Ons Heemecht

Ons Heemecht

English: Our Homeland
National anthem of  Luxembourg
Lyrics	Michel Lentz, 1859
Music	Jean Antoine Zinnen, 1864
Adopted	1895

"Ons Heemecht" is the national anthem of Luxembourg. The title in Luxembourgish translates as Our Homeland. Michel Lentz wrote the words 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 in 1895. It was added as one of the official 'national emblems' (French: emblèmes nationaux), alongside the national flag, national coat of arms, and the Grand Duke's Official Birthday, on 17 June 1993.

Whilst 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 Het Wilhelmus, the national anthem of the Netherlands.

Luxembourgish lyrics

(1)
Wou d'Uelzécht durech d'Wisen zéit,
Duerch d'Fielsen d'Sauer brécht,
Wou d'Rief laanscht d'Musel dofteg bléit,
Den Himmel Wäin ons mécht:
Dat ass onst Land, fir dat mer géif
Hei nidden alles won,
Ons Heemechtsland dat mir so déif
An onsen Hierzer dron.
Ons Heemechtsland dat mir so déif
An onsen Hierzer dron.

(2)
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!

(3)
Gesank, Gesank vu Bierg an Dall
Der Äärd, déi äis gedron;
D'Léift huet en treie Widderhall
A jidder Broscht 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

(4)
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 so laang gesinn!
Looss viru blénken d'Fräiheetssonn,
Déi mir sou laang gesinn!

The official anthem consists of stanza (1) and (4) only.

Official French version

Translation by Jean-Claude Muller

(1)
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.
Notr'chère et adorable patrie
Dont notr'âme est remplie.

(2)
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.
Comment est agréable mais voici la vie,
dans quelle mesure est-il de la maison.

(3)
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.
Prendre l'âme comme Himmelstön
Et nos yeux brillants comme le feu.

(4)
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.
Permets au soleil de liberté
De luire à tout jamais.

Official German version

Translation by Joseph Groben

(1)
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.
Die Heimat, die als teures Gut
In unseren Herzen ruht.

(2)
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.

(3)
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.

(4)
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!
Die Freiheitssonne, unsre Zier,
Lass leuchten fernerhin!

Unofficial English poetic translation

Poetic translation by Nicholas Weydert

(1)
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.
Our own, our native land which ranks
Deeply in our hearts.

(4)
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.
Let Freedom's sun in glory glow
For now and evermore.

Official English Translation

(1) Where the Alzette flows through the meadows
The Sura bathes the rocks;
Where the Moselle, smiling and beautiful
We made a present of wine
This is our country for which
We risk everything on earth;
Our homeland and adorable home
Our soul which is fulfilled.
Our homeland and adorable home
Our soul which is fulfilled.
(2) In its dark wood crown
always guarded by peace,
So without pomp and splendor expensive
Comfortable love laughing.
His people can say is happy
And there is no empty dreams:
How nice life here but,
how far is it from home.
How nice life here but,
how far is it from home.
(3) Singing, singing, mountain and valley
The earth that bore us,
The "love has a faithful echo
conducted in each breast.
For a country way too good
Every word that sounds out of it,
Take the soul as sky tome
And our eyes shining like fire.
Take the soul as sky tone
And our eyes shining like fire.
(4) O Thou in heaven that night and day
Leads the nation in the world;
Excludes the country of Luxembourg
The foreign oppression
Children we have received from you
The spirit of liberty;
Let the sun of freedom
To shine forever.
Let the sun of freedom
To shine forever.

Trivia

An earlier national anthem was sung to the tune of To Anacreon in Heaven by the English composer John Stafford Smith. This tune was later added to Francis Scott Key's poem The Defence of Fort McHenry to become The Star-Spangled Banner, which was later proclaimed the United States' national anthem.

"Ons Heemecht" was played during the memorial service for the supposedly dead Luxembourg Army Lieutenant Henri-Batiste LeClerc on the "A Rich, Full Day" episode of M*A*S*H .

Footnotes

External links

• The Portal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has a page about the anthem featuring vocal and instrumental versions.