Dievs, sveti Latviju!
Encyclopedia
Dievs, svētī Latviju! is the national anthem
of Latvia
. Words and music by Kārlis Baumanis
(Baumaņu Kārlis, 1834–1904).
, a teacher, who was part of the Young Latvian
nationalist movement. It has been speculated that Baumanis may have borrowed part of the lyrics from a popular song which was sung to tune of God Save the Queen
, modified them and set them to music of his own. Baumanis's lyrics were different from the modern ones: he used the term "Baltics" synonymously and interchangeably with "Latvia" and "Latvians", so "Latvia" was actually mentioned only at the beginning of the first verse. Later the term "Latvia" was removed and replaced with "Baltics" to avoid a ban on the song. This has led to the misapprehension that the term "Latvia" was not part of the song until 1920, when it was chosen as national anthem and the word "Baltics" was replaced with "Latvia".
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
of Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. Words and music by Kārlis Baumanis
Karlis Baumanis
Kārlis Baumanis , better known as Baumaņu Kārlis, was a Latvian composer. He is the author of the lyrics and music of Dievs, svētī Latviju! , the national anthem of Latvia....
(Baumaņu Kārlis, 1834–1904).
Composition
The music and lyrics were written in 1873 by Kārlis BaumanisKarlis Baumanis
Kārlis Baumanis , better known as Baumaņu Kārlis, was a Latvian composer. He is the author of the lyrics and music of Dievs, svētī Latviju! , the national anthem of Latvia....
, a teacher, who was part of the Young Latvian
Young Latvians
Young Latvians is the term most often applied to the intellectuals of the first Latvian National Awakening , active from the 1850s to the 1880s. "Jaunlatvieši" is also sometimes translated as "New Latvians," but "Young Latvians" is the more accurate term because it was modeled on the Young Germany...
nationalist movement. It has been speculated that Baumanis may have borrowed part of the lyrics from a popular song which was sung to tune of God Save the Queen
God Save the Queen
"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...
, modified them and set them to music of his own. Baumanis's lyrics were different from the modern ones: he used the term "Baltics" synonymously and interchangeably with "Latvia" and "Latvians", so "Latvia" was actually mentioned only at the beginning of the first verse. Later the term "Latvia" was removed and replaced with "Baltics" to avoid a ban on the song. This has led to the misapprehension that the term "Latvia" was not part of the song until 1920, when it was chosen as national anthem and the word "Baltics" was replaced with "Latvia".
| Official lyrics | English translation |
|---|---|
| Dievs, svētī Latviju, Mūs' dārgo tēviju, Svētī jel Latviju, Ak, svētī jel to! (repeat) Kur latvju meitas zied, Kur latvju dēli dzied, Laid mums tur laimē diet, Mūs' Latvijā! (repeat) |
God bless Latvia, Our beloved fatherland, We beseech thee, bless Latvia, Oh, we beseech thee to bless it! (repeat) Where the Latvian daughters bloom, Where the Latvian sons sing, Let us dance in happiness there, In our Latvia! (repeat) |
Recordings
See also
- Kārlis BaumanisKarlis BaumanisKārlis Baumanis , better known as Baumaņu Kārlis, was a Latvian composer. He is the author of the lyrics and music of Dievs, svētī Latviju! , the national anthem of Latvia....
- Flag of LatviaFlag of LatviaThe national flag of Latvia was used by independent Latvia from 1918 until the country was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940. Its use was suppressed during Soviet rule. After regaining its independence, Latvia re-adopted on February 27, 1990 the same red-white-red flag.Though officially adopted...
- Coat of arms of LatviaCoat of arms of LatviaThe Latvian national coat of arms was formed after the proclamation of an independent Republic of Latvia on November 18, 1918, and was officially adopted on June 16, 1921. It was especially created for its independent statehood...
- Anthem of the Latvian SSR
External links
- The National Anthem — the website "Welcome to Latvia" has a page about the national anthem with information, sheet music, and sound files.
- MIDI version at Wikimedia Commons.
- Anthem sung at the Latvian Song and Dance Festival in Latvia
- Anthem pipe organ recordings of Christian hymns and sung in church