National Anthem Comparison
Switzerland vs Germany
1
Shared themes
✗
Different moods
0
0 years apart
✓
Same continent
Germany
Deutschlandlied
Comparison Analysis
Switzerland and Germany, both Europe nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Switzerland's "Swiss Psalm" was written in 1841, while Germany's "Deutschlandlied" dates to 1841.
Both anthems share themes of freedom. Switzerland additionally explores god / faith and nature, while Germany also touches on unity and love of homeland.
The emotional tones differ: Switzerland's anthem is prayerful, while Germany's is solemn.
Switzerland changed its national anthem in 1981, reflecting a shift in the nation's identity or political landscape.
Shared themes
Switzerland
✝ God / Faith 🌿 Nature 🕊 Freedom
Germany
🤝 Unity 🕊 Freedom ❤ Love of homeland
Shared themes:
🕊 Freedom
Metadata
| Switzerland | Germany | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1841 | 1841 |
| Adopted | 1981 | 1922 |
| Lyricist | Leonhard Widmer | August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben |
| Composer | Alberich Zwyssig | Joseph Haydn |
| Language | de | de |
| Region | Western Europe | Western Europe |
Lyrics Side by Side
Switzerland
Schweizerpsalm
Original
Trittst im Morgenrot daher,
Seh'ich dich im Strahlenmeer,
Dich, du Hocherhabener, Herrlicher!
Wenn der Alpenfirn sich rötet,
Betet, freie Schweizer, betet!
Eure fromme Seele ahnt
Eure fromme Seele ahnt
Gott im hehren Vaterland,
Gott, den Herrn, im hehren Vaterland.
Kommst im Abendglühn daher,
Find'ich dich im Sternenheer,
Dich, du Menschenfreundlicher, Liebender!
In des Himmels lichten Räumen
Kann ich froh und selig träumen!
Denn die fromme Seele ahnt
Denn die fromme Seele ahnt
Gott im hehren Vaterland,
Gott, den Herrn, im hehren Vaterland.
Ziehst im Nebelflor daher,
Such'ich dich im Wolkenmeer,
Dich, du Unergründlicher, Ewiger!
Aus dem grauen Luftgebilde
Tritt die Sonne klar und milde,
Und die fromme Seele ahnt
Und die fromme Seele ahnt
Gott im hehren Vaterland,
Gott, den Herrn, im hehren Vaterland.
Fährst im wilden Sturm daher,
Bist du selbst uns Hort und Wehr,
Du, allmächtig Waltender, Rettender!
In Gewitternacht und Grauen
Lasst uns kindlich ihm vertrauen!
Ja, die fromme Seele ahnt,
Ja, die fromme Seele ahnt,
Gott im hehren Vaterland,
Gott, den Herrn, im hehren Vaterland.
Translation
When you come forth in the red of dawn,
I see you in a sea of radiance,
You, most exalted, glorious one!
When the Alpine snowfields glow red,
Pray, free Swiss, pray!
Your pious soul senses
Your pious soul senses
God in the sublime Fatherland,
God, the Lord, in the sublime Fatherland.
When you come in the evening glow,
I find you in the host of stars,
You, friend of mankind, loving one!
In heaven's bright expanses
I can dream in joy and bliss!
For the pious soul senses
For the pious soul senses
God in the sublime Fatherland,
God, the Lord, in the sublime Fatherland.
When you drift in a veil of mist,
I seek you in the sea of clouds,
You, unfathomable, eternal one!
Out of the gray vapors
The sun steps forth, clear and mild,
And the pious soul senses
And the pious soul senses
God in the sublime Fatherland,
God, the Lord, in the sublime Fatherland.
When you ride in the wild storm,
You yourself are our refuge and shield,
You, almighty ruler, savior!
In the night of thunder and dread
Let us trust in Him like children!
Yes, the pious soul senses,
Yes, the pious soul senses
God in the sublime Fatherland,
God, the Lord, in the sublime Fatherland.
Germany
Deutschlandlied
Original
Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
Für das deutsche Vaterland!
Danach lasst uns alle streben
Brüderlich mit Herz und Hand!
Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
Sind des Glückes Unterpfand;
Blüh im Glanze dieses Glückes,
Blühe, deutsches Vaterland!
Translation
Unity and justice and freedom
For the German Fatherland!
Let us all strive for this
Brotherly with heart and hand!
Unity and justice and freedom
Are the pledge of happiness;
Flourish in the splendour of this happiness,
Flourish, German Fatherland!
Interesting facts
Switzerland
- 1. The Swiss Society for the Common Good (SGG) ran a competition for new lyrics to the same melody: 208 entries arrived by June 2014, and a winning text by Werner Widmer was announced in September 2015. It has not replaced the official Swiss Psalm.
- 2. Composer Alberich Zwyssig was a Cistercian monk at Wettingen Abbey. For Widmer's poem he adapted a church piece he had composed in 1835 on the psalm text 'Diligam te Domine' (I will love thee, O Lord).
- 3. In a 2000 survey of 555 people in German- and French-speaking Switzerland, only 3 percent could sing the whole anthem, though one in three knew the first stanza by heart.
- 4. Between 1894 and 1953 there were repeated proposals to make the Swiss Psalm the national anthem. The Federal Council turned them down, holding that an anthem should be chosen by the people, not imposed by decree.
Germany
- 1. Haydn also used the melody in 1797 as the theme of four variations in the second movement of his String Quartet Op. 76 No. 3, known as the 'Emperor Quartet'.
- 2. After the Habsburg monarchy collapsed in 1918, Austria gave up Haydn's imperial hymn, but in 1929 it returned to the melody with new words by Ottokar Kernstock. From 1929 until the Anschluss in 1938, Germany and Austria thus had anthems with the same tune.
- 3. In March 2018, Kristin Rose-Möhring, equal opportunities officer at the federal family ministry, proposed replacing 'Vaterland' (fatherland) with 'Heimatland' (homeland) and 'brüderlich' (brotherly) with 'couragiert' (courageously) to make the anthem gender-neutral. The proposal caused a controversy; Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was satisfied with the existing lyrics, and nothing was changed.
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Switzerland
Germany
