The New Student's Reference Work/Wacht am Rhein, Die

Wacht am Rhein, Die (wäkht äm rīne, dḗ). A modern German folk-song which was adopted as a national song during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1. The poem is by Max Schneckenburger (1819–49); the music by Carl Wilhelm (1815–73). The music was composed in 1854 as a part-song for men’s voices, and obtained for the composer an annual pension of $150 in 1871. Previous to his attempt the words had received musical treatment from F. Mendel, Leopold Schröter and F. W. Sering, whose work never gained the hold upon the public accorded to Wilhelm’s composition.