National Anthem of the Soviet Union
Encyclopedia
The National Anthem of the Soviet Union or the State Anthem of the USSR (or Hymn, , Gosudarstvenniy Gimn SSSR) was introduced during World War II
on March 15, 1944, replacing The Internationale
as the official national anthem of the Soviet Union
as well as the national anthem of the Russian SFSR
. The lyrics were written by Sergey Mikhalkov
(1913–2009) in collaboration with Gabriel El-Registan (1899–1945) and the music was composed by Alexander Alexandrov
(1883–1946). It was believed that Soviet soldiers would respond more to an anthem that was dedicated only to the Soviet Union rather than to a worldwide movement. The song was originally written as the Anthem of the Bolshevik Party with lyrics in the Alexandrine
meter by Vasily Lebedev-Kumach
in 1939.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union
in 1991, Russia adopted a new national anthem called Patriotic Song without any lyrics, although there were made suggestions for adopting them and few versions were made. In 2000, the Soviet national anthem (tune) was restored with Mikhalkov writing new lyrics. See National Anthem of Russia
.
Also, the same music was used for a proposal of the anthem of the State Union of Russia and Belarus
entitled Derzhavny Soyuz Narodov (Union of Sovereign Nations). Although never officially adopted, the lyrics of that piece were not tied to any specific nationality, and could be adopted for a broader union
. However, there appears to be no plans to utilize that piece in any official role. The anthem also had official versions in the languages of every Soviet republic and in several other Soviet languages
.
was originally mentioned in the lyrics; however, after his death in 1953 and the process of Destalinization, the lyrics referring to Stalin were considered unacceptable. Because of this, from that time until 1977, the anthem was played without lyrics. Revised lyrics without the references to Stalin and World War II were approved in 1977.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
on March 15, 1944, replacing The Internationale
The Internationale
The Internationale is a famous socialist, communist, social-democratic and anarchist anthem.The Internationale became the anthem of international socialism, and gained particular fame under the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1944, when it was that communist state's de facto central anthem...
as the official national anthem of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as well as the national anthem of the Russian SFSR
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic , commonly referred to as Soviet Russia, Bolshevik Russia, or simply Russia, was the largest, most populous and economically developed republic in the former Soviet Union....
. The lyrics were written by Sergey Mikhalkov
Sergey Mikhalkov
Sergey Vladimirovich Mikhalkov was a Soviet and Russian author of children's books and satirical fables who had the opportunity to write the lyrics of his country's national anthem on three different occasions, spanning almost 60 years.-Life and career:...
(1913–2009) in collaboration with Gabriel El-Registan (1899–1945) and the music was composed by Alexander Alexandrov
Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov
Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov was a Russian Soviet composer, the founder of the Alexandrov Ensemble, who wrote the music for the national anthem of the Soviet Union, which, in 2001, became the anthem of Russia . During his career, he also worked as a professor of the Moscow State Conservatory,...
(1883–1946). It was believed that Soviet soldiers would respond more to an anthem that was dedicated only to the Soviet Union rather than to a worldwide movement. The song was originally written as the Anthem of the Bolshevik Party with lyrics in the Alexandrine
Alexandrine
An alexandrine is a line of poetic meter comprising 12 syllables. Alexandrines are common in the German literature of the Baroque period and in French poetry of the early modern and modern periods. Drama in English often used alexandrines before Marlowe and Shakespeare, by whom it was supplanted...
meter by Vasily Lebedev-Kumach
Vasily Lebedev-Kumach
Vasily Ivanovich Lebedev-Kumach Moscow, — 20 February 1949) was a Soviet Russian poet and lyricist.He wrote numerous songs, the most famous being probably Священная война , Песня о Родине and Как много девушек хороших , later immortalized as the Argentine Tango song...
in 1939.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
in 1991, Russia adopted a new national anthem called Patriotic Song without any lyrics, although there were made suggestions for adopting them and few versions were made. In 2000, the Soviet national anthem (tune) was restored with Mikhalkov writing new lyrics. See National Anthem of Russia
National Anthem of Russia
The National Anthem of the Russian Federation is the name of the official national anthem of Russia. Its musical composition and lyrics were adopted from the anthem of the Soviet Union, composed by Alexander Alexandrov, and lyricists Sergey Mikhalkov and Gabriel El-Registan. The Soviet anthem was...
.
Also, the same music was used for a proposal of the anthem of the State Union of Russia and Belarus
Union of Russia and Belarus
The Union State , semi-officially known as Union State of Russia and Belarus , is a supranational entity consisting of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.- Creation :...
entitled Derzhavny Soyuz Narodov (Union of Sovereign Nations). Although never officially adopted, the lyrics of that piece were not tied to any specific nationality, and could be adopted for a broader union
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
. However, there appears to be no plans to utilize that piece in any official role. The anthem also had official versions in the languages of every Soviet republic and in several other Soviet languages
Languages of the Soviet Union
Languages of the Soviet Union were hundreds of different languages and dialects from several different language groups.In 1918, it was decreed that all nationalities in the Soviet Union had the right to education in their own language. The new orthography used the Cyrillic, Latin, or Arabic...
.
Versions
The actual version of the Anthem was played for the first time on the Soviet radio at midnight of the 1st January 1944. The 1944 lyrics had three different refrains following three different stanzas; in each refrain, the second line was consequently modified with references to friendship, then happiness and finally the glory. Later on, in 1977, these refrains were replaced by a uniform refrain following all stanzas. Joseph StalinJoseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
was originally mentioned in the lyrics; however, after his death in 1953 and the process of Destalinization, the lyrics referring to Stalin were considered unacceptable. Because of this, from that time until 1977, the anthem was played without lyrics. Revised lyrics without the references to Stalin and World War II were approved in 1977.
1944
| Russian | Transliteration | English translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
Союз нерушимый республик свободных Сплотила навеки Великая Русь. Да здравствует созданный волей народов Единый, могучий Советский Союз!
Сквозь грозы сияло нам солнце свободы, И Ленин великий нам путь озарил: Нас вырастил Сталин — на верность народу, На труд и на подвиги нас вдохновил!
Мы армию нашу растили в сраженьях. Захватчиков подлых с дороги сметём! Мы в битвах решаем судьбу поколений, Мы к славе Отчизну свою поведём!
|
Soyuz nyerushimyiy ryespublik svobodnyikh Splotila navyeki Vyelikaya Rus’. Da zdravstvuyet sozdannyiy volyey narodov Yedinyiy, moguchiy Sovyetskiy Soyuz!
Skvoz’ grozyi siyalo nam solntsye svobodye, I Lyenin vyelikiy nam put’ ozaril, Nas vyirastil Stalin – na vyernost’ narodu, Na trud i na podvigi nas vdokhnovil!
Myi armiyu nashu rastili v srazhyen’yakh, Zakhvatchikov podlyikh s dorogi smyetyom! Myi v bitvakh ryeshayem sud’bu pokolyeniy, Myi k slavye Otchiznu svoyu povyedyom!
|
An unbreakable union of free republics, Great Rus' joined together forever. Long live the creation of the will of the peoples, The united, the mighty Soviet Union!
Through storms the sun of freedom has shined upon us, And the great Lenin has lighted the way Stalin has taught us faithfulness to the people, To labour, and inspired us to great feats!
We brought our army Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to... to the battles. We shall brave the despicable invaders Nazi Germany Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by... from the street! In battles Eastern Front (World War II) The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945... we shall decide the fate of generations, We shall lead to the glory of the Motherland!
|
1977
| Russian | Transliteration | English translation | Phonetic transcription |
|---|---|---|---|
Союз нерушимый республик свободных Сплотила навеки Великая Русь! Да здравствует созданный волей народов Единый, могучий Советский Союз!
Сквозь грозы сияло нам солнце свободы, И Ленин великий нам путь озарил: На правое дело он поднял народы, На труд и на подвиги нас вдохновил!
В победе бессмертных идей коммунизма Мы видим грядущее нашей страны, И Красному знамени славной Отчизны Мы будем всегда беззаветно верны!
|
Soyuz nerushimy respublik svobodnykh Splotila naveki velikaya Rus'! Da zdravstvuyet sozdanny volley narodov Yediny, moguchy Sovetsky Soyuz!
Skvoz' grozy siyalo nam solntse svobody, I Lenin veliky nam put' ozaril, Na pravoye delo on podnyal narody, Na trud i na podvigi nas vdokhnovil!
V pobede bessmertnykh idey kommunizma My vidim gryadushcheye nashey strany, I krasnomu znameni slavnoy otchizny My budem vsegda bezzavetno verny!
|
An unbreakable union of free republics, Great Rus' has welded forever to stand! Created in struggle by the will-of-the-people, The united, the mighty Soviet Union.
Through tempests the sun of freedom shone to us, And the great Lenin lighted us the way. He raised peoples to the righteous cause, Inspired us to labour and to acts of heroism.
In the victory of the immortal ideas of Communism We see the future of our country, And to the Red banner of our glorious Fatherland We shall always be selflessly true.
|
See also
- Grom pobedy, razdavajsya! ("Let the thunder of victory sound!")
- God Save the Tsar!God Save the Tsar!"God Save the Tsar!" was the national anthem of the late Russian Empire. The song was chosen from a competition held in 1833. The composer was violinist Alexei Lvov, and the lyrics were by the court poet Vasily Zhukovsky...
- Worker's Marseillaise, Russian version of La MarseillaiseLa Marseillaise"La Marseillaise" is the national anthem of France. The song, originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin" was written and composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in 1792. The French National Convention adopted it as the Republic's anthem in 1795...
- The InternationaleThe InternationaleThe Internationale is a famous socialist, communist, social-democratic and anarchist anthem.The Internationale became the anthem of international socialism, and gained particular fame under the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1944, when it was that communist state's de facto central anthem...
- Patrioticheskaya Pesnya
- National Anthem of RussiaNational Anthem of RussiaThe National Anthem of the Russian Federation is the name of the official national anthem of Russia. Its musical composition and lyrics were adopted from the anthem of the Soviet Union, composed by Alexander Alexandrov, and lyricists Sergey Mikhalkov and Gabriel El-Registan. The Soviet anthem was...
External links
- Russian Anthems museum - extensive set of downloadable recordings and official sheet music.
- 20 Most popular Soviet songs
- The author of Russian national anthem: sources of the USSR's anthem in Russian.
- by K.Kovalev - Eng. Bortniansky's anthem "Kol slaven" - Eng.
- Vocal performance of the National Anthem of the Soviet Union with Subtitles