De âlde Friezen
Encyclopedia
"De âlde Friezen" is the anthem
of the Friesland
province of the Netherlands
.
The text is by the Frisian
writer Dr Eeltsje Halbertsma (1797-1858) from the village of Grou. The version commonly sung today is an abridgement, dating from 1876, by Jacobus van Loon. Although the words were not set to music until after Halbertsma's death (they were first sung in 1875 at a ceremony held to commemorate his work), the author may well have known the melody from his days as a student at Heidelberg
since it is that of a student song (Vom hoh'n Olymp) by Heinrich Christian Schnoor which had been popular there as the setting for several different German texts since the 1790s.
The song was adopted as the Frisian anthem by the Selskip foar Frysk Taal- en Skriftekennisse (Society for Frisian Language and Literature) on the urging of politician, writer and poet Pieter Jelles Troelstra
(1860-1930) and has served as the (unofficial) anthem of Friesland ever since.
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
of the Friesland
Friesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
province of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
The text is by the Frisian
Frisians
The Frisians are a Germanic ethnic group native to the coastal parts of the Netherlands and Germany. They are concentrated in the Dutch provinces of Friesland and Groningen and, in Germany, East Frisia and North Frisia, that was a part of Denmark until 1864. They inhabit an area known as Frisia...
writer Dr Eeltsje Halbertsma (1797-1858) from the village of Grou. The version commonly sung today is an abridgement, dating from 1876, by Jacobus van Loon. Although the words were not set to music until after Halbertsma's death (they were first sung in 1875 at a ceremony held to commemorate his work), the author may well have known the melody from his days as a student at Heidelberg
Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg
The Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg is a public research university located in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386, it is the oldest university in Germany and was the third university established in the Holy Roman Empire. Heidelberg has been a coeducational institution...
since it is that of a student song (Vom hoh'n Olymp) by Heinrich Christian Schnoor which had been popular there as the setting for several different German texts since the 1790s.
The song was adopted as the Frisian anthem by the Selskip foar Frysk Taal- en Skriftekennisse (Society for Frisian Language and Literature) on the urging of politician, writer and poet Pieter Jelles Troelstra
Pieter Jelles Troelstra
Pieter Jelles Troelstra was a Dutch politician active in the socialist workers' movement. He is most remembered for his fight for universal suffrage and his failed call for revolution at the end of World War I...
(1860-1930) and has served as the (unofficial) anthem of Friesland ever since.
Text
- Frysk bloed tsjoch op! Wol noris brûze en siede,
- en bûnzje troch ús ieren om!
- Flean op! Wy sjonge it bêste lân fan d'ierde,
- it Fryske lân fol eare en rom.
- Chorus (2x)
- Klink dan en daverje fier yn it rûn,
- Dyn âlde eare, o Fryske grûn!
- Hoe ek fan oermacht, need en see betrutsen,
- oerâlde, leave Fryske grûn,
- Nea waard dy fêste, taaie bân ferbrutsen,
- dy't Friezen oan har lân ferbûn.
- Chorus (2x)
- Fan bûgjen frjemd, bleau by 't âld folk yn eare,
- syn namme en taal, syn frije sin;
- Syn wurd wie wet; rjocht, sljocht en trou syn leare,
- en twang, fan wa ek, stie it tsjin.
- Chorus (2x)
- Trochloftich folk fan dizze âlde namme,
- wês jimmer op dy âlders great!
- Bliuw ivich fan dy grize, hege stamme,
- in grien, in krêftich bloeiend leat!
- Chorus (2x)
English translation
- Frisian blood, thicken up! Now rise, foam and seethe,
- and thud on through our veins!
- Fly up! We sing of the best land on the Earth,
- the Frisian land full of honour and pride.
- Chorus (2x)
- Sound then and thunder it far and wide,
- Thine old honour, oh Frisian ground!
- How also from other nations, need, and sea threatened,
- age-old, beloved Frisian ground,
- Those stead fast bonds were never broken,
- that bound the Frisians to their land.
- Chorus (2x)
- Unused to bowing, they stayed by the old folk in honor,
- their name and language, their sense of freedom.
- Their word was law, right, humble and true they teach,
- and opposed to coercion from whomever it might come.
- Chorus (2x)
- Honourable people of this old name,
- be always proud of your ancestors!
- Remain forever on that high grey stem
- a green and strong flourishing shoot!
- Chorus (2x)
External links
- Vocal rendition (MP3 file) (first stanza and chorus)
- Vom hoh'n Olymp (the melody of which was used for De âlde Friezen)