Luxembourg National Anthem

Ons Heemecht

Our Homeland

Written 1859

Adopted 1895

Lyrics Michel Lentz

Music Jean-Antoine Zinnen

🌿 Nature ❤ Love of homeland ✝ God / Faith 🕊 Freedom | Hopeful

Key Facts

1. Under the 1993 law, only the first and last stanzas of Lentz's poem form the national anthem
2. The first stanza names three rivers, the Alzette, the Sauer and the Moselle; the last is a prayer to the one 'above' who guides the nations, asking him to shield Luxembourg from a foreign yoke and to let the sun of freedom keep shining
3. Luxembourg also has a grand ducal anthem, 'De Wilhelmus', played when members of the Grand Ducal family arrive at or leave official ceremonies

Luxembourg National Anthem Lyrics

Wou d'Uelzecht durech d'Wisen zéit, Duerch d'Fielsen d'Sauer brëcht. Wou d'Rief laanscht d'Musel dofteg bléit, Den Himmel Wäin ons mëcht. Dat as onst Land, fir dat mir géif, Heinidden alles won. Onst Heemechtsland, dat mir sou déif An onsen Hierzer dron, Onst Heemechtsland, dat mir sou déif An onsen Hierzer dron. O Du do uewen, deem séng Hand Duurch 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 gin. Looss viru blénken d'Fräiheetssonn, Déi mir sou laang gesin. Looss viru blénken d'Fräiheetssonn, Déi mir sou laang gesin!

Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals

Analysis

Editorial

Michel Lentz wrote the poem in 1859, and Jean-Antoine Zinnen set it to music; four singers first performed it in public at a band competition in Ettelbruck in 1864. It has served as the national anthem since 1895, but gained legal status only with a law of 27 July 1993. The anthem celebrates Luxembourg's rivers and landscapes. It is written in Luxembourgish, the national language, which distinguishes it from the French and German also widely spoken in the country.