The German national anthem's lyrics were written by the poet August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben in 1841. The melody was composed earlier, in 1797, by the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn. Hoffmann von Fallersleben wrote the lyrics as a poem called "Das Lied der Deutschen" ("The Song of the Germans") during a time when Germany was not unified, and he envisioned the song as a call for unity, justice, and freedom. The melody by Haydn was originally composed as an anthem for Emperor Francis II and was later paired with Hoffmann's lyrics to become the national anthem of Germany.