Heil dir, Hannover

George Frideric Handel c. 1726.

Heil dir, Hannover (English: Hail to thee, Hanover), was the national anthem of the Electorate, and later Kingdom of Hanover, adopted in the early 18th century. Like other many rulers in the 17th & 18th century, George I of Hanover and Great Britain instructed George Handel to create an anthem. Handel's melody remained Great Britain's anthem after the end of the personal union in 1837. Also many other German states made this melody their anthem. For example it was used in the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg and the Kingdoms of Bavaria and Prussia. After 1871, it became the anthem of the German Empire with the lyrics Heil dir im Siegerkranz. The last Holy Roman Emperor and German king, Francis II, was very impressed by Handel's theme an instructed his Court musician Haydn to create the Kaiserhymne, which became his imperial anthem and continued to be used in the new Austrian Empire after he dissolved the Holy Roman Empire.

The lyrics of the Hanoverian anthem contain three verses, with the first being sung in different variations.

Lyrics

1st verse

Heil Dir Hannover, heil!
Freude werd' Dir zuteil,
Freude stets mehr.
Jauchze, Du Engelschor,
Dringe zu Gottes Ohr!
Mit Deinem Freudenchor:
Gebt Gott die Ehr'!

2nd verse

Gott gab den Freudentag,
Was tief verborgen lag,
Kam nun ans Licht.
Zage nicht, Erdensohn,
Wenn schwarz die Wolken droh'n,
Gott hälz auf seinem Thron
Waag' und Gewicht.

3rd verse

Er führt alles aus,
Schützt unser Welfenhaus
mit mächt'gem Arm.
Eintracht ist Gottes Band:
König und Vaterland
Reichen sich Herz und Hand
Heilig und warm.

English translation

1st verse

Hail to thee Hanover, hail!
Unto thee, joy bestowed,
Joy evermore.
Cry out, You angelic choir,
Penetrate to God's ear!
With your joyous chorus:
Unto God all honor!

2nd verse

God gave the joyous day
What lay hidden deep
Now comes to the light
Be dismayed not, son of earth
If the black clouds threaten
God on his throne has
Balance and weight.

3rd verse

All deeds He performs
Protects our Welfen house
With a mighty arm
Concord of God's band
King and Fatherland
Submit themselves heart and hand
Holy and warm.

External sources

• Lyrics (German)