"Preußens Gloria" ("The Glory of Prussia" or "Prussia's Glory") was written in 1871 after the Kingdom of Prussia's victory in the Franco-Prussian War, which led to the unification of the German states into the new Prussian-led German Empire.[2] As part of the victory parade of the returning troops, the march was performed for the first time in public in Frankfurt an der Oder, where Piefke's garrison was based.