Madam, - It would have been much more than just "disconcerting" if 70,000 flag-waving Germans had sung "Deutschland über alles" in the Berlin Olympic Stadium during the recent World Cup, as Richard Aldous suggests (Book Reviews, July 15th). This verse is not part of the official national anthem, nor does it provide its title. It is roared out only in an occasional congregation of dim-witted skinheads or some such.
Had it really been sung in the Olympic Stadium as Mr Aldous claims, I doubt if the present German government would have remained intact.
The actual anthem consists of only one verse and it begins like this: "Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit" ("Unity and justice and freedom"). This is what the 70,000 fans sang. To see a UCD professor of history display such a degree of ignorance - now, that is truly disconcerting. - Yours, etc,
PETRA KINDLER,
Rockenham Court,
Ferrybank,
Waterford.