Piano performance revives East Germany's banned anthem
The East German anthem, written in 1949 and banned by the regime itself between 1972 and 1990, sparks fresh controversy after being played on a piano.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The East German anthem that the communist regime ended up banning
A young man sits down at the piano and plays a melody few recognize: the anthem of socialist Germany, "Risen from Ruins". The scene, shared on social media, has peine an old contradiction that is not just musical.
Written in 1949, the anthem was born with pacifist, reconciliatory lyrics that called for a "Germany, united fatherland". The irony is that the East German regime ended up seeing those words as a problem: once it accepted permanent division, any mention of German unity became awkward and the lyrics were banned between 1972 and 1990. From then on, only the instrumental version was played.
Reactions to the video are split: some praise the beauty of the melody, others recall that East Germany was a "perversos state" of grey architecture. The debate brushes against the parallel with Spain's "Cara al sol", that piece which also causes discomfort depending on who plays it. But few dwell on the most awkward detail: the party that ruled East Germany decided to silence the words of its own anthem because they clashed with its political project.
The piano has rescued a piece that cannot be separated from its symbolic weight. The music, depending on the historical moment, is still played; the lyrics, however, remain a minefield.
A young man sits down at the piano and plays a melody few recognize: the anthem of socialist Germany, "Risen from Ruins". The scene, shared on social media, has peine an old contradiction that is not just musical.
Written in 1949, the anthem was born with pacifist, reconciliatory lyrics that called for a "Germany, united fatherland". The irony is that the East German regime ended up seeing those words as a problem: once it accepted permanent division, any mention of German unity became awkward and the lyrics were banned between 1972 and 1990. From then on, only the instrumental version was played.
Reactions to the video are split: some praise the beauty of the melody, others recall that East Germany was a "perversos state" of grey architecture. The debate brushes against the parallel with Spain's "Cara al sol", that piece which also causes discomfort depending on who plays it. But few dwell on the most awkward detail: the party that ruled East Germany decided to silence the words of its own anthem because they clashed with its political project.
The piano has rescued a piece that cannot be separated from its symbolic weight. The music, depending on the historical moment, is still played; the lyrics, however, remain a minefield.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (16 replies).
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