A Nazi-related stanza of a song was played at the opening of the Firefighters' Championship in Germany.

In the German city of Torgau, during the opening of the firefighters' championship, the first stanza of the "Song of the Germans" (Deutschlandlied), which was performed during Nazi Germany, was played during the national anthem. This was reported by the Bild newspaper on August 2.

The official anthem of the Federal Republic of Germany is only the third verse of the "Song of the Germans", written in 1841 by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben. It begins with the words: "Unity, law and freedom." The first stanza, "Germany, Germany above all," was sung by the Nazis and is now often used for propaganda purposes by right—wing radicals. However, this and other stanzas of the "Song of the Germans" are not prohibited by law.

"We are distancing ourselves from this with all clarity. Ideas that are not in harmony with the basic order of free democracy have no place in our ranks," said Hermann Schreck, vice president of the German Association of Fire Brigades.

It is clarified that the culprit of the scandal, which became the representative of the association, was immediately removed from his post.

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