Anthem of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

The State Anthem of the Lithuanian SSR (Lithuanian: Lietuvos Tarybų Socialistinės Respublikos himnas) was the national anthem of Lithuania when it was a republic of the Soviet Union and known as the Lithuanian SSR.

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Background

This Soviet era anthem was imposed by the Lithuanian SSR government in 1950, replacing the outlawed national anthem of the Republic of Lithuania (Tautiška giesmė). The music was composed by Balys Dvarionas and Jonas Švedas, and the words were originally written by Antanas Venclova. After Joseph Stalin's death, the second stanza of the lyrics was changed by Vacys Reimeris to remove mention of Stalin. The second stanza lyrics were changed to state that Lenin had lit the path to freedom, helped by the Russian people, led by the party (Reimeris changed the word "Stalin" to "party") and exhorted the Lithuanian people to work with peoples of the other Soviet Republics. This Soviet era anthem was confirmed in Article 169 of the 1978 Constitution of the Lithuanian SSR (this is the version presented below). In 1988, the national anthem of the Republic of Lithuania (Tautiška giesmė) was once again openly utilized as the Lithuanian anthem, and its status as the national anthem was restored by the independent Lithuanian government in 1992.

The Soviet era anthem for the Lithuanian SSR is presented below:

Lithuanian Lyrics

Tarybinę Lietuvą liaudis sukūrė,
Už laisvę ir tiesą kovojus ilgai.
Kur Vilnius, kur Nemunas, Baltijos jūra,
Ten klesti mūs miestai, derlingi laukai.
Tarybų Sąjungoj šlovingoj,
Tarp lygių lygi ir laisva,
Gyvuok per amžius, būk laiminga,
Brangi Tarybų Lietuva!
Į laisvę mums Leninas nušvietė kelią,
Padėjo kovoj didi rusų tauta.
Mus Partija* veda į laimę ir galią,
Tautų mūs draugystė kaip plienas tvirta.
Tarybų Sąjungoj šlovingoj,
Tarp lygių lygi ir laisva,
Gyvuok per amžius, būk laiminga,
Brangi Tarybų Lietuva!
Tėvynė galinga, nebijom pavojų,
Tebūna padangė taiki ir tyra.
Mes darbu sukursim didingą rytojų,
Ir žemę nušvies komunizmo aušra.
Tarybų Sąjungoj šlovingoj,
Tarp lygių lygi ir laisva,
Gyvuok per amžius, būk laiminga,
Brangi Tarybų Lietuva!

* The original lyrics by Antanas Venclova contained the line "Mus Stalinas veda į laimę ir galią" (modified by Vacys Reimeris as part of the Soviet de-Stalinization campaign).

English translation

Soviet Lithuania was created by the people,
Who long fought for the freedom and truth.
Where Vilnius, where Nemunas, where the Baltic Sea,
Let our cities, fertile fields to prosper.
In the glorious Soviet Union,
Among equals, equal and free,
Live forever and be happy,
Dear Soviet Lithuania!
Lenin lit us the path to freedom,
The great Russian people helped in the struggle.
The party* leads us to happiness and good,
The friendship of our nations is as firm as steel.
In the glorious Soviet Union,
Between equals, equal and free,
Live forever and be happy,
Dear Soviet Lithuania!
Our homeland is mighty, we fear no dangers,
Let the skies be peaceful and pure.
With our work we'll create a great tomorrow,
And the dawn of Communism will light the Earth.
In the glorious Soviet Union,
Between equals, equal and free,
Live forever and be happy,
Dear Soviet Lithuania!

* The original lyrics by Antanas Venclova contained the line "Stalin leads us to happiness and good" (modified by Vacys Reimeris as part of the Soviet de-Stalinization campaign).

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