This was very moving, I know the 2nd hymn is the "Kaiserhymne", Does anyone know what the first one is?
The first one was the first verse of "Das Lied der Bayern" - "Bayernhymne " and is the hymn of Bavaria. Bavarian children learn the text in school.
The second one is the music of Germany's national anthem, which used to be Austria's imperial anthem (interesting history, that) but sung this time with the original text of the Kaiserhymne of Franz Joseph I, which was declared as the "original" by him in 1854. Before that each emperor had his own text written which was sung to the same melody.
Parallely in 1841 a German version was written by the poet A.H. Hoffmann von Fallersleben, which started: Germany, Germany above all - this became the German national anthem. After WWII the first verse was forbidden on official occasions and not in use at all others, because it contained the lines: From the Maas (Frontier river to Belgium) to the Memel (frontier river to Russia), from the Etsch (River in Italy which seperates the German speaking Southern Tyrolia from the rest of Italy) to the Belt (part of the Baltic Sea)... well, no more that and no more Germany above all. Even though it wasn't meant that imperialistic and aggressive way when it was written, but it was understood that way by both the Wilhelminian empire and Nazi-Germany. Today the third verse is the text of the national anthem, because in this verse the meaning of the "Song of the Germans" is much clearer in its unifying and peaceful meaning.
Back to the Franco-Josephian text of the emperor's hymn. Here the first verse was sung: with the text (Translated by me, so no poetry, of course...
)
1. Gott erhalte, Gott beschütze
Unsern Kaiser, unser Land!
Mächtig durch des Glaubens Stütze
Führt er uns mit weiser Hand!
Laßt uns seiner Väter Krone
Schirmen wider jeden Feind:
Innig bleibt mit Habsburgs Throne
Österreichs Geschick vereint.
God keep, God save
our emperor, our land.
Powerful due to his (christian) belief's help,
he leads with wisdom.
Let us protect his ancestor's crown
against all enemies.
Thoroughly connected to the throne of the Habsburgs
stays Austria's fate.
Hope this helps.
Ah, and the text of the hymn of Bavaria, first verse, for anyone interested int his beautiful and proud country:
1. Gott mit dir, du Land der Bayern,
deutsche Erde, Vaterland!
Über deinen weiten Gauen
ruhe Seine Segenshand!
|: Er behüte deine Fluren,
schirme deiner Städte Bau
Und erhalte dir die Farben
Seines Himmels, weiß und blau! :|
May God be with you, country of the Bavarians
of German soil, Vaterland (fatherland)
Over your wide counties
may rest His blessing hand.
May He protect the country's soil,
shield your cities' buildings.
Und upkeep your skies' colours -
white and blue.