version

Adaptations
The alma mater of Columbia University, "Stand, Columbia"
The alma mater of the University of Pittsburgh
The alma mater of Western Reserve University

References

Category:Historical anthems
Category:Austria-Hungary
Category:European anthems
Category:1790s songs