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Kingdom of Prussia (red) within German Empire (red and light yellow) between 1871 and 1918
“Heil dir im Siegerkranz” (German for “Hail to Thee in the Victor’s Crown”, literally: “Hail to You in a Victor’s Wreath”) was the unofficial national anthem of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918.
Before the foundation of the Empire, it had been the royal anthem of Prussia since 1795 and remained it after 1871.
The Königgrätzer Marsch (Armeemarschsammlung II, 134 (Armeemarschsammlung II, 195)) is a famous German military march composed by Johann Gottfried Piefke commemorating the Battle of Königgrätz, 1866, the decisive battle of the Austro-Prussian War, in which the Kingdom of Prussia defeated the Austrian Empire.
It was one of Adolf Hitler’s favorite marches and was often played during his public appearances. Despite the connotations this has caused, the Königgrätzer March continues to be very popular and is a staple of any modern German military parade, whereas in Austria it is heard very rarely, because the march is often associated with the military failure of Austria.
German (Prussian)Empire
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