English: William | |
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Sheet music of the Wilhelmus |
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National anthem of Netherlands |
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Lyrics | Unknown |
Music | Adrianus Valerius |
Adopted | 1932 |
Music sample | |
The Wilhelmus (US Navy Band)
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Wilhelmus van Nassouwe, usually known just as the Wilhelmus (Dutch: het Wilhelmus ), (English translation: the William), is the national anthem of the Netherlands and is the oldest national anthem in the world[1] though the words of the Japanese national anthem (not the music) date back to the ninth century.[2] Although it was not recognized as the official national anthem until 1932, it has always been popular with parts of the Dutch population and resurfaced on several occasions in the course of Dutch history before gaining its present status.[3]
Like many anthems, the Wilhelmus originated in the nation's struggle to achieve independence. It tells of Willem van Oranje (William of Orange), his life and why he is fighting against the King of Spain.[4] As a result, the anthem is written in a first person perspective, as if it were sung by William himself. William of Orange being the I-figure (Early Modern Dutch "ick") in the 1st stanza "Den Coninck van Hispaengien heb ick altijt gheeert" ("I have always honoured the King of Spain").
This refers to the initial loyalty of the leading figures of the Dutch Revolt, the Counts of De Montmorency ("Hoorne") and Lamoral ("Egmond") who both were executed, and the then surviving Prince of Orange (William), to the Spanish King Philip II and their claim that they merely objected against some hardships of the Spanish rule over The Netherlands. These objections were especially concerning the taxation, political oppression and the religious prosecutions.
The text and tune of the song are remarkably peaceful for a national anthem. The Wilhelmus derives its name from the first word of the song; the Geuzenliedboek's original introduction to the text speaks of "a new Christian song" ("Een Nieu Christelick Liedt").
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There is some international confusion concerning the oldest anthem in the world. The Japanese anthem, Kimigayo, has the oldest (9th century) lyrics, but a melody was added in the late 19th century making it a poem rather than an anthem for most of its lifespan. Although the Wilhelmus was not officially recognised as the Dutch national anthem until 1932, it is the oldest in the world.[5] The anthem was first written down in 1574[6] making it over 437 years old.
Though only proclaimed the national anthem in 1932, the Wilhelmus already had a centuries-old prior history. It had been sung on many official occasions and at many important events since 1568, such as the siege of Haarlem in 1573 and the ceremonial entry of the Prince of Orange into Brussels on 18 September 1578.
During the Dutch Golden Age, it was conceived essentially as the anthem of the House of Orange-Nassau and its supporters - which meant, in the politics of the time, the anthem of a specific political faction which was involved in a prolonged struggle with opposing factions (which sometimes became violent, verging on civil war). Therefore, the fortunes of the song paralleled those of the Orangist faction.
Trumpets played the Wilhelmus when Prince Maurits visited Breda, and again when he was received in state in Amsterdam in May 1618. When William V arrived in Schoonhoven in 1787, after the authority of the stadholders had been restored, the church bells are said to have played the Wilhelmus continuously.
After the Batavian Revolution, inspired by the French revolution, it had come to be called the "Princes' March" as it was banned during the rule of the Patriot party, which did not support the House of Orange-Nassau.
However, at the foundation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1813, the Wilhelmus had fallen out of favour. Having become monarchs with a claim to represent the entire nation and stand above factions, the House of Orange decided to break with the song which served them as heads of a faction, and the Wilhelmus was hence replaced by Hendrik Tollens' song Wien Neêrlands bloed door d'aderen vloeit, which was the official Dutch anthem from 1815 till 1932.
However, the Wilhelmus remained popular and lost its identification as a factional song, and on 10 May 1932, it was decreed that on all official occasions requiring the performance of the national anthem, the Wilhelmus was to be played - thereby replacing Tollens' song.
The melody of the Wilhelmus originates from a French catholic soldiers' song titled "Autre chanson de la ville de Chartres assiégée par le prince de Condé" (English: "Another song about the city of Chartres under siege by the Prince de Condé"). This song dates to the Protestant siege of Chartres in 1568 during the French Wars of Religion. As was common at the time, the song was adopted and adapted by the besieging Protestants and it spread from there to the Low Countries. The melody was first written down in 1574. Dutch composer Adriaen Valerius recorded the current melody of the Wilhelmus in his "Nederlantsche Gedenck-clanck" in 1626, slowing down the melody's pace, probably to allow it to be sung in churches. The current official version is the 1932 arrangement by Walther Boer.[7]
The origins of the lyrics are uncertain. Soon after the anthem was finished it was said that either Philips van Marnix, a writer, statesman and former mayor of Antwerp, or Dirck Coornhert, a politician and theologian, wrote the lyrics. However, this is disputed as both Marnix and Coornhert never mentioned that they wrote the lyrics. This is strange since the song was immensely popular in their time. The Wilhelmus also has some odd rhymes in it. In some cases the vowels of certain words were altered to allow them to rhyme with other words. Some see this as evidence that neither Marnix or Coornhert wrote the anthem as they were both experienced poets when the Wilhelmus was written and they would not have taken these small liberties. Hence some believe that the lyrics of the Dutch national anthem were the creation of someone who just wrote one poem for the occasion and then disappeared from history. A French translation of the Wilhelmus appeared around 1582.[8]
The Wilhelmus is played only once at a ceremony or whatever other event and, if possible, it is to be the last piece of music to be played. When receiving a foreign head of state or emissary, the Dutch anthem may not be played unless a member of the Dutch Royal House is present. This is virtually unique in the world as most countries play their own anthem and then play the anthem of the foreign relation.[9]
During international sport events, such as the World Cup, UEFA European Football Championship, and the Summer Olympic Games the Wilhelmus is also played. In nearly every case the 1st and 6th stanza, or the 1st stanza alone, are sung/played rather than the entire song, which would result in about 15 minutes of music.[10]
It has been claimed that during the gruesome torture of Balthasar Gérard (the assassin of William of Orange) in 1584, the song was sung by the guards who sought to overpower Gérard's screams when boiling pigs' fat was poured over him. Gérard allegedly responded "Sing! Dutch sinners! Sing! But know that soon I shall be sung of!".[11]
Another legend claims that following the Navigation Acts (an ordinance by Oliver Cromwell requiring all foreign fleets in the North Sea or the Channel to dip their flag in salute) the Wilhelmus was sung (or rather, shouted) by the sailors on the Dutch flagship Brederode in response to the first warning shot fired by an English fleet under Robert Blake, when their captain Maarten Tromp refused to lower his flag. At the end of the song, which coincided with the third (i.e. last) English warning shot, Tromp fired a full broadside thereby beginning the Battle of Goodwin Sands and the First Anglo-Dutch War.[12]
There are two major variations on the Wilhelmus, namely the royal anthem of Luxembourg (called "De Wilhelmus") and the song "Das Treuelied", German for "the song of loyalty". The Royal Anthem of Luxembourg, in official use since 1919, has a shared origin with the Dutch anthem. The melody was first used in Luxembourg (at the time in personal union with the Kingdom of the United Netherlands) on the occasion of the visit of the Dutch King and Grand Duke of Luxembourg William III in 1883. Later, the anthem was played for Grand Duke Adolph of Luxembourg along with the national anthem. The melody is very similar, but not identical to that of the Wilhelmus. The second major variation is the song "Wenn alle untreu werden" (German: "If everyone becomes unfaithful") better known as "Das Treuelied", which was written by the poet Max von Schenkendorf (1783–1817) and used exactly the same melody as the Wilhelmus. After the First World War this became extremely popular among nationalistic German groups, especially the Nazis. It became one of the most popular songs of the SS, together with the Horst Wessel song.
The melody is used, with rewritten English lyrics, as the alma mater of Northwestern College (Iowa) in Orange City, Iowa, USA.[13] Northwestern College is associated with the historically Dutch Christian denomination the Reformed Church in America. Orange City, the college's location, is named for the House of Orange. Small local governmental districts, townships, are named Nassau, Holland and East Orange.[14]
The Wilhelmus was first printed in a "geuzenliedboek" (lit.: "song book of the Gueux") in 1581. It used the following text as an introduction to the Wilhelmus:
Een nieuw Christelick Liedt gemaect ter eeren des Doorluchtichsten Heeren, Heere Wilhelm Prince van Oraengien, Grave van Nassou, Patris Patriae, mijnen Genaedigen Forsten ende Heeren. Waer van deerste Capitael letteren van elck veers syner Genaedigen Forstens name metbrengen. Na de wijse van Chartres.
A new Christian song made in the honour of the most noble lord, lord William Prince of Orange, count of Nassau, Patris Patriae (Father of the Fatherland), my merciful prince and lord. [A song] of which the first capital letter of each stanza form the name of his merciful prince. To the melody of Chartres.
Original Dutch lyrics (1568) | Contemporary Dutch lyrics | English lyrics meant to fit the melody, the rhyme and the acrostic (1934) | English translation of the original Dutch version. (non-melodious) |
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First stanza | |||
Wilhelmus van Nassouwe |
Wilhelmus van Nassouwe |
William of Nassau, scion |
William of Nassau |
Second stanza | |||
In Godes vrees te leven |
In Godes vrees te leven |
I've ever tried to live in |
To live in fear of God |
Third stanza |
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Lydt u myn Ondersaten |
Lijdt u, mijn onderzaten |
Let no despair betray you, |
Hold on my subjects, |
Fourth stanza |
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Lyf en goet al te samen |
Lijf en goed al te samen |
Life and my all for others |
My life and fortune altogether |
Fifth stanza |
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Edel en Hooch gheboren |
Edel en hooggeboren, |
I, nobly born, descended |
Noble and high-born, |
Sixth stanza |
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Mijn Schilt ende betrouwen |
Mijn schild ende betrouwen |
A shield and my reliance, |
My shield and reliance |
Seventh stanza |
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Van al die my beswaren, |
Van al die mij bezwaren |
My God, I pray thee, save me |
From all those that burden me |
Eighth stanza |
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Als David moeste vluchten |
Als David moeste vluchten |
O David, thou soughtest shelter |
Like David, who was forced to flee |
Ninth stanza |
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Na tsuer sal ick ontfanghen |
Na 't zuur zal ik ontvangen |
Fear not 't will rain sans ceasing |
After this sourness I will receive |
Tenth stanza |
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Niet doet my meer erbarmen |
Niets doet mij meer erbarmen |
Nothing so moves my pity |
Nothing makes me pity so much |
Eleventh stanza |
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Als een Prins op gheseten |
Als een prins opgezeten |
Astride on steed of mettle |
Seated [on horseback] like a prince, |
Twelfth stanza |
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Soo het den wille des Heeren |
Zo het de wil des Heren |
Surely, if God had willed it, |
If it had been the Lord's will, |
Thirteenth stanza |
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Seer Prinslick was ghedreven |
Zeer christlijk was gedreven |
Steadfast my heart remaineth |
By a Christian mood was driven |
Fourteenth stanza |
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Oorlof mijn arme Schapen |
Oorlof, mijn arme schapen |
Alas! my flock. To sever |
Farewell, my poor sheep, |
Fifteenth stanza |
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Voor Godt wil ick belijden |
Voor God wil ik belijden |
Unto the Lord His power |
I want to confess to God, |
Acrostic |
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WILLEM VAN NASSOV |
WILLEM VAN NAZZOV |
WILLIAM OF NASSAU |
Not Applicable |
The word "Duytschen" in the first stanza as a reference to William's roots, whose modern Dutch equivalent, "Duits", exclusively means "German", could refer to William's ancestral house (Nassau) as well as to the lands of the Holy Roman Empire at large, including the Netherlands; scholars have pointed out that a sharp distinction between Duits ("German") and Diets ("Dutch"), which are dialectical variants of the same word, is unlikely to have existed in 16th-century usage.[16]
The last two lines of the first stanza indicate that the leader of the Dutch civil war against Spanish Empire of which they were part, had no specific quarrel with Philip II of Spain, but rather with his emissaries in the Low Countries, like Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba. This may have been because at the time (late 16th century) it was uncommon to publicly doubt the Divine Right of Kings. It strikes the modern Dutch ear as an obsolete formula. For some of the resistance fighters of the day, the stanza may have resonated with irony or knowing sarcasm.