Bennett 1 Grayson Bennett Professor Lynn Raymond University Writing 1103-E02 18 October 2015 A Troubled History Every family has their own unique background. Many families can trace their roots to foreign countries as their ancestors have immigrated to the United States in search of a new or better life. My family is no different. Ancestors from my mother’s side can trace their roots back to Germany. Germany’s flag has a contested background but has lasted many tribulations to ‘become the flag that Germany has today. Germany’s national anthem, like the history of the flag, “ has not had an easy road to becoming the official anthem as well. Germany’s flag has three horizontal bars, each of equal size and length. The top bar is black, the middle bar is red, and the third bar is gold. This flag was first adopted in 1848 with the same three bars with the colors of red, gold, and black which were the same colors that the German soldiers wore during the Napoleonic Wars. But in 1871, the colors were changed to white, black and red when the German feudal states reunited. Then in 1919 after World War I, the colors then returned to red, gold, and black. World War II brought about the Nazi flag for the duration of the war until the three tiered flag returned. But East Germany added a coat of arms while West Germany kept the flag as it had been. Finally, once East and West Germany reuiified the red, gold, and black flag returned and is the current flag of Germany today (“German Flag”).Bennett 2 ‘The national anthem was written in 1841 by poet August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben, using the Australia’s anthem’s melody. Hoffman was deported by the British and found himself on the British island of Helgoland where he wrote the national anthem, “Lied der Deutschen.” Although this was a poplar anthem when Germany unified in 1871 the Prussian royal anthem was adopted instead. It wasn’t until 1922 when “Lied der Deutschen” was adopted as the official national anthem of Germany (“Germany”). The Nazi regime kept this same anthem but changed a few of the verses to support their values of expansionism. But these additional verses were banned after World War I West Germany used only the third verse of the old anthem and this anthem became the popular choice of divided Germany. This anthem, “Deutschlandlied” was kept by the West Germans until 1990 when it was named the official national anthem of the reunified Germany (“Deutschlandlied”). Germany has a very unique historical history. As a person who can trace their ancestry back to Germany, I sort of take pride in the rough history that the flag and anthem had lasted through. As a relatively young nation, it has had many trials that have tested the flag and the national anthem. The flag and anthem has last civil unrest and lasted the test of the Nazi regime to become the national standards that they are today.Bennett 3 Works Cited St ea | German National Anthem." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 May 2015. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. «JBermany.” Nationalanthemsinfo. 2\ Jan. 2013. Web 18 Oct. 2015. pefman Flag." National Flag of Germany. Zedueorp, 2008. Web. 18 Oct. 2015.