Rota (poem)

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Rota ("The Oath") is an early 20th-century Polish poem and anthem, once proposed to be the Polish national anthem.

1 History
2 Text
3 See also
- 3.1 External links

[edit] History

Rota's words were written in 1908 by Maria Konopnicka. The music was composed two years later by Feliks Nowowiejski.

Konopnicka's poem came into being as a protest against the German Empire's oppression and suppression of Polish culture in German-occupied western Poland — lands that from the late 18th century after the Partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to 1918 were under Prussian — and later, German — rule.

Rota was first sung publicly during a patriotic demonstration in Kraków on July 15, 1910, itself held to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Polish-Lithuanian victory over the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald. The anthem quickly became popular throughout partitioned Poland.

Until 1918 Rota served as an anthem of the Polish Scouting movement. After the nation regained independence in 1918, Rota in 1927 found itself under consideration for a time as a possible Polish national anthem.

[edit] Text

Rota

Polish text:	English translation:
Nie rzucim ziemi, skąd nasz ród.	We will not abandon the land whence our folk come.
Nie damy pogrześć mowy.	We will not allow our language be buried.
Polski my naród, polski lud,	We are the Polish nation, the Polish people,
Królewski szczep Piastowy.	From the royal line of Piast.
Nie damy, by nas zgnębił wróg.	We will not allow the foe to hold us down.

Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!	So help us God!
Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!	So help us God!

Do krwi ostatniej kropli z żył	To the last drop of blood in our veins
Bronić będziemy ducha,	We will defend our spirit
Aż się rozpadnie w proch i w pył	Until unto dust and ash
Krzyżacka zawierucha.	Falls the Teutonic whirlwind.
Twierdzą nam będzie każdy próg.	Every doorsill will be our fortress.

Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!	So help us God!
Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!	So help us God!

Nie będzie Niemiec pluł nam w twarz	The German will not spit in our face
Ni dzieci nam germanił,	Nor Germanize our children,
Orężny wstanie hufiec nasz,	Our host will rise up in arms,
Duch będzie nam hetmanił.	Our spirit will lead the way.
Pójdziem, gdy zabrzmi złoty róg.	We'll go forth when sounds the golden horn.

Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!	So help us God!
Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!	So help us God!

Nie damy miana Polski zgnieść	We won't let Poland's name be crushed
Nie pójdziem żywo w trumnę.	We won't go, living, to the grave.
W Ojczyzny imię i w jej cześć	In our country's name and its honor
Podnosim czoła dumne,	We lift our heads proudly,
Odzyska ziemię dziadów wnuk.	His forefathers' land the grandson will regain.

Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!	So help us God!
Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!	So help us God!