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The Bayernhymne (Hymn of Bavaria) is the official anthem of the Free State of Bavaria.
The melody of the song was written by Max Kunz in 1835. The text for the original first three stanzas was written by Michael Öchsner. Both men were members of the Bürger-Sänger-Zunft München (Citizen-Singers-Guild Munich), that first performed the song on December 15, 1860.
In 1946, the poet Joseph Maria Lutz wrote a new third stanza as a replacement for the 'Königsstrophe' (King's Stanza), since after the abdication of King Ludwig III in 1918, Bavaria has been without a king. He also replaced the 'Deutsche Erde' (German earth) in the first stanza with 'Heimaterde' (native soil).
In 1946, it was also officially recognised as the national anthem of Bavaria, and on July 29, 1966, the then prime minister of Bavaria, Alfons Goppel, chose the version written by Joseph Maria Lutz to be the official version.
In 1980, the prime minister Franz Josef Strauß, changed the official version to contain just the first two stanzas and switched 'Heimaterde' back to 'Deutsche Erde'.
The song, like most national anthems, contains many symbolic representations, including repeated allusions to the colours blue and white, Bavaria's national colours.
[edit] Current Version
(According to the bulletin of the Bavarian prime minister at July 18, 1980.)
German Lyrics
- Gott mit dir, du Land der Bayern,
- deutsche Erde, Vaterland!
- Über deinen weiten Gauen
- ruhe seine Segenshand!
- Er behüte deine Fluren,
- schirme deiner Städte Bau
- Und erhalte dir die Farben
- seines Himmels, weiß und blau!
- Gott mit dir, dem Bayernvolke,
- dass wir, uns'rer Väter wert,
- fest in Eintracht und in Frieden
- bauen uns'res Glückes Herd!
- Dass mit Deutschlands Bruderstämmen
- einig uns ein jeder schau
- und den alten Ruhm bewähre
- unser Banner, weiß und blau!
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English Translation
- God be with you, land of the Bavarians,
- German soil, fatherland!
- Over your wide area
- Rest His merciful hand!
- He shall protect your meadows,
- Shield the buildings of your towns
- And and preserve you the colours
- of His Heaven, white and blue!
- God be with you, the people of Bavaria,
- that we, with our fathers' worth
- fixed in harmony and in peace
- build our own fortunes!
- That with bonds of German brotherhood
- United we are with each display
- And the old splendour stands the test
- our Banner, white and blue!
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[edit] Variations
[edit] Version by Joseph Maria Lutz from 1946
German Lyrics
- Gott mit dir, du Land der Bayern,
- Heimaterde, Vaterland!
- Über deinen weiten Gauen
- Walte seine Segenshand!
- Er behüte deine Fluren,
- schirme deiner Städte Bau
- Und erhalte dir die Farben
- seines Himmels, weiß und blau!
- Gott mit uns, dem Bayernvolke,
- Wenn wir, unsrer Väter wert,
- Stets in Eintracht und in Frieden
- Bauen unsres Glückes Herd;
- Daß vom Alpenland zum Main
- Jeder Stamm sich fest vertrau'
- Und die Herzen freudig eine
- Unser Banner, weiß und blau!
- Gott mit uns und Gott mit allen,
- Die der Menschen heilig Recht
- Treu beschützen und bewahren
- Von Geschlechte zu Geschlecht.
- Frohe Arbeit, frohes Feiern,
- Reiche Ernten jedem Gau,
- Gott mit dir, du Land der Bayern
- Unterm Himmel, weiß und blau!
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English Translation
- God be with you, land of the Bavarians,
- Native soil, fatherland!
- Over your wide area
- Rule His merciful hand!
- He shall protect your meadows,
- Shield the buildings of your towns
- And preserve for you the colors
- of His Heaven, white and blue!
- God be with us, the people of Bavaria,
- that we, worthy of our fathers,
- may in constant harmony and peace
- build our own fortunes!
- That from the Alps to the Main
- Every tribe may trust each other firmly,
- And our hearts joyously may unite
- Our Banner, white and blue!
- God be with us and God with all
- who protect the holy law of humans
- Faithfully, and who preserve it
- From generation to generation.
- Happy in work, happy in celebration,
- Rich harvesting in every field.
- God be with you, Land of Bavaria
- Under the heaven, white and blue!
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[edit] Michael Öchsner's Poem
(from 1860)
German Lyrics
- Für Bayern
- Gott mit dir, du Land der Bayern,
- Deutsche Erde, Vaterland!
- Über deinen weiten Gauen
- Ruhe deine Segenshand!
- Er behüte deine Fluren,
- Schirme deiner Städte Bau
- Und der Himmel dir erhalte
- Seine Farben – Weiß und Blau.
- Gott mit dir, dem Bayernvolke,
- Daß wir unsrer Väter wert,
- fest in Eintracht und in Friede
- bauen unseres Glückes Herd;
- Daß der Freund da Hilfe finde,
- Wehrhaft uns der Gegner schau,
- Wo die Rauten-Banner wehen,
- Unsre Farben – Weiß und Blau!
- Gott mit ihm, dem Bayer-König,
- Vater Max aus Wittelsbach!
- Über seinem Hause wölbe
- Sich des Himmels schirmend Dach!
- Gott erhalte uns den Herrscher,
- Volkes-Glück in jedem Gau,
- Reine Sitte, deutsche Treue,
- Ew'ge Farben – Weiß und Blau.
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English Translation
- For Bavaria
- God be with you, Land of the Bavarians,
- German soil, fatherland!
- Over Your wide area
- Rest Your merciful hand!
- He shall protect your meadows,
- Shield the buildings of your towns
- And His Heaven he lifts up
- His colours - white and blue.
- God be with you, the people of Bavaria,
- that we, with our fathers' worth,
- fixed in harmony and in peace
- build our own fortunes;
- That our friend would find help there,
- That we are well-fortified our foes we show,
- Where the rhombus-banner waves,
- Our colours - white and blue!
- God be with him, the Bavarian King,
- Father Max from Wittelsbach!
- Over your House arches
- Heaven's shining roof!
- God lifts up for us the monarch,
- People's Fortune in every place,
- Pure customs, German loyalty,
- Eternal colours – white and blue.
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[edit] Later Text from Michael Öchsner
German Lyrics
- Für Bayern
- Gott mit dir, du Land der Bayern,
- Deutsche Erde, Vaterland!
- Über deinen weiten Gauen
- walte deine Segenshand!
- Er behüte deine Fluren,
- Schirme deiner Städte Bau
- Und erhalte dir die Farben
- Seines Himmels – Weiß und Blau!
- Gott mit dir, dem Bayernvolke,
- Daß wir, unserer Väter werth,
- Fest in Eintracht und in Frieden
- Bauen unseres Glückes Herd!
- Daß mit Deutschlands Bruderstämmen [Variante: Daß in Noth und in Gefahren]
- Einig uns der Gegner schau
- Und den alten Ruhm bewähre
- Unser Banner – weiß und blau.
- Gott mit ihm, dem Bayerkönig!
- Segen über sein Geschlecht!
- Denn mit seinem Volk in Frieden
- Wahrt er dessen heilig Recht.
- Gott mit ihm, dem Landesvater!
- Gott mit uns in jedem Gau!
- Gott mit dir, du Land der Bayern,
- Deutsche Heimath – weiß und blau!
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English Translation
- For Bavaria
- God be with you, Land of the Bavarians,
- German soil, fatherland!
- Over Your wide area
- Rule Your merciful hand!
- He shall protect your meadows,
- Shield the buildings of your towns
- And lift up for you the colours
- Of His Heaven - white and blue!
- God be with you, the people of Bavaria,
- that we, with our fathers' worth,
- fixed in harmony and in peace
- build our own fortunes!
- That with bonds of German brotherhood [Variation: That in woe and in peril]
- We are united our foes we show
- And the old splendour stands the test
- our Banner, white and blue.
- God be with him, the Bavarian King!
- Blessing over his generation!
- Because with his people in peace
- He preserves his sacred law.
- God be with him, the sovereign!
- God be with us in every place!
- God be with you, Land of Bavaria,
- German homeland – white and blue!
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[edit] Republican Variation of the Third Stanza
German Lyrics
- Gott mit uns und Gott mit allen,
- die der Menschen Heilig Recht
- treu behüten und bewahren
- von Geschlechte zu Geschlecht!
- Gott mit dem, der Recht und Frieden
- uns bewahrt in jedem Gau!
- Gott mit dir, du Land der Bayern
- deutsche Heimat – weiß und blau!
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English Translation
- God be with us and with all,
- Of the people of the holy law who
- Faithfully protect and preserve it
- From generation to generation!
- God be with those, whom the law and peace
- preseve for us in every place!
- God be with you, Land of Bavaria
- German homeland - white and blue!
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[edit] External link