Who really sings the new anthem? – Swiss

"So, at dawn" – who does not know the text, who is sung Wednesday at the celebrations of August 1? Many – the answer must be – come by heart, not beyond the first two lines of the Swiss Psalm. On the other hand, our footballers are almost choirboys.

The reasons for the relationship distanced from our hymn are known: the text was named by the Federal Council only on April 1, 1981 to the official text of the national anthem, but corresponds to the content of the anthem. Editorial shortly before the founding of the state. It is a prayer that, unlike many other national anthems at least without war, accompanied by cries and blood. Mockers say that the Swiss anthem is a weather forecast.

1. Stanza of the Swiss Psalm
Occurs in the Red Dawn,
Do I see you in the sea of ​​rays,
You, great, glorious!
When Alpenfirn blushes,
Pray, free Switzerland, pray!
Your godly soul suspects
Your godly soul suspects
God in the Fatherland,
God, the Lord, in the glory of the fatherland.

Now, since 2016, there is a newer version of the same melody, the Swiss Philharmonic. However, this is likely to have a higher degree of ignorance: "White cross on a red background, our sign for the covenant," are the first two verses. The Swiss Nonprofit Organization (SGG), which organizes the August 1st celebration on the Rütli, has named the text after a 2016 competition as an unofficial counterproposal of the national anthem.

20 stanzas sing the stanza

On Wednesday, for the third time in a row, the Rütli sings both the official and unofficial lyrics of Alberik Zwyssig's melody. Federal President Alain Berset speaks at the ceremony. In addition, the new text is translated into sign language in a third way, while it is sung solo by Barbara Klossner and performed by virtuoso Alphorn Lisa Stoll.

Philistine Switzerland
White Cross on a Red Background,
Our sign for the alliance:
Freedom, independence, peace.
Open to the world we live in
Let us seek justice.
Free, who enjoys his freedom,
A strong people that supports the weak.
White cross on a red background,
Singing all of her mouth.

However, Werner Werner's new Nine-Zeiler is far from a breakthrough. Last year, the new text of the anthem was sung in twenty communities during the federal holiday, said SGG CEO Lukas Niederberger. He hopes that there will be a few more this year.

Since 2016, the Swiss Non Profit Association sends the new hymnic text to the 2222 communes from Switzerland, asking them to hook this to the alliance and sing. "Of course, it depends primarily on whether the author of the community wants it," says Niederberger. An important contribution could be made by the 200 members of the Support Committee, who supported in 2014 the project of a more up-to-date anthem text. Among them are many politicians.

Needs a lesser storage capacity: The new Swiss anthem consists of a single stanza. Video: Youtube / CHymne

Among them is the member of the FDP National Council of Zurich, Beat Walti, who delivers the first speech of August at the Federal Day in Zurich. However, in the city of the red-green majority of the Swiss psalm is sung. At the ceremony, official guests are invited, and the Swiss Army flag train also participates.

For official reasons, the official text of the anthem is sung, explains Andreas Hess, head of media at the Zurich Federal Day. "There is only one hymn and we sing it." Beat Walti wanted a catchy hymn text that appeals to people. However, he was "relaxed" when asked, so that he could also celebrate with the old text.

In Bern, only the new text is sung

In the federal city However, as one of the few places tomorrow only the new text on the program . This is due to Regula Bühlmann, who, as speaker of this year's parliament, was able to determine what text will be distributed to visitors. The new text responds more to their expectations of Switzerland than to the ideas behind the old text, says the representative of Green Marine.

Left-wing politicians were particularly fond of lines four and five: "Open to the world we live in, fight for justice!" Beat Jans, a member of the Basel SP National Council, finds the text as a whole. It conveys the old values ​​of Switzerland in an understandable language. However, it takes time for the new stanza to establish itself.

Change anthem? The Federal Council sees no reason

Niederberger assumes that it takes ten years. But he is still convinced that it is a contemporary text that reflects Swiss values. The argument that a traditional text of the anthem refers to past generations and history, Niederberger replied that a text should be understood by citizens of today. 39; hui. A company is also renewing its mission statement after 25 years.

SP National Counselor Bern, Margret Kiener Nellen, has long supported a new text of the national anthem. In 2008, she tried to win the Federal Council for the project with a parliamentary initiative. But this succinctly and succinctly stated that there was no reason to change the hymn. That's why Kiener Nellen considers it a success that in some places, at least in addition to the Swiss psalm, we sing the Swiss Philharmonic. She is also optimistic about the new text, but it will take time.

PLEASE: only by referendum

In 2014, SVT National Councilor Yvette Estermann asked the Federal Council for legal protection of the Swiss Psalm as the national anthem was an important symbol of Switzerland should not be changed at will. His colleague Peter Keller wanted to prevent any attempt at reform by asking the Federal Council the assurance that a new anthem would be submitted to Parliament only with a resolution in favor of the referendum. The state government also denied both, but assured that they would not decide on a new national anthem in their own jurisdiction and not without consulting the councils.

In addition, the Federal Council has referred to the long period of introduction of the text of today. Until 1961, Switzerland had the same melody as England with the text "Call Me My Country". This hymn has been replaced by the composition of Zwissig. The text, the Swiss Psalm by Leonhard Widmer, was, however, provisionally acknowledged only provisionally. This was followed by an investigation; In 1965, provisional recognition was confirmed, this time for an indefinite period; The Federal Council abandoned the interim solution only ten years later. So, if the new text were to be the same, the Swiss Psalm should last a long time.

(Tages-Anzeiger)

Created: 30.07.2018, 21:17