Some consider this song a masterpiece. Others call it another provocation of the scandalous group. Loyal fans are raving about the bold and spectacular video Video. Critics accuse the authors of PR on topics that cause pain to millions of people.
Opinions about the track are contradictory, and one thing is clear: the composition left no one indifferent. Let’s find out how the song was written and find out why the video caused outrage among many listeners.
The history of the creation of the song “Deutschland”
The song “Deutschland” was written jointly by members of the band “Rammstein”. The single was being created while the album was being recorded. The composition was released in the spring of 2019. The song was recorded not in Germany, but at the French studio “La Fabrique”.
The debut of the song took place on the Internet. The track instantly became popular not only in Germany, but also in other countries. For a long time, the single became the leader of the charts.
Public response
Criticism around the song “Deutschland” appeared even before the release of the single. The fact is that as an advertisement, a story was shown that tells about the Holocaust. The public believes that such provocative scenes should not be put on public display.
Now the German media are cold about the song. Journalists consider it provocative and unworthy of the attention of the audience. Critics say that Rammstein’s video tastelessly exploits the freedom of creativity.
Despite the fact that critics considered the video unworthy, and the video itself received extraordinary reviews from the media, over 86 million people watched it in a few months.
The video is still at the top of the popular YouTube platform.
Fans of the group liked their song. Internet users are enthusiastic about the work of Rammstein. In turn, the performers do not give any comments about the song.
The meaning of the song «Deutschland» by Rammstein
The song “Deutschland” by Rammstein tells about the mixed feelings of people. The plot shows that the performer loves his country very much, but at the same time he hates it.
It should be noted that the first verse of the composition is very reminiscent of another song by the Rammstein group called “Du hast”.
In the second verse, echoes of the group’s single called “Ich will” can be heard. At the end of the track, the melody of the song “Sonne” plays.
The meaning of the composition “Deutschland” can be interpreted in different ways. But one thing is clear from the first lines. The performers are far from approving of the path chosen by their ancestors and against some of the directions of the modern country. But despite their discontent, they are devoted to their homeland and love it with all their hearts.
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
The video opens with a dark scene: a forest, ragged Roman legionaries cautiously move deeper and meet a woman. She is dressed in skins, in her hands she has a knife with which she cuts off the head of a dead soldier.
Many immediately noted that the exact date is indicated in the Video- the 16th year from the birth of Christ.
In this year, the famous clash of the Germanic tribes with the Roman troops took place – the “Battle of Idistaviso”, in which the Germans lost.
But despite the fact that the screen shows the year 16, the events taking place are more like the uprising of the year 9, when the Germanic tribes under the command of Arminius defeated the Roman legionaries led by Quintilius Varus in the Teutoburg Forest. The victorious Germans cut off the head of the Roman commander. This event became a symbol of the unity and strength of the German tribes.
German Black Eagle
When you start episode by episode to reveal the meaning of the grand Rammstein video, it becomes clear that the only character who does not change his image is a black girl.
It is not difficult to guess that it is she who symbolizes Germany itself. Despite the fact that it is more common to imagine a blond beauty with green eyes, according to the authors, this is exactly what the spirit of Germany looks like. It is symbolic that the cover of the song features an actress in golden armor, her dark skin and yellow suit obviously echoing the coat of arms of Germany, which depicts a black eagle on a yellow canvas .
In the video, historical parallels intersect, plots from different eras replace each other, but we will try to arrange them in chronological order.
Bloody war for power
The next historical episode: a mass clash of soldiers against the backdrop of Catholic crosses. The girl in the image of Germany appears in golden armor, which depicts a double-headed eagle – the Emblem of the First Reich. These symbols suggest thoughts about the events of the Thirty Years’ War in Europe in the 17th century. The struggle began with a religious confrontation between the Protestants and Catholics of the German Empire.
Throughout the Video, images of clergy flicker, and they can hardly be called positive. Rather, the authors emphasize their destructive influence both on the Germanic tribes and on the whole of Europe: they burn books, fraternize with the Nazis.
In the music video, there is a fragment where Catholic priests in a dirty tavern greedily eat raw meat directly from the body of a metaphorical Germany. Undoubtedly, this image speaks of the consumer attitude of the church towards the medieval people, of its omnipotence and depravity.
Bypassing the First World War
Without touching on the military battles, the directors of the video take us to the era of the 20s of the last century. Two images immediately reflect this short period. The first: a weakened Germany in a wheelchair and the second: a fistfight with brass knuckles. The last scene accurately reflects the fashion of the 20-30s of the 20th century, that is, the period of the Weimar Republic.
There are several versions of what this fight could symbolize, but most likely we are talking about political feuds and a crisis in post-war Germany.
At the same time, we see a carelessly cheerful Germany, referring us to the “golden twenties” – to the period from 1924-1929, when the republic was able to restore its economy and regain international recognition.
Unfortunate Reich President Hindenburg
The shot of the Rammstein members walking against the backdrop of a burning airship obviously refers to the year 1937, when the Hindenburg airship, named after the first and only Reich President of Germany, crashed. Hitler became his successor, so crushingly ended the era of the Weimar Republic, and the dark times of German history began.
A similar situation occurred with airships, after the tragedy with the largest zeppelin of that time, the era of airships ended.
By the way, examples of self-quoting do not end there. The crystal coffin, in which the metaphorical Germany floats into space, recalled an episode from the video “Sonne”, where there was also a fabulous prop.
«Germany above all»
One of the most important episodes of the clip was the scene of Nazi Germany, or rather the execution of the convicts. In addition, attentive viewers noted the stripes on the clothes of those sentenced to death, which distinguish their crimes. The symbolism of the phrase uttered by Till Lindemann plays a huge role. The soloist sings: “Deutschland über allen”, but this phrase is so close to the first line of the anthem of Nazi Germany “Deutschland über alles”, by the way, banned in modern Germany.
The symbolism of this scene is not limited to stripes and words; a rocket takes off in the background of the execution. Perhaps this is how the authors wanted to emphasize the technological breakthrough of the Third Reich, the road to which was paved by the thousands of deaths of its captives.
Separately, I would like to note the image of Germany in this episode: a bright, cruel, but blind woman in one eye. Most likely, the creators of the video tried to convey the bias and disorientation of the government of that era.
The Great Schism of the German Nation
After World War II, Germany was divided into two large poles: western and eastern. In the clip, two lines are reflected in the episode with the American prison and the headquarters of the GDR.
The scene with the prison and money falling from the sky should not be taken literally. Most likely, the authors of the clip take us to the end of the 40s of the XX century, when the Marshall Plan began to be implemented in Europe, including West Germany. America poured huge investments into European countries, but in return demanded that some of its economic and political demands be met. And perhaps the prison is an image of the bondage in which West Germany finds itself.
The money that falls from the sky can be interpreted as a consequence of the currency reform of 1948, when the Reichsmarks went out of circulation and new Deutschmarks appeared. The change of money led to the depreciation of the old currency, which could be thrown away with the advent of new banknotes.
The second post-war episode is the headquarters of the GDR. It is worth noting that the usual strong Germany here modestly stands in the background, a completely different person sits in the chair of the head . This suggests that there was no real power in the hands of the German government at that time, it was concentrated in the offices of the Soviet leadership.
In addition to two obvious references, the hostage-taking episode also belongs to the second half of the 20th century. Judging by the clothes, this is the 70-80s of the last century. The leader of Rammstein can be recognized as one of the founders of the radical terrorist organization “Red Army Faction” Ulrike Meinhof. This underground group terrorized the FRG and West Berlin, on their account more than 30 murders, raids on banks, bombings of military and civilian institutions, assassination attempts on high-ranking officials.
A divided country, subject to foreign political pressure from the West and East, a terrorized people and the complete helplessness of the German authorities.
New Germany: birth and gilding
The image of modern Germany is a luxurious girl in a golden bathing suit with shepherd dogs on a leash . By the way, some attentive viewers suggested that dogs are an indirect image of the German people. It is dynamic: first it is a wild wolf, then well-groomed shepherds, and then very young puppies of a rare Leonberger breed, which almost disappeared during the Second World War.
The clip ends with the fact that the girl in the image of Germany flies into space in a crystal coffin. It would seem that this is a reference to the fall of the nation, but high in the sky you can see the same red beam that shone at the very beginning of the clip in the scene with the Roman legionnaires.
Most likely, the authors left an open ending and a hint that, having gone through all the ups and downs, the German people should again come to unity, partially lost due to political disagreements in recent years.
Frame-by-frame analysis of the first half of the “Deutschland” video
After a seven-year hiatus, in March 2019, the German band Rammstein presented their 26th single to the public. The song was written by the band members. The production was handled by both the singers themselves and Olsen Involtini.
After watching the video, many questions remain. What is the video about? What is its meaning? For those who want to understand this, a detailed overview is provided.
The song “Deutschland” by Rammstein was written only for the people of Germany. The plot tells about the past, present and future of both the country and the nation as a whole.
If we translate the lyrics of the song into Russian, we learn that the performers sing about the history of Germany and the current political situation in the country. The clip itself has a hidden meaning, which details will help to reveal.
For example, a black girl symbolizes the country itself. This is even mentioned in the credits for the video. The video stars German beauty Ruby Komi.
Ruby was born in 1991, already in modern united Germany. It should be noted that the age of the girl also hints to the audience that Germany is a tolerant country.
The clip begins with an army of soldiers meeting a black girl. According to the plot, it is a symbol of the country of the 16th year from the birth of Christ.
If you delve into history, you can find out that at that time the Romans attacked Germany. For a long time there was a fierce war with the Roman Empire.
But thanks to the militancy and courage of the soldiers, the Romans were defeated. Odoacer, the German leader, forced the emperor of Rome, who ruled in 476, to abdicate.
During the battle in the clip, the girl-knight hoisted the flag. This frame symbolizes the thirty-year war between German Protestants and Catholics.
The battle of two men in brass knuckles indirectly symbolizes that after the First World War, in which the Germans lost, political contradictions arose.
In 1920, people often go to meetings. Communists and Nazis are at war with each other. According to the plot, bets are placed on the fighting guys. This moment shows that many were for some, many for others, but no one directly dared to invade the conflict.
After a while, a shot appears in which walking people appear, completely dressed in black. In their background, an airship emerges.
It is believed that this moment tells about the misfortune that happened to the Hindenburg airship. During the war, many countries refused to sell helium to Germany. Due to the fact that the Germans could not find a gas with which to fill the balloon, they decided to fill the airship with hydrogen.
When the ball rose into the air and traveled some distance, it exploded. After this catastrophe, people everywhere began to abandon airships.
The people dressed in black leaving their frame symbolize the decline of a kind, prosperous Germany, which was striving for technical perfection.
Instead, the time comes for a country that creates missiles, weapons, high-speed aircraft. In simple terms, the state is preparing for war.
The next frame of the clip shows the party functionaries of the GDR and the symbols of Germany. Enter Erich Honecker, played by Lindemann.
A cosmonaut appears, dressed in Soviet equipment with the symbols of the union. This moment tells about Jen Sigmund, the first German astronaut who was able to visit the expanses of outer space.
Further in the video, a girl with vicious dogs appears, surrounded by special forces. Apparently, she is rich. It should be noted that the frame directly indicates the discord between the elite and the common people of Germany, because in Germany it is forbidden to object to the authorities.
Those who disagree with Merkel’s decisions are beaten with batons and dispersed with tear gas. And this is not fiction. On the Internet, there are often shots of clashes between the simple German people and the armed forces.
The next frame shows a feast of church leaders. At the same time, ministers sit at a table that is bursting with abundance, and under it sodomy occurs. This moment, as it were, hints at the moral decay of the Catholic Church.
In the third minute, soldiers appear wearing 18th-century military uniforms. This means that nothing has changed. As before, the elite did not know worries, feasted, degraded, and ordinary people picked up the remnants after them, this is happening now.
Some believe that the soldiers who appeared in the frame represent the soldiers of Napoleon Bonaparte, who enslaved Germany and created the Confederation of the Rhine.
Analysis of the second part of the Video
The second part of the clip is no less epic. She also talks about what happened and is happening in Germany.
The fourth minute of the clip is dedicated to the post-war country. Despite the fact that Germany was considered a free democratic country, it was completely controlled by the United States.
The video contains footage of the beating of prison inmates in a dungeon resembling an American prison. Then the money rolls in. This moment shows that Germany is completely dependent on America financially.
Further, the clip tells about the Third Reich. A concentration camp appears in the frame. Rockets take off. There is a gallows. Members of the Rammstein group act as victims of the Nazi regime. They are trying to be executed.
The Nazis marked their prisoners with special signs. Judging by the symbolism depicted on the clothes of the victims, one man is a Jew, and the second is a political opponent.
Previously, such were considered communists, Jewish leaders, liberals, democrats, socialists, anarchists, or simply homosexuals.
It should be noted that the Germans advanced in technological development only thanks to the prisoners. Critics say that such footage should not be used in the video.
The fifth minute of the video tells about the Red Army Faction. The FKA is a terrorist organization that attacked Germany for several years in the period 1960-1970. They robbed banks, killed officials. The video shows how the FKA is taking over the country.
The next part of the clip is a series of historical events. They show medieval times when heretics were burned at the stake. Destroy books that encourage people to become Nazis.
People from the Middle Ages decide to make contact with the Nazi generation, and knights stand near them. With this frame, the performers wanted to condemn church ministers for taking the side of the Nazis.
If you delve into history, you can understand that on the form of Nazi soldiers there was an emblem with the inscription in German “God is with us.” It was with such symbols on uniforms that the Nazis invaded the territory of the Soviet Union.
Next, the clip shows the destruction of Germany. The country goes up in flames and is then reborn as a beautiful angel while pregnant.
The sixth minute of the clip is dedicated to the extermination of the GDR elite. The ceiling collapses over their representatives. It should be noted that some representatives of the nationality warmly recall the times of the GDR. There is even a certain notion of longing for the old days, which sounds like nostalgia.
The politics of modern Germany in the video was shown as follows. The pregnant girl personifies that the country is now immersed in a colossal demographic crisis. The birth rate is several times lower than the death rate.
The authorities are trying to improve the situation by accepting migrants. At the moment when the puppies are born, the video seems to say that attracting migrants is not a way out of the current situation.
At the seventh minute of the clip, an interesting frame appears. Prisoners shoot soldiers of the Soviet Union.
At the very beginning of the clip, it is not entirely clear why the astronauts appear in the frame. Everything falls into place at the end of the video. Space explorers are studying Germany from the past. Further, the coffin with the body of a girl who personifies Germany is sent to boundless space.
By this, the creators of the video show the death of the country, which must be blamed on the deep discord of the people, the commercialism of the elite and excessive tolerance.
