Arena’s ‘Watch in the Rhine’ Is Timely But Not Exactly Subtle - DCist

: The song emphasizes the protection of the Rhine River as a "sacred border" against French aggression.

Originating in 1840, this German patriotic song became a symbol of national unity during the and World War I .

Lillian Hellman's 1941 drama was a pivotal "call to arms" for a then-isolationist America.

"Watch on the Rhine" is a title shared by several significant cultural and historical works, ranging from a patriotic German anthem to a classic anti-fascist play and even a controversial sci-fi novel.

: It is perhaps best known to modern audiences for its appearance in the film Casablanca , where it is sung by German officers in Rick's Café before being famously drowned out by "La Marseillaise". The Play: Lillian Hellman’s Watch on the Rhine (1941)