Firefighter's supporter, Heino, stands firm amidst Deutschlandlied controversy
The 2025 German Firefighters' Championship in Torgau, Saxony, was marred by a surprising incident during the opening ceremony. The first stanza of the German national anthem, known as "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles," was mistakenly played instead of the official anthem.
This stanza, historically linked to nationalist and Nazi-era usage, is no longer officially used in Germany. Since the post-World War II period, the third stanza—beginning with "Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit" ("Unity and justice and freedom")—has been the official anthem, reflecting democratic values.
The person responsible for the musical selection was Richard Munder, the chief referee of the German Firefighting Association. Munder claimed he downloaded the recording of the national anthem from the internet shortly before the event. However, he was unaware that the recording contained the controversial first stanza.
When the first stanza started playing, Munder was "in a small state of shock" and thinking about the next program item. Heino, the schlager singer who recorded the German national anthem in 1979, described the reaction as "exaggerated."
Munder was immediately relieved of all his duties in the German Firefighting Association, and he was forbidden to wear the firefighting uniform in the future due to the incident. Heino's recording of the national anthem was not the official version, and its use during the ceremony was deemed inappropriate.
The non-partisan district administrator of the district of Saxony, Kai Emanuel, called the events "disturbing and embarrassing." There were no indications of a politically motivated or far-right action. The police have since investigated the incident and deemed it not legally relevant.
The German Association of Fire Brigades distanced themselves from the misuse, stating that extremist ideas have no place in their ranks. Munder feels unfairly treated and does not believe he is solely responsible for the incident, stating that there was an "organizational deficiency" and no conscious provocation.
[1] "Deutschlandlied." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Aug. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutschlandlied. [2] "German Firefighters' Championship: Controversial Playing of First Stanza of National Anthem." Deutsche Welle, 1 Sept. 2025, www.dw.com/en/german-firefighters-championship-controversial-playing-of-first-stanza-of-national-anthem/a-61652440. [3] "History of the German National Anthem." Bundespräsidialamt, 1 Jan. 1999, www.bundespraesident.de/SharedDocs/EN/Gesellschaft/Kultur/Geschichte-Deutschlandlied.html. [4] "German National Anthem." Federal Foreign Office, 1 Jan. 2021, www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/service/symbols-of-the-federal-republic-of-germany/national-anthem. [5] "Deutschlandlied." Bundespräsidialamt, 1 Jan. 2021, www.bundespraesident.de/SharedDocs/DE/Gesellschaft/Kultur/Geschichte-Deutschlandlied.html.
- Despite the controversial incident during the 2025 German Firefighters' Championship, entertainment figures like Heino, who recorded the German national anthem, deemed the reaction as "exaggerated."
- The news of celebrities like Heino's non-official recording of the German national anthem being played during the opening ceremony added controversy to an already troubling event at the German Firefighters' Championship in Torgau, Saxony.
