The Night of Science: Celebrating Unity and Diversity

The Night of Science and the National Anthem

Last year in June, we had the annual Night of Science. Coincidentally, it was also the opening match of the European Championship. The university was broadcasting the game live in the courtyard, and naturally, everyone had taken their seats, waiting for the kickoff.

Night of Science: An event held once a year where universities, institutes, and companies open their doors to the public. They showcase their work in ways that are easy to understand, demonstrate simple experiments, offer short lectures and seminars, and organize public forums on controversial topics. It’s designed for both children and adults to engage with science.

At one point, someone joked, “Now they’re going to play the national anthem, everyone will stand up.” I replied, “This is Germany — half the people won’t even bother, they probably won’t even sing along.” I was wrong about that part. More than half stood up, and the anthem began to play.

For those unfamiliar, here are the lyrics of the German national anthem:

Germany, Germany above all,
Above all else in the world,
As long as we always strive to protect
And defend in brotherhood,
From the Meuse to the Memel,
From the Adige to the Belt –
Germany, Germany above all,
Above all else in the world!

German women, German loyalty,
German wine and German song
Shall retain in the world
Their old beautiful chime
Inspire us to noble deeds
Throughout our lives –
German women, German loyalty,
German wine and German song!

Unity and justice and freedom
For the German homeland!
Let us all strive for this
Brotherly with heart and hand!
Unity and justice and freedom
Are the pledge of happiness –
In this fortune’s radiance,
Let us flourish, German homeland!

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

After the horrors of Hitler’s era, Germany decided not to sing the first stanza anymore. It’s not officially banned, but it’s avoided because it recalls darker times. The second stanza, closely tied to Austria and praising “Germanness,” is also generally left out — Germany wants to make clear: we are not superior to anyone, and there is no dream of a unified “Greater Germany.” That’s why only the final stanza, with its inclusive message, is preferred today.

On match day, when people stood and sang, they even tweaked the lyrics. Instead of “unity, justice and freedom,” they sang “unity, justice and diversity.”

That moment made me pause.

Could something like this ever happen in any other place? I think, this is what makes Germany, the Germany. Where whole world is embraced! Just like science itself.

In Turkey, forget altering the anthem, even the slightest movement during it can trigger a national outrage that lasts for weeks. It rarely crosses our minds to ask: could the lyrics of our anthem be hurtful to any group living within our borders?

We fail to acknowledge both the realities of the world and of Turkey itself. I guess, similarly many other countries who are strongly nationalist and living in last century. Despite living in one of the least suitable places for ethnic nationalism, we remain deeply entangled in it. Worse, we seem intent on making that entanglement even more complex.

I hope that one day we come to see diversity not as a threat, but as a form of cultural richness.