Latvia National Anthem
Dievs, svētī Latviju!
Dievs, sveti Latviju!
God, Bless Latvia!
1872
1920
Karlis Baumanis
Karlis Baumanis
✝ God / Faith ❤ Love of homeland 🌅 Hope 🏛 Identity |
Key Facts
- 1. At the proclamation of the State of Latvia on 18 November 1918, in the building that now houses the Latvian National Theatre, the song was sung three times
- 2. From 1887 the Russian imperial authorities did not allow the word 'Latvia' in the text, so in public performances the opening line was sung as 'Dievs, svētī Baltiju!' ('God bless the Baltic')
- 3. From 1941 to 1945 it was regularly played at the start and end of Moscow radio's Latvian-language broadcasts
Latvia National Anthem Lyrics
Dievs, svētī Latviju,
Mūs' dārgo tēviju,
Svētī jel Latviju,
Ak, svētī jel to!
Kur latvju meitas zied,
Kur latvju dēli dzied,
Laid mums tur laimē diet,
Mūs' Latvijā!
Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals
Analysis
EditorialKārlis Baumanis wrote both the words and the music in St Petersburg in 1872, during the First Latvian National Awakening, and the song was first performed in Riga on 26 June 1873, at the opening event of the first Latvian Song Festival. A government order of 7 June 1920 made it the national anthem of the new Republic of Latvia. It kept that status during the first year of Soviet occupation, 1940-1941, but lost it on 19 July 1945, when an anthem of the Latvian SSR was approved, and performing it was banned. It regained its status as the state anthem on 15 February 1990.
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Sources & References
- National symbols . Chancery of the President of Latvia
- Dievs, svētī Latviju! (dziesmas vārdi, vēsture) . Valsts izglītības attīstības aģentūra, XIII Latvijas Skolu jaunatnes dziesmu un deju svētki
Source & Review
- Source status
- Official source verified
- Translation
- AI-assisted working translation
- Rights status
- Third-party rights may apply
- Last reviewed
- Editorial review
- Pending
- Editorial owner
- Nationalia
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