Ons Heemecht

Ons Heemecht (Luxembourgish; formerly Ons Hémecht, pronounced [ons ˈheːməɕt], lit. 'Our Homeland') is the national anthem of Luxembourg.

Ons Heemecht
English: Our Homeland

National anthem of  Luxembourg
LyricsMichel Lentz, 1859
MusicJean Antoine Zinnen, 1864
Adopted1895 (de facto)
1993 (de jure)
Audio sample
"Ons Heemecht" (instrumental)
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Background

Michel Lentz wrote the words to Ons Heemecht in 1859 and they were set to music by Jean Antoine Zinnen in 1864. The song was first performed in public in Ettelbruck, a town at the confluence of the Alzette and Sauer rivers (both of which are mentioned in the song) on 5 June 1864.

The first and the last stanza of "Ons Heemecht" were adopted as Luxembourg's national anthem on 17 June 1993, when it was added as one of the official national emblems, alongside the national flag, national coat of arms, and the Grand Duke's Official Birthday.

"Ons Heemecht" is the national anthem; the royal anthem, or more accurately the grand ducal anthem, is "De Wilhelmus". The music of "De Wilhelmus" has its origin in "Wilhelmus", the national anthem of the Netherlands.

Lyrics

Luxembourgish[lower-alpha 1]
English (verse)[lower-alpha 5]

Wou d'Uelzecht durech d'Wisen zéit,
Duerch d'Fielsen d'Sauer brécht,
Wou d'Rief laanscht d'Musel dofteg bléit,
Den Himmel Wäin ons mécht:
Dat as onst Land, fir dat mer géif
Hei nidden alles won,
Ons Heemechtsland dat mir so déif
An onsen Hierzer dron.

Où l'Alzette arrose champs et prés
La Sûre baigne les rochers;
Où la Moselle, riante et belle
Nous fait cadeau du vin
C'est notre pays pour lequel
Nous risquons tout sur terre;
Notr'chère et adorable patrie
Dont notr'âme est remplie.

Wo die Alzette durch die Wiesen zieht,
Durch die Felsen die Sauer bricht,
Die Rebe längs der Mosel blüht,
Der Himmel Wein verspricht:
Dort ist das Land, für dessen Ehr
Kein Opfer uns zu schwer,
Die Heimat, die als teures Gut
In unseren Herzen ruht.

Where the Alzette through meadows flow,
And pebbles the Sauer mow,
Along the Moselle bloom the vines,
As Heav'n gifts us wine:
This is the land, for honour whose,
No ordeal proves too great:
Our homeland which could never lose,
Our hearts' rank and rate.

Where the Alzette slowly flows,
The Sauer plays wild pranks,
Where fragrant vineyards amply grow
On the Mosella's banks;
There lies the land for which we would
Dare everything down here,
Our own, our native land which ranks
Deeply in our hearts.

An sengem donkle Bëscherkranz,
Vum Fridde stëll bewaacht,
Sou ouni Pronk an deire Glanz
Gemittlech léif et laacht;
Säi Vollek frou sech soë kann,
An 't si keng eidel Dreem:
Wéi wunnt et sech sou heemlech dran,
Wéi as 't sou gutt doheem!

Dans sa couronne bois sombre
toujours gardée par la paix,
Donc, sans faste et la splendeur cher,
Confortable à l'amour en riant.
Son peuple puisse dire est heureux
Et il n'ya pas de rêves vides:
Comment est agréable mais voici la vie,
dans quelle mesure est-il de la maison.

In seinem dunklen Wälderkranz,
vom Frieden still bewacht,
So ohne Prunk und teuren Glanz,
Gemütlich lieb es lacht.
Sein Volk sich glücklich sagen kann,
Und es sind keine leeren Träume:
Wie heimelig sich's doch hier wohnt,
wie gut ist's doch daheim.

In her dark wreath of woods,
Guarded still by the peace,
With no boastly attitude,
She lovingly smiles with ease!
Her people may with gladness say,
That no dreams go forlorn:
How pleasant 'tis here to stay,
How good 'tis to be home.

-

Gesank, Gesank vu Bierg an Dall
Der Äärd, déi äis gedron;
D'Léift huet en treie Widderhall
A jidder Broschts gedon;
Fir, d'Hemecht ass keng Weis ze schéin;
All Wuert, dat vun er klénkt,
Gräift äis an d' Séil wéi Himmelstéin
An d'A wéi Feier blénkt.

Chant, chant, de la montagne et la vallée
La terre, qui nous portait,
Les «amoureux a un écho fidèle»
effectué dans chaque sein.
Pour le pays quelque façon que ce soit trop beau
Chaque mot qui sonne hors de lui,
Prendre l'âme comme Himmelstön
Et nos yeux brillants comme le feu.

Gesang, Gesang, von Berg und Tal
Die Erd', die uns getragen,
Die Lieb' hat einen treuen Widerhall
In jeder Brust getan.
Für die Heimat ist keine Weise zu schön,
Jedes Wort, das aus ihr klingt,
Ergreift die Seel' wie Himmelstön'
Und unser Auge wie Feuer blinkt.

Sing, sing, on high berg and wide dale,
The earth who bore our births,
Our love with faithful echo still,
Our hearts beat with mirth!
For her, no song too august be,
And with ev'ry word said,
The soul shook as thunderclap,
And eyes aflame made.

-

O Du do uewen, deen seng Hand
Duerch d'Welt d'Natioune leet,
Behitt Du d'Lëtzebuerger Land
Vru friemem Joch a Leed;
Du hues ons all als Kanner schon
De fräie Geescht jo ginn,
Looss viru blénken d'Fräiheetssonn,
Déi mir sou laang gesinn!

Ô Toi aux cieux qui nuit et jour
Diriges les nations du monde;
Écarte du pays de Luxembourg
L'oppression étrangère
Enfants nous avons reçu de Toi
L'esprit de la liberté;
Permets au soleil de liberté
De luire à tout jamais.

O Du dort droben, dessen Hand
Den Völkern gibt Geleit,
Behüt das Luxemburger Land
Vor fremdem Joch, vor Leid!
Als Kind empfingen wir von Dir
Den freiheitlichen Sinn,
Die Freiheitssonne, unsre Zier,
Lass leuchten fernerhin!

O Thou above, who night and day,
Guides nations with thine own hand,
Guard this, our Luxembourger land,
From alien yoke and pain!
As children, thou us bestowed,
A spirit, free, unbowed,
Let once more freedom's sun,
For now and all time glow!

O Thou above whose powerful hand
Makes States or lays them low,
Protect this Luxembourger land
From foreign yoke and woe.
Your spirit of liberty bestow
On us now as of yore.
Let Freedom's sun in glory glow
For now and evermore.

Footnotes

  1. Only first and fourth verses official
  2. Translation by Jean-Claude Muller
  3. Translation by Joseph Groben
  4. Translated from the Luxembourgish, French, and German texts
  5. Adapted from a 1929 translation by Nicholas Weydert
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