Some notes:

lyrics: August Heinrich Hoffmann "von Fallersleben", written 26. 8. 1841 on the isle of Heligoland (then a part of England) when he was forced to flee accused of being a 'democrat' respectively a 'republican' (one as bad as the other then)
tune: Josef Haydn 1797

The song was popular among revolutionaries and liberals but not among the rulers. Therefore, in 1871, when Germany was united, 'Heil Dir im Siegerkranz' (tune: "God save our gracious King") was made the official anthem of the 2. Reich.

Only in 1922, the socialist government made this song the German anthem. Abused during the 3. Reich when it was sung only after the Nazi hymn "Die Fahne hoch". Misrepresented during the second world war by Allied propaganda. They didn't care to explain the innocuous historical meaning of 'above everything in the world': It was a revolutionary demand for a united democratic and republican Germany instead of statelets, baronies and multiple kingdoms. Forbidden to sing by the Allies in 1945.

The third verse only was made the 2. republic's anthem in 1952 by agreement between chancellor and president. This agreement was renewed in 1991 after the reunification. It is not forbidden to sing the first verse BTW (other than for instance the Nazi hymn 'Die Fahne hoch', but if you hear the first verse sung in Germany more likely than not you have met some drunken football hooligans or people from the far right.

Wolfgang