Deutschlandlied
Work in Music History
Deutschlandlied has come up in 1 episode across 1 podcast in TMT, including The Rest Is History. 2 people have made recorded remarks about it.
What people said
Dominic SandbrookBritish historian, author and co-host of The Rest Is History
Sandbrook gives his personal verdict that the current German anthem is good and that he would sing it enthusiastically if German.
“I think if I was German, I would sing it with great enthusiasm”
The Rest Is History: 679. Germany: The Song Hitler Stole (Part 3) (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 1:07:27
Sandbrook states that polls in the early 1950s showed a majority of West Germans backed Adenauer's wish to restore the old anthem.
“polls showed that Adenauer spoke for the majority. So seven out of 10 people in the early 50s said, come on, we want the old one back”
The Rest Is History: 679. Germany: The Song Hitler Stole (Part 3) (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 45:02
Sandbrook says the song was originally a liberal rather than conservative idea, beloved of students and poets.
“And at the time, this is not a conservative idea. It's a liberal idea. So the people who are singing this song”
The Rest Is History: 679. Germany: The Song Hitler Stole (Part 3) (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 17:24
Sandbrook argues that 'Deutschland über alles' was a call for Germans to put unity above regional loyalties, not a militaristic or expansionist slogan.
“Hoffman would have been amazed to hear people say this is militaristic and a call for expansionism”
The Rest Is History: 679. Germany: The Song Hitler Stole (Part 3) (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 16:34
Tom HollandEnglish actor cast as Telemachus
Holland compares the anthem's original meaning to the Ode to Joy as the EU anthem, a call to bury differences for a greater whole.
“It's kind of implicitly saying, let's bury our differences and celebrate a greater whole”
The Rest Is History: 679. Germany: The Song Hitler Stole (Part 3) (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 17:18
Podcasts
- The Rest Is History · 1 episode
Episodes
679. Germany: The Song Hitler Stole (Part 3)The Rest Is History · Jun 14, 2026 · 1 h 13 min
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook trace the history of Germany's national anthems, from Haydn's Austrian hymn through Nazi, West and East German anthems to reunification.