Work / monument · song

Die Gedanken sind frei

first printed on leaflets about 1780 · 18th century

"Die Gedanken sind frei" ("Thoughts Are Free") is a traditional German song about freedom of thought. The idea in its title is old: it was voiced in antiquity and again in the Middle Ages by the poets Walther von der Vogelweide, Dietmar von Aist and Freidank. The song itself first appeared on leaflets around 1780, with four verses to which a fifth was later added.

Songs in history

Die Gedanken sind frei1780

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Die Gedanken sind frei. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/die-gedanken-sind-frei
MLA
“Die Gedanken sind frei.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/die-gedanken-sind-frei. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Die Gedanken sind frei.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/die-gedanken-sind-frei.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Die Gedanken sind frei’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/die-gedanken-sind-frei (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻