Nationalist Anthems
From Schneckenburger, Max. "Watch on the Rhine." As reproduced in The World's Story: A History of the World in Story, Song, and Art, trans. Eva March Tappan, ed. Eva March Tappan, vol. VII (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1914), 249-250.
The desire to form a single German state inspired many artists to write odes dedicated to this end. In 1840, a businessman named Max Schneckenburger wrote "Watch on the Rhine." Schneckenburger believed that the French threatened to overrun the left bank of the Rhine River, the traditional geographic divide between France and Germany. His stanzas to defend the Rhine became particularly popular during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, which in turn led to the establishment of a German state. Schneckenburger's song became the national anthem of Germany and later returned to vogue under the Nazis (most Americans know the tune from the film "Casablanca," where Nazi troops sing it in Rick's bar).
 
A voice resounds like thunder-peal,
'Mid dashing waves and clang of steel:
The Rhine, the Rhine, the German Rhine!
Who guards today my stream divine?
Chorus: Dear Fatherland, no stranger thine;
Firm stands thy sons to watch the Rhine!
 

They stand, a hundred thousand strong,
Quick to avenge their country's wrong;
With filial love their bosoms swell,
They'll guard the sacred landmark well!
Dear Fatherland, no danger thine;
Firm stand thy sons to watch the Rhine!

The dead of an heroic race
From heaven look down and meet this gaze;
He swears with dauntless heart, "O Rhine,
Be German as this breast of mine!"
Dear Fatherland, no danger thine;
Firm stand thy sons to watch the Rhine!

While flows one drop of German blood,
Our sword remains to guard thy flood,
While rifle rests in patriot hand,
No foe shall tread thy sacred strand!
Dear Fatherland, no danger thine;
Firm stand thy sons to watch the Rhine!

Our oath resounds, the river flows,
In golden light our banner glows;
Our hearts will guard thy stream divine:
The Rhine, the Rhine, the German Rhine!
Dear Fatherland, no danger thine;
Firm stand thy sons to watch the Rhine!

["Die Wacht am Rhein"

Es braust ein Ruf wie Donnerhall,
Wie Schwertgeklirr und Wogenprall:
Zum Rhein, zum Rhein, zum deutschen Rhein,
Wer will des Stromes H?ein?
Chorus: Lieb' Vaterland, magst ruhig sein,
Fest steht und treu die Wacht am Rhein!

Durch hunderttausend zuckt es schnell,
Und aller Augen blitzen hell;
Der Deutsche J?g, fromm und stark,
Beschirmt die heil'ge Landesmark.
Chorus

Er blickt hinauf in Himmelsau'n,
Da Heldenv䴥r niederschau'n,
Und schw?mit stolzer Kampfeslust:
Du Rhein bleibst deutsch wie meine Brust!
Chorus

Solang' ein Tropfen Blut noch gl?br> Noch eine Faust den Degen zieht,
Und noch ein Arm die B?spannt,
Betritt kein Feind hier deinen Strand!
Chorus

Und on mein Herz im Tode bricht,
Wirst du doch drum ein Welscher nicht,
Reich, wie an Wasser deine Flut,
Ist Deutschland ja an Heldenblut!
Chorus