On Europe Day, Europeans celebrate not only political cooperation, but also the shared cultural symbols that helped shape the idea of Europe itself. Among those symbols, few are as powerful as the famous four opening notes of Symphony No. 5 by Ludwig van Beethoven.
The musical phrase, three short notes followed by one long note, is instantly recognizable around the world: da-da-da-dum. For many listeners, it represents drama, struggle, and triumph. But during the Second World War, these notes acquired an even deeper meaning.
The rhythm of Beethoven’s motif matched the Morse code for the letter “V”: (· · · —) dot-dot-dot-dash. In the early 1940s, the “V” became an international symbol of “Victory” against Nazi occupation. The BBC began using Beethoven’s four notes at the opening of many radio broadcasts directed toward occupied Europe. For millions of listeners secretly tuning in from countries under authoritarian rule, the sound became a coded message of hope and resistance.
This was historically significant for several reasons. First, it showed how music could become a political and moral symbol without losing its artistic value. Second, Beethoven himself was German, which allowed the Allies to send an important message: German culture did not belong to Nazism. Europe’s cultural heritage was larger and stronger than any dictatorship.
Today, Europe’s official anthem is not the Fifth Symphony, but the “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, adopted by the European Union and the Council of Europe. Yet the four notes of the Fifth Symphony continue to carry symbolic power.
In recent years, as Europe has faced new wars, democratic tensions, and growing political polarization, the memory of resistance during World War II has regained relevance. Beethoven’s music reminds Europeans that unity is not built only through treaties or institutions, but also through shared cultural values, collective memory, and the defense of freedom.
More than two centuries after Beethoven composed those four notes, they still speak to modern audiences. They remind us that culture can inspire courage, connect people across borders, and become a lasting symbol of democracy and human dignity.
Serra Húnter Fellow of Sociology at Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
Former DAAD-Gastprofessorin at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg