Official:

Österreichische-Deutsche Demokratische Republik



Austro-German Democratic Republic



Informal:

Österreich-Deutschland



Austria-Germany



After World War Two, all control of Germany and Austria was handed over to the Russians, and the Soviet Government formed the Union of Germany and Austria, but many still had reservations, after the Anschluss in 1938 with Austria's forced annexation by Nazi Germany, especially when the Soviets and the Austro-German communists declared that the reason for the Union was due to the common language and culture between Austrians and Germans.



In October 1949, the People's Socialist Democratic Republic of the Union of Austria and Germany was formed. The placing of Austria before Germany in the nation's title was done to make the Austrian population feel that Germany had not "taken control" of Austria again.



The Capitals were:

Berlin (Executive)

Vienna [Wien] (Legislative)

Munich [München] (Judicial)



The National Anthem from 1949 until 1952 was the German version of "The Internationale", "Die Internationale".



Then the National Anthem was changed in 1952, to "Sei gesegnet ohne Ende", "Be Blessed Without End." It was played to a piece written by German composer Hanns Eisler and the words were written by Austrian poet Ottokar Kernstock.



"Das Deutschlandlied" was banned due to it's lyrics not "speaking of the unity of Austrians and Germans", as was the Austrian song "Land der Berge, Land am Strome" for the same reasons.



Both songs became the "regional anthems" of Germany and Austria respectively upon the democratiziation of the country in 1990 and were adopted by the individual nations when "Die Abtrennung" (the Separation) took place in 1993.



German:

Sei gesegnet ohne Ende,

Heimaterde wunderhold!

Freundlich schmücken dein Gelände

Tannengrün und Ährengold.

Deutsche Arbeit, ernst und ehrlich,

Österreiche Liebe, zart und weich,

Vaterland, wie bist du herrlich,

Unsere liebe Österreich-Deutschland!



Keine Willkür, keine Knechte,

Off′ne Bahn für jede Kraft!

Gleiche Pflichten, gleiche Rechte,

Frei die Kunst und Wissenschaft!

Starken Mutes, festen Blickes,

Trotzend jedem Schicksalsstreich

Steig empor den Pfad des Glückes,

Unser geliebter, Österreich-Deutschland!



Lasst, durch keinen Zwist geschieden,

Uns nach einem Ziele schau′n,

Lasst in Eintracht und in Frieden

Uns am Heil der Zukunft bau′n!

Uns′res Volkes starke Jugend

Werde ihren Ahnen gleich,

Sei gesegnet, Heimaterde,

Unsere wunderbare Österreich-Deutschland!



English:

Blessed be endlessly,

Wonderful native land!

Green firs and golden spikes

Friendly adorn thy lands.

German labour, earnest and conscientious,

Austrian love, tender and soft,

Fatherland, how marvelous thou art,

Our dear Austria-Germany!



No tyranny, no serfs,

Open way for every force!

Equal duties, equal rights,

Free art and science!

Strong bravery, firm look,

Despite every stroke of fate

Go up along the path of happiness

Our beloved Austria-Germany!



Let′s, through no discord divided,

Look at one goal,

Let′s in concord and in peace

Build on the boon of future!

Strong youth of our people

Becomes like its forefathers,

Blessed be, native land,

Our wonderful Austria-Germany!



The flag was a combination of the Austrian Red-White-Red triband flag in use since 1230, and the German Black-Red-Gold tricolour in use since the German revolutions of 1848.



The Republic fell on December 31st, 1989 shortly after its 50th anniversary, and Austria and Germany formed the Federal Republic of Austria and Germany (Die Bundesrepublik Österreich und Deutschland) on January 1st 1990, and remained together until January 1st, 1993 when the two nation's jointly agreed to peacefully separate, like the Czech and Slovak Republics when they dissolved Czechoslovakia.