National Anthem Comparison
Belarus vs Russia
1
Shared themes
✗
Different moods
5
5 years apart
✓
Same continent
Comparison Analysis
Belarus and Russia, both Europe nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Belarus's "We, the Belarusians" was written in 1944, while Russia's "State Anthem of the Russian Federation" dates to 1939.
Both anthems share themes of unity. Belarus additionally explores peace, love of homeland, freedom and flag, while Russia also touches on god / faith, ancestors / heritage, nature and identity.
The emotional tones differ: Belarus's anthem is proud, while Russia's is majestic.
Belarus changed its national anthem in 2002, reflecting a shift in the nation's identity or political landscape.
Shared themes
Belarus
🤝 Unity ☮ Peace ❤ Love of homeland 🕊 Freedom 🚩 Flag
Russia
🤝 Unity ✝ God / Faith 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage 🌿 Nature 🏛 Identity
Shared themes:
🤝 Unity
Metadata
| Belarus | Russia | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1944 | 1939 |
| Adopted | 2002 | 2000 |
| Lyricist | Mikhas Klimkovich / Uladzimir Karyzna | Sergei Mikhalkov |
| Composer | Niescier Sakalouski | Alexander Alexandrov |
| Language | be | ru |
| Region | Eastern Europe | Eastern Europe |
Lyrics Side by Side
Belarus
Мы, беларусы
Original
Мы, беларусы – мірныя людзі,
Сэрцам адданыя роднай зямлі,
Шчыра сябруем, сілы гартуем
Мы ў працавітай, вольнай сям'і.
[Прыпеў]
Слаўся, зямлі нашай светлае імя,
Слаўся, народаў братэрскі саюз!
Наша любімая маці-Радзіма,
Вечна жыві і квітней, Беларусь!
Разам з братамі мужна вякамі
Мы баранілі родны парог,
У бітвах за волю, бітвах за долю
Свой здабывалі сцяг перамог!
[Прыпеў]
Слаўся, зямлі нашай светлае імя,
Слаўся, народаў братэрскі саюз!
Наша любімая маці-Радзіма,
Вечна жыві і квітней, Беларусь!
Дружба народаў – сіла народаў –
Наш запаветны, сонечны шлях.
Горда ж узвіся ў ясныя высі,
Сцяг пераможны – радасці сцяг!
[Прыпеў]
Слаўся, зямлі нашай светлае імя,
Слаўся, народаў братэрскі саюз!
Наша любімая маці-Радзіма,
Вечна жыві і квітней, Беларусь!
Translation
We, Belarusians, are peaceful people,
Wholeheartedly devoted to our native land,
In true friendship we temper our strength
In our hardworking, free family.
[Chorus]
Glory to the bright name of our land,
Glory to the brotherly union of peoples!
Our beloved Mother Homeland,
Live forever and flourish, Belarus!
Together with our brothers, bravely for centuries
We defended our native threshold,
In battles for freedom, battles for destiny
We won our banner of victory!
[Chorus]
Glory to the bright name of our land,
Glory to the brotherly union of peoples!
Our beloved Mother Homeland,
Live forever and flourish, Belarus!
Friendship of peoples is the strength of peoples,
Our sacred, sunlit path.
Proudly soar into the bright heights,
Victorious banner, banner of joy!
[Chorus]
Glory to the bright name of our land,
Glory to the brotherly union of peoples!
Our beloved Mother Homeland,
Live forever and flourish, Belarus!
Russia
Государственный гимн Российской Федерации
Original
Россия — священная наша держава,
Россия — любимая наша страна.
Могучая воля, великая слава —
Твоё достоянье на все времена!
Славься, Отечество наше свободное,
Братских народов союз вековой,
Предками данная мудрость народная!
Славься, страна! Мы гордимся тобой!
От южных морей до полярного края
Раскинулись наши леса и поля.
Одна ты на свете! Одна ты такая —
Хранимая Богом родная земля!
Славься, Отечество наше свободное,
Братских народов союз вековой,
Предками данная мудрость народная!
Славься, страна! Мы гордимся тобой!
Широкий простор для мечты и для жизни
Грядущие нам открывают года.
Нам силу даёт наша верность Отчизне.
Так было, так есть и так будет всегда!
Славься, Отечество наше свободное,
Братских народов союз вековой,
Предками данная мудрость народная!
Славься, страна! Мы гордимся тобой!
Translation
Russia, our sacred nation,
Russia, our beloved country.
A mighty will, a great glory,
Are your heritage for all time!
Be glorious, our free Fatherland,
Age-old union of brotherly peoples,
The people's wisdom handed down by our ancestors!
Be glorious, our country! We are proud of you!
From the southern seas to the polar edge
Our forests and fields stretch wide.
You are the only one in the world! You are the only one like this,
Native land protected by God!
Be glorious, our free Fatherland,
Age-old union of brotherly peoples,
The people's wisdom handed down by our ancestors!
Be glorious, our country! We are proud of you!
A wide expanse for dreams and for life
The coming years open to us.
Our faithfulness to the Fatherland gives us strength.
So it was, so it is, and so it will always be!
Be glorious, our free Fatherland,
Age-old union of brotherly peoples,
The people's wisdom handed down by our ancestors!
Be glorious, our country! We are proud of you!
Interesting facts
Belarus
- 1. The Belarusian opposition sings 'Mahutny Bozha' (Mighty God), a hymn with words by Natallia Arsiennieva and music by Mikola Ravienski, as an alternative anthem. A parliamentary committee recommended it as the national anthem in 1995, but no change was made.
- 2. Composer Niescier Sakalouski died in 1950, five years before the Belarusian SSR adopted his song as its anthem; lyricist Mikhas Klimkovich died in November 1955, six weeks after the adoption.
- 3. In the 2002 contest, five finalist versions, three of them new texts for Sakalouski's melody, were broadcast on radio and television and printed in the press for public comment before the president chose Sakalouski's melody with Karyzna's text.
Russia
- 1. Sergei Mikhalkov wrote lyrics for this melody three times: under Stalin (1943, with Gabriel El-Registan), under Brezhnev (a revision that dropped Stalin's name, adopted in 1977) and under Putin (2000), each time adjusting the ideology while keeping the same tune
- 2. Between 1990 and 2000, Russia used Glinka's wordless 'Patriotic Song' as its anthem; at the 2000 Sydney Olympics Russian medal winners had no words to sing along with it, a 'deafening silence' that embarrassed many in Russia
- 3. The melody began as Alexandrov's 'Song about the Party' of 1938, was rearranged as the solemn 'Hymn of the Bolshevik Party' for the party congress of March 1939, and became the Soviet state anthem in 1944
Listen
Belarus
Russia
