Ons Heemecht

"Ons Heemecht" (formerly "Ons Hémecht", pronounced [ons ˈheːməɕt]; lit. 'Our Homeland') is the national anthem of Luxembourg. Written by Michel Lentz in 1859 and set to music by Jean Antoine Zinnen in 1864, it is performed at national celebrations, while the grand ducal anthem "De Wilhelmus" is performed at entrances or exits of members of the Grand Ducal Family.^[1]

Ons Heemecht

English: 'Our Homeland'
National anthem of Luxembourg
Lyrics	Michel Lentz, 1859
Music	Jean Antoine Zinnen, 1864
Adopted	1895 (de facto) 1993 (de jure)
Audio sample
U.S. Navy Band instrumental rendition in B-flat major file help

History

Luxembourgish poet Michel Lentz wrote the poem Ons Heemecht in 1859, and it was set to music by Luxembourgish composer 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.^[1][2]

"Ons Heemecht" competed for a while with "De Feierwon" [lb], a song based on another poem by Lentz, for the status of the national anthem. The last line of the chorus of "De Feierwon" became the origin of Luxembourg's national motto.^[2]

The first and last stanzas 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, the national coat of arms and the Grand Duke's Official Birthday.^[3]

Lyrics

The official version is only composed of the first and last stanzas.^[4]

Luxembourgish original[5][6]

IPA transcription[a]

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 mir[b] géif Hei nidden alles won, Ons Heemechtsland dat mir sou[c] déif An onsen Hierzer dron. 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! Gesank, Gesank vu Bierg an Dall Der Äärd, déi äis gedron;[d] D'Léift huet en treie Widderhall A jidder Broschts[e] gedon; Fir, d'Hemecht[f] ass keng Weis ze schéin; All Wuert, dat vun er klénkt, Gräift äis[g] an d' Séil wéi Himmelstéin An d'A wéi Feier blénkt. 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!

[vəʊ̯ ˈduəl.t͡səɕ ˈdu.ʀəɕ ˈdviː.zən t͡səɪ̯t |] [dʊɐɕ ˈtfiəl.zən ˈdzɑʊ̯.ɐ bʀəɕt ‖] [vəʊ̯ dʀiəf laːnʃt ˈmuː.zəl ˈdof.təɕ bləɪ̯t |] [dən ˈhi.məl væːɪ̯n ons məɕt ‖] [daːd‿ɑz‿onst lɑnt fiːɐ̯ daːt miːɐ̯ gəɪ̯f |] [hɑɪ̯ ˈni.dən ˈɑ.ləs von ‖] 𝄆 [ons ˈheː.məɕ(t)s.ˌlɑn(t) daːt miːɐ̯ zəʊ̯ dəɪ̯f |] [ɑn ˈon.zən ˈhiːə̯.t͡sɐ dʀon ‖] 𝄇 [ɑn ˈzæŋ.əm ˈdoŋ.klə ˈbə.ʃɐ.ˌkʀɑnt͡s |] [fum ˈfʀi.də ʃtəl bə.ˈvaːχt ‖] [zəʊ̯ ˈəʊ̯.ni pʀoŋg‿ɑn ˈdɑɪ̯.ʀə glɑnt͡s |] [gə.ˈmit.ləɕ ləɪ̯v‿ət laːχt ‖] [zæːɪ̯ ˈfo.lək fʀəʊ̯ zəɕ ˈso.ə kɑn |] [ɑn‿t si kæŋ ˈɑɪ̯.dəl dʀeːm ‖] 𝄆 [vəɪ̯ vund‿ət səɕ zəʊ̯ ˈheːm.ləɕ dʀɑn |] [vəɪ̯ ɑs‿t səʊ̯ gut do.ˈheːm ‖] 𝄇 [gə.ˈzɑŋk gə.ˈzɑŋk fu biːɐ̯ʑ‿ɑn dɑl |] [dɐ ɛːɐ̯t dəɪ̯ æːɪ̯s gə.ˈdʀon ‖] [dləɪ̯ft hu̯əd‿ən ˈtʀɑɪ̯.ə ˈvi.dɐ.ˌhɑl |] [ɑ ˈʑi.dɐ bʀoʃts gə.ˈdon ‖] [fiːɐ̯ ˈtheː.məɕt ɑs kæŋ vɑɪ̯s t͡sə ʃəɪ̯n |] [ɑl vu̯ət daːt fun ɐ kleŋkt ‖] 𝄆 [gʀæːɪ̯vd‿æːɪ̯z‿ɑn dzəɪ̯l vəɪ̯ ˈhi.məl.ˌʃtəɪ̯n |] [ɑn daː vəɪ̯ ˈfɑɪ̯.ɐ bleŋkt ‖] 𝄇 [o du do ˈu̯ə.vən deːn zæŋ hɑnt |] [dʊɐɕ dvælt nɑ.ˈt͡sjəʊ̯.nə leːt ‖] [bə.ˈhit du ˈdlət.t͡sə.ˌbuə.jɐ lɑnt |] [fʀu ˈfʀiə.məm joχ ɑ leːt ‖] [du hu̯əz‿ons ɑl ɑls ˈkɑ(n).nɐ ʃon |] [də ˈfʀæːɪ̯.ə geːʃt jo gin ‖] 𝄆 [loːs ˈfi.ʀu ˈbleŋ.kən ˈtfʀæːɪ̯.heːts.ˌson |] [dəɪ̯ miːɐ̯ zəʊ̯ laːŋ gə.ˈzin ‖] 𝄇

English translation[h]	German translation[i]	French translation[j]
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. 𝄇[1][11][12] In her shady woodland of trees, Guarded stilly by peace, Without splendor nor pageantries, With warmth and love she laughes! Her folks with glee say to themselves, And they aren't void dreams: 𝄆 How homely 'tis to live therein, How great 'tis to be home. 𝄇 Singing, chanting, from mount and vale, The earth who bore our births, Love has echoed a loyal gale, In each and every breast! For her, no song's too beautiful, Every word that rings from her, 𝄆 Our soul moves like sounds ethereal, And the eye shines like fire. 𝄇 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. 𝄇[1][11][12]	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. 𝄇[12] 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. 𝄇 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. 𝄇 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! 𝄇[12]	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. 𝄇[12][13] 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. 𝄇 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. 𝄇 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. 𝄇[12][13]

Notes

1. See Help:IPA/Luxembourgish, Luxembourgish phonology and Luxembourgish § Alphabet.
2. Occasionally written mer [mɐ],^[7][8] the corresponding unstressed pronoun.
3. Occasionally written so [zo].^[7][8]
4. Sometimes written Der Ierd, déi ons gedron [dɐ iːɐ̯t dəɪ̯ ons gə.dʀon].^[9]
5. Sometimes written Broscht.^[9][10]
6. Sometimes written d'Heemecht.^[10]
7. Sometimes written ons.^[9]
8. Adapted from a translation by Nicholas Weydert.
9. Adapted from a translation by Joseph Groben.
10. Adapted from a translation by Jean-Claude Muller.