History of the Lithuanian national anthem

 

Alongside with the visual symbols, i.e. the coat of arms and flags, each modern state also has its audio symbol which is its anthem. These symbols appeared several thousand years ago in Eastern countries. They were used in antiquity and dedicated to worshiping gods and rulers. Anthems were widely used by the Christian Church. National and state anthems started to be widely used in the 18th century.

 

The idea of having a national anthem of Lithuania, just like it was the case with the Lithuanian state flag, was born abroad. In the beginning, there were even several alternative songs to choose from. It was around 1880 that ordinands of Sejny Priest Seminary decided to consider the lyrics from Pan Tadeusz (Engl. Sir Thaddeus) by Adam Mickiewicz, beginning with the words Litwo! Ojczyzno moja! ty jesteś jak zdrowie (Eng. Lithuania, my fatherland! You are like health), the national anthem of Lithuania. It was performed as an anthem in the United States of America in 1888 during the congress of the Lithuanian diaspora. Other songs, such as Tu Lietuva, tu mieliausia motinėlė (Eng. You, Lithuania, you are my sweetest mother) by Antanas Baranauskas (lyrics) and Kur bėga Šešupė (Eng. Where Šešupė flows) by Jonas Mačiulis–Maironis (lyrics) and Česlovas Sasnauskas (music), with the potential to become a national anthem also circulated among American Lithuanians. An extremely popular song at the time was Georg Sauerwein’s Lietuvininkų pavasario giesmelė (Eng. Lithuanian spring song), otherwise called Lietuviais esame mes gimę (Eng. Lithuanians we are born), first performed in Tilsit in 1896. Combined with a new melody by Stasys Šimkus, this anthem of Lithuania Minor was sung during a song festival in Kaunas in 1908. However, another musical composition – the National Song – whose lyrics and melody were created by Vincas Kudirka, was eventually chosen as the national anthem of Lithuania. The lyrics and the sheet music of the National Song were published in Issue No 6 of the newspaper Varpas. The first ever public performance of the song took place in Saint Petersburg on 13 November 1899 during a concert dedicated to raising funds to support Lithuanian students. After the ban on Lithuanian press was lifted, the National Song could be heard at almost every public event. The choir led by Mikas Petrauskas was the first to perform it publicly in Lithuania on 6 June 1905 during an event of the Lithuanian society at Vilnius City Theatre. The anthem was repeated as many as three-times at the concert arranged on the eve of the assembly of the Great Seimas of Vilnius. Soon afterwards, the National Song was already performed all over Lithuania. It was recognised as the national anthem of Lithuania even before the restoration of the state of Lithuania. Later on, in 1917–1918, a discussion over its suitability opened up. Some people disliked the lyrics; others did not quite like the melody. However, the disputes gradually faded away.

 

After the Soviet Union occupied the Republic of Lithuania on 15 June 1940, the symbols of its statehood were banned. Severe punishments were imposed for their usage. The national anthem of the independent Lithuania was the only state symbol which was officially still used in the occupied Lithuania until 1950. Therefore, in some places in Lithuania, the National Song was sung while in other places The Internationale was performed. Following the approval of the anthem of the Lithuanian SSR in 1950, the National Song was banned altogether. In spite of that, it was still performed in the underground. On 18 November 1988, due to public pressure, the Supreme Council of the Lithuanian SSR officially resurrected the national anthem of Lithuania alongside the Lithuanian state flag.

 

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National anthem of Lithuania
(National Song)

Lithuania, our homeland,
Land of worshiped heroes!
Let your sons draw their strength
From our past experience.

 

Let your children always follow
Only roads of virtue,
May your own, mankind’s well-being
Be the goals they work for.

 

May the sun above our land
Banish darkening clouds around
Light and truth all along
Guide our steps forever.

 

May the love of Lithuania
Brightly burn in our hearts.
For the sake of this land
Let unity blossom.

 

Lyrics and music by Vincas Kudirka 

 

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The national anthem of Lithuania
performed by the Lithuanian Military Orchestra (conducted by Maj Egidijus Ališauskas)

 

The national anthem of Lithuania
performed by the Lithuanian Military Orchestra (conducted by Maj Egidijus Ališauskas) and
the State Song and Dance Ensemble Lietuva (directed by Robertas Katinskas)

 

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National anthem of Lithuania in legal acts

The national anthem of Lithuania is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania (The anthem of the State shall be Tautiška giesmė by Vincas Kudirka) and its performance is detailed in the Law on the National Anthem of the Republic of Lithuania.

 

The national anthem of Lithuania must be sung or played on the following occasions:

1) at the opening and closing of sessions of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania;

2) at the opening or closing of solemn sittings of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania;

3) at the beginning or ending of solemn gatherings and meetings dedicated to mark national holidays and commemorative days of the Republic of Lithuania;

4) when welcoming and bidding farewell to foreign heads of state and government on official visits to the Republic of Lithuania, but only after the anthem of the foreign country has been played;

5) when representing the Republic of Lithuania in other countries, on the basis of diplomatic protocol;

6) on programmes of the national TV – in the beginning of the programme – on a national holiday or on other days, if on that day the state flag is to be raised based on the Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania; on the national radio – in the beginning and at the end of the first radio programme on a daily basis;

7) when hoisting the Lithuanian state flag during public events of government and administrative authorities, enterprises, institutions and organisations.

 

National anthem in sport competitions

In case of national and international sport competitions, the national anthem of Lithuania is sung or played when the state flag is being hoisted.

 

Official performance of the national anthem

The national anthem may be performed by a choir, a choir or a soloist with an orchestra, or an orchestra only. A recording of the national anthem of Lithuania may also be used.

 

Performance of the national anthem at the Seimas

The national anthem of Lithuania is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania (The anthem of the State shall be Tautiška giesmė by Vincas Kudirka) and its performance is detailed in the Law on the National Anthem of the Republic of Lithuania.

The national anthem of Lithuania must be sung or played in the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the following occasions:

• at the opening and closing of sessions of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania;
• at the opening or closing of solemn sittings of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania;
• at the beginning or ending of solemn gatherings and meetings dedicated to mark national holidays and commemorative days of the Republic of Lithuania;
• at the ceremony of hoisting of the flags of the three Baltic States in Independence Square.

 

References:

Girdzijauskas, Vytautas. Himnas, Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija, 2018-08-09, https://www.vle.lt/Straipsnis/himnas-30200 

Lietuvos heraldika, sudarė Edmundas Rimša, Vilnius: Baltos lankos, 2008. 

Lietuvos heraldika, t. 1, sudarė Edmundas Rimša, Vilnius: Baltos lankos, 1998. 

Lietuvos Respublikos Aukščiausiosios Tarybos nutarimas „Dėl Lietuvos Respublikos įstatymo „Dėl Lietuvos valstybinio himno“ įsigaliojimo“, Vilnius, 1991 m. spalio 29 d., Nr. I-1929, Teisės aktų registras, https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/TAR.14AED6382F9B

Lietuvos Respublikos įstatymo „Dėl Lietuvos valstybinio himno" pakeitimo ir papildymo įstatymas“, Vilnius, 1999 m. gegužės 20 d., Nr. VIII-1196, Teisės aktų registras, https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/TAR.E9C11660FD35 

Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucija (Lietuvos Respublikos piliečių priimta 1992 m. spalio 25 d. referendume), galiojanti suvestinė redakcija (nuo 2019-09-01), Teisės aktų registras, https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/TAR.47BB952431DA/asr 

Lietuvos Respublikos valstybės himno įstatymas, Vilnius, 1991 m. spalio 29 d., Nr. I-1928, Teisės aktų registras, https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/TAR.40E832B5515A

Rimša, Edmundas. Heraldika. Iš praeities į dabartį, Vilnius: Versus aureus, 2004.

 

 

Prepared by Vilma Akmenytė-Ruzgienė, 
Office of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, Unit for Historical Memory of Parliamentarianism