Well, I thought it about time to release this hymn as it has been sitting on my hard drive "collecting dust;" no changes have been made to it. So, almost two years after I first wrote it, I release it to the public.

And it's kind of an interesting release, too. This is the first hymn (that I know of) to be written to the East German National Anthem. Hymns have been written to the tune Austria, the West German/German National Anthem (such as Glorious Things of You are Spoken), but I am unaware of any being written to its counterpart, so to speak. It's a beautiful melody, despite it being written to honor godlessness and fascism. Ironic, then, that I would write a hymn to it, I think. And, to be honest, I'm not sure what I was doing that I ran across the anthem in the first place; I know simply that I found it at Wiki and fell in love with the sound. I guess it's also ironic that the national anthem entitle "Risen from the Ruins" would be used in writing an Easter hymn.

And there's a bit of an interesting fact with the tune, too. I haven't arranged it. Well, I tried once, but my knowledge of music theory is lacking, to put it kindly. So, if anyone would like to try, you are more than free to do so. If you want to submit something to me to consider, do so in MIDI format. I would only consider an arrangement done in a traditional hymn format (4 part harmony, maybe some dissonances, not too much syncopation...you know, the kind of stuff you would find in The Lutheran Hymnal). One change you would have to make to the melody to fit these words is the meter for the last two phrases: the DDR National Anthem is written in 8.7.8.7.8.7.8.7.5.5., this hymn is written in 8.7.8.7.8.7.8.7.6.6. (I envision changing the second half note to which the syllable "-land" of the word "Deutschland" is sung into two quarter notes to which the syllables "-sen to-" of the phrase "risen today" are sung). You may submit any "entries" to me at my email address. I am also considering consulting with some connections I have in the music field.

---

1. Christ is risen from the darkness;
   He has opened paradise,
   To the Father men have access
   By His death and sacrifice.
   Death no longer can claim vic'try,
   And the grave no more will sting.
   Christ receives all praise and glory
   As the herald angels sing,
   "Christ is risen today! Christ is risen today!"
2. Early on the third day's morning
   Bringing spices to the grave,
   Wondered women grieved in mourning,
   "Who will roll the stone away?"
   Frightened by the grave's appearance,
   For the stone was pushed aside,
   Saw inside the body's absence
   And a messenger who cried,
   "Christ is risen today! Christ is risen today!"
3. Sent he them to the apostles
   To report what he had said.
   Steadied by his words so gentle,
   Yet in fright the women fled.
   Angered by a thought appalling,
   "They have taken Christ, our Lord."
   Still they heeded Jesus' calling,
   "Bring my brothers this true word:
   'Christ is risen today! Christ is risen today!'"
4. Two disciples ran to the tomb,
   To the place where Jesus lay,
   There to find an empty, clean room
   And a cloth folded away.
   "Can this be as Christ, our Lord, said?"
   "Has he risen from the grave?"
   He is risen; He is not dead!
   This was done our souls to save:
   Christ is risen today! Christ is risen today!
5. Let us praise our God, the Father
   Of our Savior, Lord, and King.
   And His Christ, who now our brother,
   For His death and suffering.
   Hallelujah, Christ is risen!
   Hallelujah, praises bring!
   Praise we e'en the Holy Spirit
   As we with His angels sing:
   "Christ is risen today! Christ is risen today!" Amen.

Tune:

Auferstanden aus Ruinen by Hanns Eisler, 1949 (The East German National Anthem)

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