Tautiška giesme
Encyclopedia
Tautiška giesmė is the national anthem
of Lithuania
, also known by its opening words "Lietuva, Tėvyne mūsų" (official translation of the lyrics: "Lithuania, Our Homeland", literally: "Lithuania, Our Fatherland
") and as "Lietuvos himnas" (Hymn of Lithuania). The music and lyrics were written in 1898 by Vincas Kudirka
, when Lithuania was still a part of the Russian Empire
. The fifty-word poem was a condensation of Kudirka's conceptions of the Lithuanian state, the Lithuanian people, and their past. Shortly before his death in 1899, the anthem was performed for Lithuanians living in Saint Petersburg
, Russia.
The first public Lithuanian performance of the anthem took place in Vilnius
in 1905, and it became the official national anthem in 1919, a year after Lithuania declared its independence
. Following the annexation of Lithuania in 1940, by the Soviet Union, the anthem was forbidden to be played or sung in public.
"Tautiška giesmė" was reinstated as the national anthem in 1992, when the new Constitution
was ratified after independence from the Soviet Union was achieved. The status of "Tautiška giesmė" as the National Anthem of Lithuania was further confirmed in 1999 with the passage of a national law stating that.
At the time when the poem Lietuva, Tėvyne mūsų was written, Lithuania was under the control of the Russian Empire. Kudirka, a medical student at the University of Warsaw
, was writing as a columnist for the newspaper Varpas
(The Bell). In his Varpas columns, Kudirka urged Lithuanians to take pride in their heritage, discussed the problems the Russian Government was causing the Lithuanian population, and denounced those who wished to work for the Tsarist autocracy
. In the course of writing for Varpas, he wrote down his thoughts on what Lithuania was and what it should be, resulting in the fifty-word poem called Lietuva, Tėvynė mūsų (Lithuania, Our Homeland).
The poem described the heroic past of Lithuania and exhorted its people to care for the land, care for humanity, and live in honor. Kudirka also urged the country to become a source of enlightenment and virtue. Without a melody, Kudirka took the time to compose the music just before dying of tuberculosis
. Both the melody and the lyrics were printed in Varpas in September 1898. Upon his death in 1899, Kudirka's tomb was engraved with the second stanza of the anthem (later destroyed by the authorities).
Shortly after Kudirka's death, the first performance of the poem occurred at a concert in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1899. The concert was conducted by Česlovas Sasnauskas
and was attended by Lithuanians, which St. Petersburg had the largest population of at that time. The anthem was first performed in Lithuania during the Great Seimas of Vilnius
on December 3, 1905.
When Lithuania declared its independence from Russia in 1918, the song was declared the national anthem. It held this status until Lithuania was annexed into the Soviet Union
during World War II
. During the interwar period, there had been suggestions to modify the words to include a reference to God. It was decided, in Kudirka's memory, that the lyrics should remain as he had written them.
Immediately following the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, the Internationale replaced the Tautiška giesmė. Later an alternate anthem was created for the Lithuanian SSR
, and instated in 1950. The music for that piece was composed by Balys Dvarionas
and Jonas Švedas
, and the words were written originally by Antanas Venclova
. Following Stalin's
death in 1953, its lyrics were modified by Vacys Reimeris
to removing reference to the former dictator. This anthem stated that Lenin had lit the path to freedom, helped by the Russian people, and exhorted the Lithuanian people to work with peoples of the other Soviet Republics. The anthem was confirmed in Article 169 of the 1978 Constitution of the Lithuanian SSR. The song continued to be used until Lithuania broke away from the Soviet Union. Already in 1988, the "Tautiška giesmė" was suggested as a replacement for the Soviet Lithuanian anthem. After preliminary approval by the Lithuanian SSR Supreme Soviet and successive legislative bodies, its status as the national anthem was reconfirmed in 1992. In that year, the Constitution of Lithuania
was approved; Article 19 of the document states that "Tautiška giesmė" will be the national anthem of Lithuania. The last law in relation to the national anthem was passed in 1999; it contained the official lyrics and protocol on how and when to play the anthem.
Signed into law by President Valdas Adamkus
on June 9, 1999, the "Law on the National Anthem of the Republic of Lithuania" details when and where the national anthem is played and its performance protocols.
Article 2 of the law states that the anthem is to be played at the following occasions: At the beginning or ending of solemn sessions of the Seimas, on national holidays and memorial days, and at receptions and farewells of foreign heads of state on official visits to Lithuania—but only after the anthem of the foreign country has been played.
It is played in foreign countries to represent Lithuania, according to their own diplomatic protocols; on national holidays and other days when the Flag of Lithuania
is raised by order of the government; when the flag is raised during public events sponsored by governmental institutions, business, and organizations; and at the beginning and end of National Radio programming. The anthem may also be played at other occasions, such as sporting competitions.
When playing the anthem, the music may be either live or recorded. The anthem may be performed with a choir, an orchestra, a military band, or a combination of the latter two. Article 4, section 2, states that all participants are encouraged to sing the national anthem. When the anthem is played, all civilians are asked to stand in a gesture of respect to the anthem. If employees of national defense, police, and other military or military-related organizations are present, they must respect the anthem in a way prescribed by their statutes. The anthem cannot be used as background music, purposes of advertisement, or for entertainment, such as karaoke
. Public disrespect of the anthem may be punishable by law.
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 Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, also known by its opening words "Lietuva, Tėvyne mūsų" (official translation of the lyrics: "Lithuania, Our Homeland", literally: "Lithuania, Our Fatherland
Fatherland
Fatherland is the nation of one's "fathers", "forefathers" or "patriarchs". It can be viewed as a nationalist concept, insofar as it relates to nations...
") and as "Lietuvos himnas" (Hymn of Lithuania). The music and lyrics were written in 1898 by Vincas Kudirka
Vincas Kudirka
Vincas Kudirka was a Lithuanian poet and physician, and the author of both the music and lyrics of the Lithuanian National Anthem, Tautiška giesmė. He is regarded in Lithuania as a National Hero. Kudirka used pen names - V...
, when Lithuania was still a part of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. The fifty-word poem was a condensation of Kudirka's conceptions of the Lithuanian state, the Lithuanian people, and their past. Shortly before his death in 1899, the anthem was performed for Lithuanians living in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia.
The first public Lithuanian performance of the anthem took place in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
in 1905, and it became the official national anthem in 1919, a year after Lithuania declared its independence
Act of Independence of Lithuania
The Act of Independence of Lithuania or Act of February 16 was signed by the Council of Lithuania on February 16, 1918, proclaiming the restoration of an independent State of Lithuania, governed by democratic principles, with Vilnius as its capital. The Act was signed by all twenty...
. Following the annexation of Lithuania in 1940, by the Soviet Union, the anthem was forbidden to be played or sung in public.
"Tautiška giesmė" was reinstated as the national anthem in 1992, when the new Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
was ratified after independence from the Soviet Union was achieved. The status of "Tautiška giesmė" as the National Anthem of Lithuania was further confirmed in 1999 with the passage of a national law stating that.
Creation
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw is the largest university in Poland and one of the most prestigious, ranked as best Polish university in 2010 and 2011...
, was writing as a columnist for the newspaper Varpas
Varpas
Varpas was a monthly Lithuanian-language newspaper published during the Lithuanian press ban from January 1889 to December 1905...
(The Bell). In his Varpas columns, Kudirka urged Lithuanians to take pride in their heritage, discussed the problems the Russian Government was causing the Lithuanian population, and denounced those who wished to work for the Tsarist autocracy
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. In the course of writing for Varpas, he wrote down his thoughts on what Lithuania was and what it should be, resulting in the fifty-word poem called Lietuva, Tėvynė mūsų (Lithuania, Our Homeland).
The poem described the heroic past of Lithuania and exhorted its people to care for the land, care for humanity, and live in honor. Kudirka also urged the country to become a source of enlightenment and virtue. Without a melody, Kudirka took the time to compose the music just before dying of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. Both the melody and the lyrics were printed in Varpas in September 1898. Upon his death in 1899, Kudirka's tomb was engraved with the second stanza of the anthem (later destroyed by the authorities).
History
Ceslovas Sasnauskas
Česlovas Sasnauskas was a Lithuanian composer.Sasnauskas worked as an organist in Vilkaviškis and also played in Saint Petersburg upon relocating there in 1891....
and was attended by Lithuanians, which St. Petersburg had the largest population of at that time. The anthem was first performed in Lithuania during the Great Seimas of Vilnius
Great Seimas of Vilnius
The Great Seimas of Vilnius , was a major assembly held on December 4 and 5, 1905 in Vilnius, Lithuania, then part of the Russian Empire, largely inspired by the Russian Revolution of 1905. It was the first modern national congress in Lithuania and dealt primarily not with the social issues that...
on December 3, 1905.
When Lithuania declared its independence from Russia in 1918, the song was declared the national anthem. It held this status until Lithuania was annexed into 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....
during World War II
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...
. During the interwar period, there had been suggestions to modify the words to include a reference to God. It was decided, in Kudirka's memory, that the lyrics should remain as he had written them.
Immediately following the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, the Internationale replaced the Tautiška giesmė. Later an alternate anthem was created for the Lithuanian SSR
Lithuanian SSR
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Lithuanian SSR, was one of the republics that made up the former Soviet Union...
, and instated in 1950. The music for that piece was composed by Balys Dvarionas
Balys Dvarionas
Balys Dvarionas, in Liepāja — 23 August 1972 in Vilnius) was a Lithuanian and Soviet composer, pianist, conductor and educationalist. Dvarionas displayed himself as a composer after World War II. His works are abundant with romanticism, and the pieces are based on folk songs.-...
and Jonas Švedas
Jonas Švedas
Jonas Švedas was a Lithuanian and Soviet composer. He was the People's Artist of the USSR in 1954.-References:...
, and the words were written originally by Antanas Venclova
Antanas Venclova
Antanas Venclova was a Lithuanian and Soviet politician, poet, journalist and translator.- Early life :He studied Lithuanian, Russian and French at the Vytautas Magnus University, in Kaunas. In 1936, Venclova visited the USSR, and became fascinated with the Soviet system and its culture...
. Following Stalin's
Joseph 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...
death in 1953, its lyrics were modified by Vacys Reimeris
Vacys Reimeris
Vatsis Reimeris - a Lithuanian Soviet poet, translator, honored culture Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic ....
to removing reference to the former dictator. This anthem stated that Lenin had lit the path to freedom, helped by the Russian people, and exhorted the Lithuanian people to work with peoples of the other Soviet Republics. The anthem was confirmed in Article 169 of the 1978 Constitution of the Lithuanian SSR. The song continued to be used until Lithuania broke away from the Soviet Union. Already in 1988, the "Tautiška giesmė" was suggested as a replacement for the Soviet Lithuanian anthem. After preliminary approval by the Lithuanian SSR Supreme Soviet and successive legislative bodies, its status as the national anthem was reconfirmed in 1992. In that year, the Constitution of Lithuania
Constitution of Lithuania
The Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania defines the legal foundation for all laws passed in the Republic of Lithuania. It was approved in a referendum on October 25, 1992.-History:...
was approved; Article 19 of the document states that "Tautiška giesmė" will be the national anthem of Lithuania. The last law in relation to the national anthem was passed in 1999; it contained the official lyrics and protocol on how and when to play the anthem.
1999 law
Valdas Adamkus
Valdas Adamkus was President of Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2009.In Lithuania, the President's tenure lasts for five years; Adamkus' first term in office began on February 26, 1998 and ended on February 28, 2003, following his defeat by Rolandas Paksas in the next...
on June 9, 1999, the "Law on the National Anthem of the Republic of Lithuania" details when and where the national anthem is played and its performance protocols.
Article 2 of the law states that the anthem is to be played at the following occasions: At the beginning or ending of solemn sessions of the Seimas, on national holidays and memorial days, and at receptions and farewells of foreign heads of state on official visits to Lithuania—but only after the anthem of the foreign country has been played.
It is played in foreign countries to represent Lithuania, according to their own diplomatic protocols; on national holidays and other days when the Flag of Lithuania
Flag of Lithuania
The flag of Lithuania consists of a horizontal tricolor of yellow, green and red. It was adopted on March 20, 1989, almost two years before the reestablishment of Lithuania's independence following the end of the Soviet Union. Before its readoption, the flag had been used from 1918 until 1940 when...
is raised by order of the government; when the flag is raised during public events sponsored by governmental institutions, business, and organizations; and at the beginning and end of National Radio programming. The anthem may also be played at other occasions, such as sporting competitions.
When playing the anthem, the music may be either live or recorded. The anthem may be performed with a choir, an orchestra, a military band, or a combination of the latter two. Article 4, section 2, states that all participants are encouraged to sing the national anthem. When the anthem is played, all civilians are asked to stand in a gesture of respect to the anthem. If employees of national defense, police, and other military or military-related organizations are present, they must respect the anthem in a way prescribed by their statutes. The anthem cannot be used as background music, purposes of advertisement, or for entertainment, such as karaoke
Karaoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
. Public disrespect of the anthem may be punishable by law.
Lyrics
Official English translation Lithuania, our homeland, Land of heroes! Let your sons draw their strength From our past experience Let your children always follow Only roads of virtue, May your own, mankind’s well-being Be the goals they work for May the sun above our land Banish darkening clouds around Light and truth all along Guide our steps forever May the love of Lithuania Brightly burn in our hearts. For the sake of this land Let unity blossom |
Samogitian Lietova, Tėvīn mūsa, Tu didvīriu žeme, Ėš praeiteis Tava sūnā Te stiprībė seme. Tegu Tava vakā ēna, Vėin takās dorībes, Tegu dėrba Tava nauda I žmoniu gėrībe. Tegu saulė Lietovuo Tomsumas prašalėn, Ė švėisa, ė tėisa Mūsa žīngsnios telīd. Tegu meilė Lietovuos, Deg mūsa šėrdīs, Vardan tōs Lietovuos Veinībė težīdė! |
External links
- The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania has a website with anthem lyrics and sheet music.
- Trimitas - The Lithuanian State Wind Orchestra has a page about the anthem that includes a file of their instrumental recording.
- "A Virtual Exhibition of a Millennium of Lithuanian Cultural Heritage" - This exhibition website features a page about the anthem that includes a vocal sound file.