National Anthem Comparison
Belgium vs Luxembourg
2
Shared themes
✗
Different moods
1
1 years apart
✓
Same continent
Comparison Analysis
Belgium and Luxembourg, both Europe nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Belgium's "The Brabanconne" was written in 1860, while Luxembourg's "Our Homeland" dates to 1859.
Both anthems share themes of freedom and love of homeland. Belgium additionally explores unity, independence and monarchy, while Luxembourg also touches on nature and god / faith.
The emotional tones differ: Belgium's anthem is proud, while Luxembourg's is hopeful.
Belgium changed its national anthem in 1860, reflecting a shift in the nation's identity or political landscape.
Shared themes
Belgium
🕊 Freedom 🤝 Unity 🗽 Independence 👑 Monarchy ❤ Love of homeland
Luxembourg
🌿 Nature ❤ Love of homeland ✝ God / Faith 🕊 Freedom
Shared themes:
🕊 Freedom ❤ Love of homeland
Metadata
| Belgium | Luxembourg | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1860 | 1859 |
| Adopted | 1860 | 1895 |
| Lyricist | Charles Rogier | Michel Lentz |
| Composer | François Van Campenhout | Jean-Antoine Zinnen |
| Language | fr | lb |
| Region | Western Europe | Western Europe |
Lyrics Side by Side
Belgium
La Brabançonne
Original
O Belgique, ô mère chérie,
A toi nos coeurs, à toi nos bras,
A toi notre sang, ô Patrie!
Nous le jurons tous, tu vivras!
Tu vivras toujours grande et belle
Et ton invincible unité
Aura pour devise immortelle:
Le Roi, la Loi, la Liberté!
Le Roi, la Loi, la Liberté!
Le Roi, la Loi, la Liberté!
Translation
O Belgium, o beloved mother,
To you our hearts, to you our arms,
To you our blood, o Fatherland!
We all swear it, you shall live!
You shall live forever great and beautiful
And your invincible unity
Shall have for its immortal motto:
The King, the Law, Liberty!
The King, the Law, Liberty!
The King, the Law, Liberty!
Luxembourg
Ons Heemecht
Original
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!
Translation
Where the Alzette flows through the meadows,
Where the Sauer breaks through the rocks,
Where the vine blooms fragrantly along the Moselle,
The sky gives us wine:
That is our land, for which we would risk
Everything here on earth,
Our homeland, which we carry so deeply
In our hearts.
Our homeland, which we carry so deeply
In our hearts.
O You above, whose hand
Leads the nations through the world,
Protect the Luxembourgish land
From foreign yoke and sorrow.
You gave us all as children
The free spirit,
Let the sun of freedom keep shining,
Which we have seen for so long!
Let the sun of freedom keep shining,
Which we have seen for so long!
Interesting facts
Belgium
- 1. A performance of the opera 'La Muette de Portici' at Brussels' Theatre de la Monnaie in August 1830 is credited with sparking the street riots that launched the Belgian Revolution.
- 2. The French, Dutch, and German versions of the anthem are not literal translations of each other; the German texts, for example, are free adaptations of the French or Dutch versions.
- 3. Belgium has no official version of La Brabançonne: commissions set up to fix its text and melody never finished their work, and the only recognition came in 1921, when an Interior Ministry circular made the fourth stanza of Rogier's 1860 text official.
Luxembourg
- 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
Listen
Belgium
Luxembourg
