De Wilhelmus Information & De Wilhelmus Links at HealthHaven.com

De Wilhelmus
English: The William
Royal anthem of	Luxembourg
Lyrics	Nikolaus Welter, 1920
Music	Unknown, 16th Century
Adopted	1919

The Wilhelmus (Luxembourgish: De Wilhelmus) is the royal anthem of Luxembourg.

[edit] History

The origin of the anthem of the Grand Ducal House dates back a very long time. Experts point to a common origin with the Dutch ‘Wilhelmus’, the national anthem of the Netherlands. There is a clue leading directly from the ‘Wijse van Condé’ to the Dutch ‘Wilhelmus’, but this is not true in the case of the Luxembourg ‘Wilhelmus’, which is referred to as ‘het nieuwe’ or ‘het moderne Wilhelmus’ by Dutch musicologists. While composing the theme for his variations for keyboard (KV 25), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart used the Luxembourg ‘Wilhelmus’ and not the Dutch melody ‘Willem van Nassau’. The theme of these variations was suggested to him by Princess Caroline of Nassau-Weilburg. Therefore, we have reasons to believe that for a very long time, a ‘Wilhelmus’ very different from the Dutch version was in use in the Nassau-Weilburg family. This ‘Wilhelmus’ is inspired by a trumpet call or a cavalry fanfare of which we have no written trace earlier than the 16th century. The melody is found in the ‘oude Geuzenlied’ printed in 1581.

This melody was used by Philippe Manternach in 1883 for his march ‘Vive le Roi! Vive la Reine!’ composed on the occasion of the visit by William III and Queen Emma to Luxembourg. A few years later, Duke Adolphe was welcomed with the ‘Wilhelmus’ apostrophised as the national anthem along with the song ‘Ons Hémecht’ (Our Homeland).

In 1915, to commemorate the centenary of the Congress of Vienna, the first Luxembourg text of the ‘Wilhelmus’ was published by Willy Goergen. This text was reworked in 1939 but did not become established. In 1919, on the occasion of the marriage of Grand Duchess Charlotte to Prince Félix, Nikolaus Welter found the inspiration to ‘create an anthem for the House of Luxembourg-Nassau-Bourbon’. At the Te Deum of 23 January 1920, it was performed for the first time by the cathedral choir.

The melody was harmonized for a choir with four equal voices by Jean-Pierre Beicht, organist at Luxembourg Cathedral. Subsequently, Welter dropped the first verse, which was marked too strongly by events of the time, leaving us with the following text today:

[edit] Lyrics

1st Version

2nd Version

I
Zwê Kinnekskanner, de' trei sech le'f,
ko'men ausenâner weit an de'f;
Zwê Kinnekskanner, de' trei sech le'f,
hunn och stëll gebiet datt Fridde ge'f:
Haut weisen si der ganzer Welt
en engem Feld
d'Goldlilje mat dem ro'de Kro'nele'w;
Haut dron s'a jongem Glëck Hand an Hand
d'Hoffnonk vun dem Letzeburger Land.

II
D'Wilhelmusweis voll Mutt, Krâft a Schwonk
fle'ßt durch d'Blutt ons we' e Feierdronk:
d'Wilhelmusweis voll Mutt, Krâft a Schwonk
mëcht âl Hierzer an âl Zeite jonk.
An op de Fielzen un der Our
de wei en Tur
hieft himmelhe'ch eng sche'n Erënneronk.
Haut dre't e stolzt Geschlecht Hand an Hand
Nuem a Le'ft vum Letzeburger Land.

III
Mir hunn a schwe'rer Zeit Trei bekannt,
t'gong fir d'Freihét an et gong fir d'Land;
mir hunn a schwe'rer Zeit Trei bekannt,
d'E'er agesat zum Ennerpand.
A wann eng nei Gefôr en drêt,
mir si berêt,
mir halen nês mat Hierz a Wëlle stand;
Da stêt rem fro' a stolz Hand an Hand
Gro'ß a Kleng am Letzeburger Land.

IV
So' werden s'ëmmerzo' êneg gôn,
Fürst a Vollek Frêd we' Lêd mat drôn;
So' werden s'ëmmerzo' êneg gôn,
Ganz hir Pflicht ge'nt sech an d'Hémecht dôn;
E starke Stâm an âler Erd,
an duebel wert
mat freier Kro'n voll Saft a Sonn ze stôn.
O Herrgott, lêt du trei Hand an Hand
d'Kanner vun dem Letzeburger Land!

I
Zwee Kinnékskanner, déi trei sech léif,
koumen ausenaaner, wäit an déif.
Zwee Kinnékskanner, déi trei sech léif,
hu gebaangt, op d'Gléck nach bléie géif.
Haut weisen si der ganzer Welt
an engem Feld
d'Goldlilie mat dem roude Krouneléif.
Haut steet ëm si voll Freed, Hand an Hand,
d'Vollék vun dem Lëtzebuerger Land.

II
Nun as verbäi de Stuurm, d'Nout as aus,
d'Menschheet trëtt erléist an d'Liicht eraus.
Nun as verbäi de Stuurm, d'Nout as aus:
Lëtzebuerg bleift Här am eegnen Haus.
Den Himmel huet no laanger Nuecht
d'neit Freijor bruecht
a rëscht all Dir mat grénger Friddensstrauss.
Lo steet erem sou frou, Hand an Hand,
Grouss a Kleng am Lëtzebuerger Land.

III
Mir hun a schwéirer Zäit Trei bekannt,
't gong fir d'Fräiheet an et gong fir d'Land.
Mir hun a schwéirer Zäit Trei bekannt,
d'Eier agesat zum Ënnerpand.
A wann eng nei Gefor en dreet,
mir si bereet,
mir haale nees mat Häärz a Wëlle stand.
Da steet rem staark a stolz, Hand an Hand,
d'Vollék vun dem Lëtzebuerger Land.

IV
Sou wäärd et ëmmerzou eneg ston,
voll Vertraue Gléck an Ongléck dron.
Sou wäärd et ëmmerzou eneg ston,
frou seng Flicht géint Troun an Hemecht don.
E staarke Stamm an aler Äärd
an duebel wäärt,
mat fräier Kroun voll Saaft a Sonn ze ston.
O Härgott, schiirm a leet, Hand an Hand,
d'Vollék vun dem Lëtzebuerger Land!

[edit] See also

Ons Heemecht - National anthem of Luxembourg
Het Wilhelmus - National anthem of The Netherlands

[edit] External links

The Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg - Information about The Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg, including the royal anthem De Wilhelmus.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Lyrics

[edit] See also

[edit] External links