When we hear the word “Switzerland,” the image of stunning landscapes, precision engineering, and cultural diversity often comes to mind. But did you know that this picturesque nation also possesses a national anthem that reflects its rich history and multilingual fabric? The “Swiss Psalm,” with its evocative lyrics and melodious tunes, stands as a symbol of Swiss unity and pride.
Switzerland’s National Anthem Lyrics
| Original | transcription | Literal translation |
|---|---|---|
| I Ja, vi elsker dette landet, som det stiger frem, furet, værbitt over vannet, med de tusen hjem, — elsker, elsker det og tenker på vår far og mor 𝄆 og den saganatt som senker drømmer på vår jord. 𝄇 II Dette landet Harald berget med sin kjemperad, dette landet Håkon verget, medens Øyvind kvad; Olav på det landet malet[c] korset med sitt blod, 𝄆 fra dets høye Sverre talet Roma midt imot. 𝄇 III Bønder sine økser brynte hvor en hær dro frem; Tordenskjold langs kysten lynte, så den lystes hjem. Kvinner selv stod opp og strede som de vare menn; 𝄆 andre kunne bare grede, men det kom igjen! 𝄇 IV Visstnok var vi ikke mange, men vi strakk dog til, da vi prøvdes noen gange, og det stod på spill; ti vi heller landet brente enn det kom til fall; 𝄆 husker bare hva som hendte ned på Fredrikshald! 𝄇 V Hårde tider har vi døyet, ble til sist forstøtt; men i verste nød blåøyet frihet ble oss født. Det gav faderkraft å bære hungersnød og krig, 𝄆 det gav døden selv sin ære — og det gav forlik. 𝄇 VI Fienden sitt våpen kastet, opp visiret fór, vi med undren mot ham hastet, ti han var vår bror. Drevne frem på stand av skammen, gikk vi søderpå; 𝄆 nå står vi tre brødre sammen,[f] og skal sådan stå! 𝄇 VII Norske mann i hus og hytte, takk din store Gud! Landet ville han beskytte, skjønt det mørkt så ut. Alt, hva fedrene har kjempet, mødrene har grett, 𝄆 har den Herre stille lempet, så vi vant vår rett. 𝄇 VIII Ja, vi elsker dette landet, som det stiger frem, furet, værbitt over vannet, med de tusen hjem. Og som fedres kamp har hevet det av nød til seir, 𝄆 også vi, når det blir krevet, for dets fred slår leir. 𝄇 | 1 [jɑː ʋiː ˈɛ̂l.skɛ̠r ˈdɛ̂t.tə ˈlɑ̂n.nə] [sɔm deː ˈstîː.ɡɛ̠r frɛm] [ˈfʉ̂ː.rɛt ˈʋæːr.bɪtː ˈoː.ʋɛ̠r ˈʋɑ̂n.nə] [meː diː ˈtʉː.sən jɛm] [ˈɛ̂l.skɛ̠r ˈɛ̂l.skɛ̠r deː ɔ ˈtɛ̂ŋ.kɛ̠r] [poː ʋoːr fɑːr ɔ muːr] 𝄆 [ɔ dɛn ˈsɑː.ɡɑ.nɑtː sɔm ˈsɛ̂ŋ.kɛ̠r] [ˈdrœm.mə(r) poː ʋoːr juːr] 𝄇 2 [ˈdɛ̂t.tə ˈlɑ̂n.nə ˈhɑː.rɑld ˈbæ̂ɾ.ɡɛ̠t] [meː sɪn ˈçɛm.pə.rɑːd] [ˈdɛ̂t.tə ˈlɑ̂n.nə ˈhoː.kʊn ‘ʋæ̂ɾ.ɡɛ̠t] [ˈmeː.dɛ̠ns ˈœʏ̯.ʋɪn(d) kʋɑːd] [ˈuː.lɑʋ poː deː ˈlɑ̂n.nə ˈmɑː.lət] [ˈkɔ.ʂə meː sɪtː bluː] 𝄆 [frɑː dɛts ˈhœ.jə ˈsʋæ.rə ˈtɑː.lət] [ˈruː.mɑ mɪtː ɪ.ˈmuːd] 𝄇 3 [ˈbœ̀n.nər ˈsiː.nə ˈœk.sər ˈbryn.tə] [vur eːn hæːr druː frɛm] [ˈtur.dən.ʂɔl lɑŋs ˈçys.tən ˈlyn.tə] [sɔː dɛn ˈlys.təs jɛm] [ˈkʋɪn.nər sɛl stuː ɔpː ɔ ˈstreː.də] [sɔm diː ˈʋɑː.rə mɛnː] 𝄆 [ˈɑn.dre ˈkʉn.nə ˈbɑː.rə ˈgreː.də] [mɛn deː kɔm ɪ.ˈjɛn] 𝄇 4 [ˈʋɪst.nɔk ʋɑːr ʋiː ˈɪ̂k.kə ˈmɑŋ.ə] [mɛn ʋiː strɑk doːɡ tɪl] [dɑː ʋiː ˈprœʋ.dəs ˈnuː.ən ˈgɑŋ.ə] [ɔ deː stuː poː spɪl] [tiː ʋiː ˈhɛl.lər ˈlɑ̂n.nə ˈbrɛn.tə] [ɛnː deː kɔm tɪl fɑlː] 𝄆 [ˈhʉs.kɛ̠r ˈbɑː.rə ʋɑː sɔm ˈhɛn.tə] [neː(d) poː ˈfrɛd.rɪks.hɑld] 𝄇 5 [ˈhoːr.də ˈtiː.dər hɑːr ʋiː ˈdœʏ̯.ət] [bleː tɪl sɪst ˈfɔʂ.tœt] [mɛn iː ˈʋæ̂ʂː.tə nœːd ˈbloː.œʏ̯.ət] [ˈfriː.heːt bleː ɔsː fœtː] [deː ɡɑːʋ ˈfɑ̂ː.dɛ̠r.krɑft ɔː ˈbæː.rə] [ˈhuŋ.əʂ.nœːd ɔ kriːɡ] 𝄆 [deː ɡɑːʋ dœː.dən sɛl sɪn ˈæː.rə] [ɔ deː ɡɑːʋ fɔrː.ˈliːk] 𝄇 6 [ˈfîː.ɛn.dən sɪtː ˈʋoː.pən ˈkɑs.tət] [ɔpː ʋɪ.ˈsiː.rə fuːr] [ʋiː meː ˈʉnd.reːn muːt hɑm ˈhɑs.tət] [tiː hɑn ʋɑːr ʋoːr bruːr] [ˈdreːʋ.nə frɛm poː stɑnː ɑːʋ ˈskɑm.mən] [gɪk ʋiː sœː.dər.poː] 𝄆 [noː stoːr ʋiː treː ˈbrœd.rə ˈsɑm.mən] [ɔ skal ˈsɔː.dɑn stoː] 𝄇 7 [ˈnɔʂ.kɛ̠ mɑnː iː hʉːs ɔ ˈhŷt.tə] [tɑk dɪn stuː.rə ɡʉːd] [ˈlɑ̂n.nə ˈʋɪl.lə hɑnː bɛ.ˈʂyt.tə] [ʂœnːt deː mœrkt sɔː ʉːt] [ɑlt ʋɑː ˈfeːd.rə.nə hɑːr ˈçɛm.pət] [mœd.rə.nə hɑːr ɡrɛtː] 𝄆 [hɑːr dɛn ˈhæ.rə ˈstɪ̂l.lə ˈlɛm.pət] [sɔː ʋiː ʋɑnt ʋoːr rɛtː] 𝄇 8 [jɑː ʋiː ˈɛ̂l.skɛ̠r ˈdɛ̂t.tə ˈlɑ̂n.nə] [sɔm deː ˈstîː.ɡɛ̠r frɛm] [ˈfʉ̂ː.rɛt ˈʋæːr.bɪtː ˈoː.ʋɛ̠r ˈʋɑ̂n.nə] [meː diː ˈtʉː.sən jɛm] [ɔ sɔm ˈfeːd.rɛ̠s kɑmp hɑːr ˈheː.ʋət] [deː ɑːʋ nœːd tɪl sæɪ̯r] 𝄆 [ɔ.sɔː ʋiː nor deː blɪr ˈkreː.ʋət] [fɔrː dɛts freːd ʂloːr læɪ̯r] 𝄇 | I Yes, we love this country as it rises forth, rugged, weathered, over the water, with the thousands of homes, — love, love it and think of our father and mother 𝄆 and the saga-night that lays dreams upon our earth. 𝄇 II This country Harald united with his army of heroes, this country Håkon protected whilst Øyvind sung; upon the country Olav painted with his blood the cross, 𝄆 from its heights Sverre spoke up against Rome. 𝄇 III Farmers their axes sharpened wherever an army advanced, Tordenskjold along the coastline thundered so that we could see it back home. Even women stood up and fought as if they were men; 𝄆 others could only cry but that soon would end! 𝄇 IV Sure, we were not many but we were enough, when we were tested sometimes, and it was at stake; we would rather burn our land than to declare defeat; 𝄆 just remember what happened down at Fredrikshald! 𝄇 V Hard times we have coped with, were at last disowned; but in the worst distress, blue-eyed freedom was to us born. It gave (us) father’s strength to carry famine and war, 𝄆 it gave death itself its honour – and it gave reconciliation. 𝄇 VI The enemy threw away his weapon, up the visor went, we, in wonder, to him hastened, because he was our brother. Driven forth to a stand by shame we went to the south; 𝄆 now we three brothers stand united, and shall stand like that! 𝄇 VII Norwegian man in house and cabin, thank your great God! The country he wanted to protect, although things looked dark. All the fights fathers have fought, and the mothers have wept, 𝄆 the Lord has quietly eased so we won our rights. 𝄇 VIII Yes, we love this country as it rises forth, rugged, weathered, above the sea, with those thousand homes. And as the fathers’ struggle has raised it from need to victory, 𝄆 even we, when it is demanded, for its peace will encamp (for defense). |
The Historical Prelude
The “Swiss Psalm,” known as “Schweizerpsalm” in German, is more than just a collection of words set to music. Composed in 1841 by Alberich Zwyssig, this anthem embodies the essence of Switzerland’s national identity. Yet, its journey to becoming the official national anthem was not without its challenges. Initially, the anthem faced rejection by the Federal Council due to the desire to involve the Swiss populace in selecting their national anthem. It wasn’t until 1961 that the “Swiss Psalm” took the stage, provisionally replacing the former anthem, “Rufst du, mein Vaterland.”
The Symphonic Evolution
Alberich Zwyssig’s composition was not merely a product of his musical prowess but a fusion of art and literature. The anthem’s lyrics, with German words penned by Leonhard Widmer in 1840, seamlessly blended with Zwyssig’s musical creation. This artistic collaboration birthed a melody that resonated deeply with the Swiss people, evoking a sense of unity and patriotism.
The Polyglot Lyricism
Switzerland’s linguistic diversity is a hallmark of its identity, with four official languages spoken across the nation. To accommodate this diversity, the “Swiss Psalm” was not confined to a single language. The original German lyrics were masterfully adapted into French, Italian, and Romansh, reflecting Switzerland’s commitment to inclusivity and its celebration of linguistic variation. This multilingual rendition of the anthem not only unifies the nation but also pays homage to its rich cultural tapestry.
Harmony Amidst Diversity
At its core, the “Swiss Psalm” encapsulates the spirit of harmonious coexistence amidst linguistic and cultural differences. This anthem serves as a poignant reminder that despite Switzerland’s diversity, its people are united by a shared sense of national pride. Whether sung in German, French, Italian, or Romansh, the anthem’s melodies resonate through the Swiss Alps and valleys, fostering a sense of belonging among its citizens.
An Anthem of Resilience
The journey of the “Swiss Psalm” mirrors Switzerland’s resilience as a nation. From facing rejection to becoming the official anthem, this anthem’s trajectory reflects the Swiss people’s determination to uphold their identity and values. This perseverance has translated into the anthem’s enduring popularity, solidifying its place not just in Swiss culture but also in the hearts of its citizens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Who composed the “Swiss Psalm,” and when was it adopted as the national anthem?
The “Swiss Psalm” was composed in 1841 by Alberich Zwyssig. Despite being provisionally introduced as the national anthem in 1961, its official status was established on April 1, 1981.
Q2: Why did Switzerland replace its former anthem, “Rufst du, mein Vaterland”?
The former anthem, composed by Johann Rudolf Wyss, was set to the melody of “God Save the King.” This led to confusion when played alongside the British anthem. Therefore, the “Swiss Psalm” replaced it in 1961, providing a distinct and unifying melody.
Q3: How did the “Swiss Psalm” adapt to Switzerland’s linguistic diversity?
Recognizing the multilingual nature of Switzerland, the anthem’s lyrics were translated into the nation’s official languages: French, Italian, and Romansh. This adaptation underscores Switzerland’s commitment to representing its entire populace in its anthem.
Conclusion
The “Swiss Psalm” stands as a testament to Switzerland’s rich history, linguistic diversity, and unwavering unity. Its melodious notes traverse the landscapes of the Swiss nation, echoing the spirit of a people who have persevered through challenges and emerged stronger. This anthem isn’t just a musical composition; it’s a reflection of the Swiss identity, reminding us that even amidst differences, harmony can be achieved through the power of music and shared pride.
