Selection 

[Last update: 30 March 2009]

European Anthem

 
 
Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", the 4th movement of his 9th symphony was chosen as the European Anthem by the Council of Europe in 1972. The European Community adopted the same music as their own European Anthem in 1986.
 
 
Selected documents from the Council of Europe Archives

Register of documents in the Archives "European anthem" file

Notes and links
 
 

Selected documents from the Council of Europe Archives

1	1825, 22 January	Note by Beethoven [de, fr] conferring rights for the 9th symphony (copy)
2	1949, 26 August	Gaudet proposal [fr]
3	1949, 26 August	Gaudet dedication [fr]
4	1949, 7 September	Reply to Gaudet [fr]
5	1949, 14 October	Kahlfuss proposal [de]
6	1950, 26 July	2nd letter from Kahlfuss [fr]
7	1950, 14 October	3rd letter from Kahlfuss [fr]
8	1951, 25 September	Horben proposal [de]
9	1951, 28 September	Reply to Horben [fr]
10	1955, 3 August	Letter from Coudenhove-Kalergi [fr] proposing Ode to Joy as the European Anthem
11	1955, 5 September	Reply to Kalergi [fr]
12	1962, 12 March	Reply to Molter [fr]
13	1962, 3 April	Reply to Aken [fr]
14	1971, 11 March	Letter from Evers, President of European Conference of Local Authorities Plea for a European Anthem
15	1971, 30 April	AS/LOC meeting report Assembly Committee discusses anthem proposal
16	1971, 10 June	Assembly report & draft resolution on a European Anthem
17	1971, 8 July	Assembly resolution proposing Ode to Joy
18	1971, 24 July	SG asks Von Karajan to do an arrangement [de]
19	1971, 12 August	Reply from Emil Jucker (for Von Karajan) [de]
20	1971, 22 November	Letter from Evers, President of European Conference of Local Authorities Anthem to be launched on 5 May 1972
21	1972, 12 January	Decision of the Committee of Ministers Adopting Ode to Joy as the European Anthem
22	1972, 25 January	Memo Leleu to SG [fr] Copyright issues
23	1972, 28 January	Memo Muller to SG [fr] Copyright issues
24	1972, 18 February	Letter from Jucker (for Von Karajan) [de] Von Karajan to retain rights
25	1972, 2 March	Memo de Boer to SG [fr] Negotiations with Von Karajan
26	1972, 8 March	Meeting of directors [fr] Copyright issues
27	1972, 7-15 March	Decision of Deputies Asking Secretariat to resolve copyright issues
28	1972, 11-19 April	Meeting of Deputies Secretary General clarifies copyright questions
29	1973, 25 January	Assembly: Parliamentary question and reply On the use of the Anthem
30	1974, 30 September	Golsong memo [fr] Copyright issues and Rhodesia
31	1985, 30 January	Assembly propose a new anthem
32	1986	Ministers authorise European Community to use European Anthem

Register of documents in the Archives "European anthem" file [fr]

Under construction
 
 

Notes and links

- The Anthem consists of music only: there is no accompanying text.

- The Council of Europe does not possess any manuscript of the score of the Anthem.

- Copyright for Beethoven’s music is held by Schott Musik.

- The poem "An die Freude" (Ode to Joy) after which the music is named was composed by the German Poet Friedrich Schiller.

- The original arrangement of the Anthem is by Herbert von Karajan.

- European Anthem website

- E.U. European Anthem website

- Schott Musik

- LARCHER, Aloïs: Le Drapeau de l'Europe et l'Hymne Européen [fr, pdf] - Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 1995, pp, 12 - 15