WHERE is the German's fatherland? The Prussian land?
The Swabian land? Where Rhine the vine-clad mountain
laves? Where skims the gull the Baltic waves? Ah, no, no,
no! His fatherland's not bounded so! Where is the
German's fatherland? Bavarian land? or Stygian land?
Where sturdy peasants plough the plain? Where
mountain-sons bright metal gain? Ah, no, no, no! His
fatherland's not bounded so! Where is the German's
fatherland? Then name, oh, name the mighty land!
Wherever is heard the German tongue, And German
hymns to God are sung! This is the land, thy Hermann's
land; This, German, is thy fatherland
Background information: German Ernst Arndt wrote
this poem in 1813. In it, he refers to different
geographical areas, such as Swabia in southeastern
Germany
According to the poet, what defines Germany as a
nation?
wherever the Rhine River flows
the areas of Prussia, Swabia, and Bavaria
wherever German peasants work the land
wherever German is spoken and German culture is
practiced