Austria is in the thick of a debate about the origins of the “homeland” anthems which celebrate its federal states after the Nazi allegiances of their composers were brought to light by a group of prominent authors. The authors are calling on regional politicians to rewrite some of the anthems and to acknowledge the melodies’ Nazi-era roots. According to the group, the anthems of four out of the countries’ nine Länder, or states, are tainted. It has written to the leaders of Upper Austria, Carinthia, Lower Austria and Salzburg, urging them to take action. In some cases it says that...