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Wilhelmus

"Wilhelmus van Nassouwe", usually known just as "Wilhelmus" (Dutch: Het Wilhelmus; pronounced [ɦɛt ʋɪlˈɦɛlmʏs] ; English translation: "The William"), is the national anthem of both the Netherlands and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It dates back to at least 1572, making it the oldest national anthem in use today, provided that the latter is defined as consisting of both a melody and lyrics.[2][3] Although "Wilhelmus" 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.[4] It was also the anthem of the Netherlands Antilles from 1954 to 1964.

Wilhelmus
English: "William"
Early version of the Wilhelmus as preserved in a manuscript from 1617[1]

National anthem of the Netherlands
LyricsDisputed, between 1568 and 1572
Musicadapted by Adrianus Valerius, composer of original unknown, 1568
Adopted1574
17th century
10 May 1932; 91 years ago (1932-05-10) (official)
1954 (Netherlands Antilles)
Relinquished1964 (Netherlands Antilles)
Preceded byWien Neêrlands Bloed
Audio sample
"Wilhelmus" (instrumental, one stanza)

"Wilhelmus" originated in the Dutch Revolt, the nation's struggle to achieve independence from the Spanish Empire. It tells of the Father of the Nation William of Orange who was stadholder in the Netherlands under the King of Spain. In the first person, as if quoting himself, William speaks to the Dutch about both the revolt and his own, personal struggle: to be faithful to the king,[5] without being unfaithful to his conscience: to serve God and the Dutch. In the lyrics William compares himself with the biblical David who serves under the tyrannic king Saul. As the merciful David defeats the unjust Saul and is rewarded by God with the kingdom of Israel, so too William hopes to be rewarded with a kingdom. Both "Wilhelmus" and the Dutch Revolt should be seen in the light of the 16th century Reformation in Europe and the resulting persecution of Protestants by the Spanish Inquisition in the Low Countries. Militant music proved very useful not only in lampooning Roman clerks and repressive monarchs but also in generating class-transcending social cohesion. In successfully combining a psalmic character with political relevancy, "Wilhelmus" stands as the pre-eminent example of the genre.[6]

Inception edit

Origins of melody edit

The melody of "Wilhelmus" was borrowed from a well-known Roman Catholic French song titled "Autre chanson de la ville de Chartres assiégée par le prince de Condé",[7] or in short: "Chartres". This song ridiculed the failed Siege of Chartres in 1568 by the Huguenot (Protestant) Prince de Condé during the French Wars of Religion. However, the triumphant contents of "Wilhelmus" differ greatly from the content of the original song, making it subversive at several levels. Thus, the Dutch Protestants had taken over an anti-Protestant song, and adapted it into propaganda for their own agenda. In that way, "Wilhelmus" was typical for its time: it was common practice in the 16th century for warring groups to steal each other's songs in order to rewrite them.[5]

Even though the melody stems from 1568, the first known written down version of it comes from 1574; at the time the anthem was sung at a much quicker pace.[8] Dutch composer Adriaen Valerius recorded the current melody of "Wilhelmus" in his Nederlantsche Gedenck-clanck in 1626, slowing down the melody's pace, probably to allow it to be sung in churches.

 
Philips of Marnix presents "Wilhelmus" to William the Silent, by Jacob Spoel (ca 1850).

Origins of lyrics edit

The origins of the lyrics are uncertain. "Wilhelmus" was first written some time between the start of the Eighty Years' War in April 1568 and the capture of Brielle on 1 April 1572.[9] Soon after the anthem was finished it was said that either Philips of Marnix, a writer, statesman and former mayor of Antwerp, or Dirck Coornhert, a politician and theologian, wrote the lyrics. However, this is disputed as neither Marnix nor Coornhert ever mentioned that they had written the lyrics, even though the song was immensely popular in their time. "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 "Wilhelmus" was written, and it is said 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 "Wilhelmus" appeared around 1582.[10]

Recent stylometric research has mentioned Pieter Datheen as a possible author of the text of the Dutch national anthem.[11] Dutch and Flemish researchers (Meertens Institute, Utrecht University and University of Antwerp) discovered by chance a striking number of similarities between his style and the style of the national anthem.[12][13]

Structure and interpretation edit

The complete text comprises fifteen stanzas. The anthem is an acrostic: the first letters of the fifteen stanzas formed the name "Willem van Nassov" (Nassov was a contemporary orthographic variant of Nassau). In the current Dutch spelling the first words of the 12th and 13th stanzas begin with Z instead of S.

Like many of the songs of the period, it has a complex structure, composed around a thematic chiasmus: the text is symmetrical, in that verses one and 15 resemble one another in meaning, as do verses two and 14, three and 13, etc., until they converge in the 8th verse, the heart of the song: "Oh David, thou soughtest shelter from King Saul's tyranny. Even so I fled this welter", where the comparison is made not only between the biblical David and William of Orange as a merciful and just leader of the Dutch Revolt, but also between the tyrant King Saul and the Spanish crown, and between the promised land of Israel granted by God to David, and a kingdom granted by God to William.[14]

In the first person, as if quoting himself, William speaks about how his disagreement with his king troubles him; he tries to be faithful to his king,[5] but he is above all faithful to his conscience: to serve God and the Dutch people. Therefore, the last two lines of the first stanza indicate that the leader of the Dutch civil war against the Spanish Empire, of which they were part, had no specific quarrel with king Philip II of Spain, but rather with his emissaries in the Low Countries, such as Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba. This may have been because at the time (late 16th century) it was uncommon to doubt publicly the divine right of kings, who were accountable to God alone.[15] In 1581 the Netherlands nevertheless rejected the legitimacy of the king of Spain's rule over it in the Act of Abjuration.

"Duytschen" (in English generally translated as "Dutch", "native" or Germanic) in the first stanza is a reference to William's roots; its modern Dutch equivalent, "Duits", exclusively means "German", and it may refer to William's ancestral house (Nassau, Germany) or to the lands of the Holy Roman Empire, including the Netherlands.[16][17] But most probably it is simply a reference to the broader meaning of the word, which points out William as a "native" of the fatherland, as opposed to the king of Spain, who seldom or never visited the Netherlands. The prince thus states that his roots are Germanic rather than Romance – in spite of his being Prince of Orange as well.[18]

Performance edit

 
William I, leader of the Dutch Revolt, by Adriaen Thomasz. Key

History edit

First recording of the "Wilhelmus" in 1899
Vocal rendition of the "Wilhelmus" in 1920

Though only proclaimed the national anthem in 1932, the "Wilhelmus" already had a centuries-old history. It had been sung on many official occasions and at many important events since the outbreak of the Dutch Revolt in 1568, such as the siege of Haarlem in 1573 and the ceremonial entry of the Prince of Orange into Brussels on 18 September 1578.

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!".[19]

Another legend claims that following the Navigation Act 1651 (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 and last English warning shot, Tromp fired a full broadside, thereby beginning the Battle of Goodwin Sands and the First Anglo-Dutch War.[19]

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 Patriots, who 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 replaced by Hendrik Tollens' song Wien Neêrlands bloed door d'aderen vloeit, which was the official Dutch anthem from 1815 until 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.

Wilhelmus had a Malay translation of which was sung back when Indonesia was under Dutch colonial rule.[20]

During the German occupation of the Netherlands, Arthur Seyss-Inquart, the Nazi Reichskommissar, banned all the emblems of the Dutch royal family, including the "Wilhelmus". It was then taken up by all factions of the Dutch resistance, even those socialists who had previously taken an anti-monarchist stance. The pro-German Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging (NSB), who had sung the "Wilhelmus" at their meetings before the occupation, replaced it with Alle Man van Neerlands Stam ("All Men of Dutch Origin").[21] The anthem was drawn to the attention of the English-speaking world by the 1942 British war film, One of Our Aircraft Is Missing. The film concerns a Royal Air Force bomber crew who are shot down over the occupied Netherlands and are helped to escape by the local inhabitants. The melody is heard during the film as part of the campaign of passive resistance by the population, and it finishes with the coat of arms of the Netherlands on screen while the "Wilhelmus" is played.[22]

Current edit

 
First stanza of the "Wilhelmus"

The "Wilhelmus" is to be played only once at a ceremony or 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.

During international sport events, such as the World Cup, UEFA European Football Championship, the Olympic Games and the Dutch Grand Prix, the "Wilhelmus" is also played. In nearly every case the 1st and 6th stanzas (or repeating the last lines), or the 1st stanza alone, are sung/played rather than the entire song, which would result in about 15 minutes of music.[23]

The "Wilhelmus" is also widely used in Flemish nationalist gatherings as a symbol of cultural unity with the Netherlands. Yearly rallies like the "IJzerbedevaart" and the "Vlaams Nationaal Zangfeest" close with singing the 6th stanza, after which the Flemish national anthem "De Vlaamse Leeuw" is sung.

Variations edit

An important set of variations on the melody of "Wilhelmus van Nassouwe" is that by the blind carillon-player Jacob van Eyck in his mid-17th century collection of variations Der Fluyten Lust-hof.[24]

The 10-year old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed in 1766, while visiting Holland, a set of 7 variations for keyboard in D major on the song, now listed as K. 25.

Richard Strauss wrote his "Variationen über 'Wilhelm von Oraniên'" for military band in 1892. The manuscript which, it seems, was mislaid, is in the Koninklijke Collecties in the Hague. There is a recording available on YouTube by the Band of the Netherlands Royal Marines.

The royal anthem of Luxembourg (called "De Wilhelmus") is a variation on the Wilhelmus. 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". It is in official use since 1919.

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) used exactly the same melody as the "Wilhelmus".[citation needed] After the First World War this became extremely popular among German nationalist groups. It became one of the most popular songs of the SS, together with the Horst Wessel song.

The melody is also used in the Swedish folksong "Ack, Göta konungarike [sv]" ("Alas, Gothic kingdom"), written down in 1626. The song deals with the liberation struggle of Sweden under Gustav Vasa in the 16th century.

Lyrics edit

The "Wilhelmus" was first printed in a geuzenliedboek, literally "Beggars' songbook" in 1581. It used the following text as an introduction to the "Wilhelmus":'[citation needed]

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, Pater Patriae (Father of the Nation), 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 (1568)[citation needed]

Wilhelmus van Nassouwe
Ben ick van Duytschen bloet
Den Vaderlant getrouwe
Blyf ick tot in den doet:
Een Prince van Oraengien
Ben ick vrij onverveert,
Den Coninck van Hispaengien
Heb ick altijt gheeert.

In Godes vrees te leven
Heb ick altyt betracht,
Daerom ben ick verdreven
Om Landt om Luyd ghebracht:
Maer God sal mij regeren
Als een goet Instrument,
Dat ick zal wederkeeren
In mijnen Regiment.

Lydt u myn Ondersaten
Die oprecht zyn van aert,
Godt sal u niet verlaten
Al zijt ghy nu beswaert:
Die vroom begheert te leven
Bidt Godt nacht ende dach,
Dat hy my cracht wil gheven
Dat ick u helpen mach.

Lyf en goet al te samen
Heb ick u niet verschoont,
Mijn broeders hooch van Namen
Hebbent u oock vertoont:
Graef Adolff is ghebleven
In Vriesland in den slaech,
Syn Siel int ewich Leven
Verwacht den Jongsten dach.

Edel en Hooch gheboren
Van Keyserlicken Stam:
Een Vorst des Rijcks vercoren
Als een vroom Christen man,
Voor Godes Woort ghepreesen
Heb ick vrij onversaecht,
Als een Helt sonder vreesen
Mijn edel bloet ghewaecht.

Mijn Schilt ende betrouwen
Sijt ghy, o Godt mijn Heer,
Op u soo wil ick bouwen
Verlaet mij nimmermeer:
Dat ick doch vroom mach blijven
V dienaer taller stondt,
Die Tyranny verdrijven,
Die my mijn hert doorwondt.

Van al die my beswaren,
End mijn Vervolghers zijn,
Mijn Godt wilt doch bewaren
Den trouwen dienaer dijn:
Dat sy my niet verrasschen
In haren boosen moet,
Haer handen niet en wasschen
In mijn onschuldich bloet.

Als David moeste vluchten
Voor Saul den Tyran:
Soo heb ick moeten suchten
Met menich Edelman:
Maer Godt heeft hem verheven
Verlost uit alder noot,
Een Coninckrijk ghegheven
In Israel seer groot.

Na tsuer sal ick ontfanghen
Van Godt mijn Heer dat soet,
Daer na so doet verlanghen
Mijn Vorstelick ghemoet:
Dat is dat ick mach sterven
Met eeren in dat Velt,
Een eewich Rijck verwerven
Als een ghetrouwe Helt.

Niet doet my meer erbarmen
In mijnen wederspoet,
Dan dat men siet verarmen
Des Conincks Landen goet,
Dat van de Spaengiaerts crencken
O Edel Neerlandt soet,
Als ick daer aen ghedencke
Mijn Edel hert dat bloet.

Als een Prins op gheseten
Met mijner Heyres cracht,
Van den Tyran vermeten
Heb ick den Slach verwacht,
Die by Maestricht begraven
Bevreesden mijn ghewelt,
Mijn ruyters sach men draven.
Seer moedich door dat Velt.

Soo het den wille des Heeren
Op die tyt had gheweest,
Had ick gheern willen keeren
Van v dit swear tempeest:
Maer de Heer van hier boven
Die alle dinck regeert.
Diemen altijd moet loven
En heeftet niet begheert.

Seer Christlick was ghedreven
Mijn Princelick ghemoet,
Stantvastich is ghebleven
Mijn hert in teghenspoet,
Den Heer heb ick ghebeden
Van mijnes herten gront,
Dat hy mijn saeck wil reden,
Mijn onschult doen bekant.

Oorlof mijn arme Schapen
Die zijt in grooten noot,
V Herder sal niet slapen
Al zijt ghy nu verstroyt:
Tot Godt wilt v begheven,
Syn heylsaem Woort neemt aen,
Als vrome Christen leven,
Tsal hier haest zijn ghedaen.

Voor Godt wil ick belijden
End zijner grooter Macht,
Dat ick tot gheenen tijden
Den Coninck heb veracht:
Dan dat ick Godt den Heere
Der hoochster Maiesteyt,
Heb moeten obedieren,
Inder gherechticheyt.


Acrostic
WILLEM VAN NASSOV

Contemporary Dutch

Wilhelmus van Nassouwe
ben ik, van Duitsen bloed,
den vaderland getrouwe
blijf ik tot in den dood.
Een Prinse van Oranje
ben ik, vrij onverveerd,
den Koning van Hispanje
heb ik altijd geëerd.

In Godes vrees te leven
heb ik altijd betracht,
daarom ben ik verdreven,
om land, om luid gebracht.
Maar God zal mij regeren
als een goed instrument,
dat ik zal wederkeren
in mijnen regiment.

Lijdt u, mijn onderzaten
die oprecht zijt van aard,
God zal u niet verlaten,
al zijt gij nu bezwaard.
Die vroom begeert te leven,
bidt God nacht ende dag,
dat Hij mij kracht wil geven,
dat ik u helpen mag.

Lijf en goed al te samen
heb ik u niet verschoond,
mijn broeders hoog van namen
hebben 't u ook vertoond:
Graaf Adolf is gebleven
in Friesland in de slag,
zijn ziel in 't eeuwig leven
verwacht de jongste dag.

Edel en hooggeboren,
van keizerlijke stam,
een vorst des rijks verkoren,
als een vroom christenman,
voor Godes woord geprezen,
heb ik, vrij onversaagd,
als een held zonder vreze
mijn edel bloed gewaagd.

Mijn schild ende betrouwen
zijt Gij, o God mijn Heer,
op U zo wil ik bouwen,
verlaat mij nimmermeer.
Dat ik doch vroom mag blijven,
uw dienaar t'aller stond,
de tirannie verdrijven
die mij mijn hart doorwondt.

Van al die mij bezwaren
en mijn vervolgers zijn,
mijn God, wil doch bewaren
de trouwe dienaar dijn,
dat zij mij niet verrassen
in hunne boze moed,
hun handen niet en wassen
in mijn onschuldig bloed.

Als David moeste vluchten
voor Sauel den tiran,
zo heb ik moeten zuchten
als menig edelman.
Maar God heeft hem verheven,
verlost uit alder nood,
een koninkrijk gegeven
in Israël zeer groot.

Na 't zuur zal ik ontvangen
van God mijn Heer het zoet,
daarnaar zo doet verlangen
mijn vorstelijk gemoed:
dat is, dat ik mag sterven
met ere in dat veld,
een eeuwig rijk verwerven
als een getrouwe held.

Niets doet mij meer erbarmen
in mijne wederspoed
dan dat men ziet verarmen
des Konings landen goed.
Dat u de Spanjaards krenken,
o edel Neerland zoet,
als ik daaraan gedenke,
mijn edel hart dat bloedt.

Als een prins opgezeten
met mijner heireskracht,
van de tiran vermeten
heb ik de slag verwacht,
die, bij Maastricht begraven,
bevreesden mijn geweld;
mijn ruiters zag men draven
zeer moedig door dat veld.

Zo het de wil des Heren
op die tijd was geweest,
had ik geern willen keren
van u dit zwaar tempeest.
Maar de Heer van hierboven,
die alle ding regeert,
die men altijd moet loven,
Hij heeft het niet begeerd.

Zeer christlijk was gedreven
mijn prinselijk gemoed,
standvastig is gebleven
mijn hart in tegenspoed.
De Heer heb ik gebeden
uit mijnes harten grond,
dat Hij mijn zaak wil redden,
mijn onschuld maken kond.

Oorlof, mijn arme schapen
die zijt in grote nood,
uw herder zal niet slapen,
al zijt gij nu verstrooid.
Tot God wilt u begeven,
zijn heilzaam woord neemt aan,
als vrome christen leven,—
't zal hier haast zijn gedaan.

Voor God wil ik belijden
en zijne grote macht,
dat ik tot gene tijden
de Koning heb veracht,
dan dat ik God de Here,
de hoogste Majesteit,
heb moeten obediëren
in de gerechtigheid.

 
WILLEM VAN NAZZOV

Official free translation[25]

William of Nassau, scion
Of a German and ancient line,
I dedicate undying
Faith to this land of mine.
A prince I am, undaunted,
Of Orange, ever free,
To the king of Spain I've granted
A lifelong loyalty.

I've ever tried to live in
The fear of God's command
And therefore I've been driven,
From people, home, and land,
But God, I trust, will rate me
His willing instrument
And one day reinstate me
Into my government.

Let no despair betray you,
My subjects true and good.
The Lord will surely stay you
Though now you are pursued.
He who would live devoutly
Must pray God day and night
To throw His power about me
As champion of your right.

Life and my all for others
I sacrificed, for you!
And my illustrious brothers
Proved their devotion too.
Count Adolf, more's the pity,
Fell in the Frisian fray,
And in the eternal city
Awaits the judgement day.

I, nobly born, descended
From an imperial stock.
An empire's prince, defended
(Braving the battle's shock
Heroically and fearless
As pious Christian ought)
With my life's blood the peerless
Gospel of God our Lord.

A shield and my reliance,
O God, Thou ever wert.
I'll trust unto Thy guidance.
O leave me not ungirt.
That I may stay a pious
Servant of Thine for aye
And drive the plagues that try us
And tyranny away.

My God, I pray thee, save me
From all who do pursue
And threaten to enslave me,
Thy trusted servant true.
O Father, do not sanction
Their wicked, foul design,
Don't let them wash their hands in
This guiltless blood of mine.

O David, thou soughtest shelter
From King Saul's tyranny.
Even so I fled this welter
And many a lord with me.
But God the Lord did save me
From exile and its hell
And, in His mercy, gave him
A realm in Israel.

Fear not 't will rain sans ceasing
The clouds are bound to part.
I bide that sight so pleasing
Unto my princely heart,
Which is that I with honor
Encounter death in war,
And meet in heaven my Donor,
His faithful warrior.

Nothing so moves my pity
As seeing through these lands,
Field, village, town and city
Pillaged by roving hands.
O that the Spaniards rape thee,
My Netherlands so sweet,
The thought of that does grip me
Causing my heart to bleed.

A stride on steed of mettle
I've waited with my host
The tyrant's call to battle,
Who durst not do his boast.
For, near Maastricht ensconced,
He feared the force I wield.
My horsemen saw one bounce it
Bravely across the field.

Surely, if God had willed it,
When that fierce tempest blew,
My power would have stilled it,
Or turned its blast from you
But He who dwells in heaven,
Whence all our blessings flow,
For which aye praise be given,
Did not desire it so.

Steadfast my heart remaineth
In my adversity
My princely courage straineth
All nerves to live and be.
I've prayed the Lord my Master
With fervid heart and tense
To save me from disaster
And prove my innocence.

Alas! my flock. To sever
Is hard on us. Farewell.
Your Shepherd wakes, wherever
Dispersed you may dwell,
Pray God that He may ease you.
His Gospel be your cure.
Walk in the steps of Jesu
This life will not endure.

Unto the Lord His power
I do confession make
That ne'er at any hour
Ill of the King I spake.
But unto God, the greatest
Of Majesties I owe
Obedience first and latest,
For Justice wills it so.

 
WILLIAM OF NASSAU

IPA transcription of the first and sixth stanzas[a]

[ʋɪɫ.ˈɦɛɫ.mʏs vɑn nɑ.ˈsɑu̯.ø]
[bɛn ɪk vɑn ˈdœy̯t.sən blut]
[dɛn ˈvaː.dør.ˌɫɑnt ɣø.ˈtrɑu̯.ø]
[blɛi̯v ɪk tɔt ɪn dɛn doː(w)t]
[ən ˈprɪn.sø vɑn ˌoː(w).ˈrɑn.jø]
[bɛn ɪk frɛi̯ ˌɔn.vør.ˈveːrt]
[dɛn ˈkoː(w).nɪŋ vɑn ɦɪs.ˈspɑn.jø]
[ɦɛp ɪk ˈɑɫ.tɛi̯t ɣø.ˈeːrt]

[mɛi̯n sxɪɫt ˈɛn.dø bø.ˈtrɑu̯.ən]
[ˈzɛi̯t ɣɛi̯ oː(w) ɣɔt mɛi̯n ɦeːr]
[ɔp y zoː(w) ʋɪl ɪk ˈbɑu̯.ən]
[vər.ˈlaːt mɛi̯ ˌnɪ.mør.ˈmeːr]
[dɑt ɪk dɔx froː(w)m mɑɣ ˈblɛi̯.vən]
[yu̯ ˈdi.naːr ˈtɑ.lør stɔnt]
[dø ˌti.rɑ.ˈni vər.ˈdrɛi̯.vən]
[di mɛi̯ mɛi̯n ɦɑrt ˈdoːr.ʋɔnt]

Notes edit

References edit

  1. ^ M. de Bruin, "Het Wilhelmus tijdens de Republiek", in: L.P. Grijp (ed.), Nationale hymnen. Het Wilhelmus en zijn buren. Volkskundig bulletin 24 (1998), p. 16–42, 199–200; esp. p. 28 n. 65.
  2. ^ J. Leerssen: National Thought in Europe: A Cultural History, Amsterdam University Press, 2020, p. 103.
  3. ^ "Facts About National Anthems". www.national-anthems.org. The words of the Japanese anthem Kimigayo date from the 9th century.
  4. ^ "Netherlands – Het Wilhelmus". NationalAnthems.me. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  5. ^ a b c "Geuzenliedboek". cf.hum.uva.nl.
  6. ^ DeLapp, Nevada Levi (2014). The Reformed David(s) and the Question of Resistance to Tyranny: Reading the Bible in the 16th and 17th Centuries. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-567-65549-3.
  7. ^ "O la folle entreprise du Prince de Condé" (Wilhelmus van Nassau), c. 1568 on YouTube
  8. ^ "Het Wilhelmus" (reconstruction) on YouTube, in the pace of the 16th century version
  9. ^ "Louis Peter Grijp-lezing 10 mei 2016". Vimeo. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  10. ^ J. te Winkel, De ontwikkelingsgang der Nederlandsche letterkunde. Deel 2: Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche letterkunde van Middeleeuwen en Rederijkerstijd (Haarlem 1922), p. 491 n. 1. – via Digital Library for Dutch Literature
  11. ^ "Schrijver Wilhelmus is te ontdekken met computeralgoritme" (in Dutch). 10 May 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  12. ^ "Toevallig op Petrus Datheen stuiten" (in Dutch). 11 May 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  13. ^ "Louis Peter Grijp-lezing online" (in Dutch). 22 May 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  14. ^ DeLapp, Nevada Levi (28 August 2014). The Reformed David(s) and the Question of Resistance to Tyranny: Reading the Bible in the 16th and 17th Centuries. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 88–90. ISBN 9780567655493.
  15. ^ DeLapp, Nevada Levi (28 August 2014). The Reformed David(s) and the Question of Resistance to Tyranny: Reading the Bible in the 16th and 17th Centuries. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 155. ISBN 9780567655493.
  16. ^ Maria A. Schenkeveld, Dutch literature in the age of Rembrandt: themes and ideas (1991), 6
  17. ^ Leerssen, J. (1999). Nationaal denken in Europa: een cultuurhistorische schets. p. 29.
  18. ^ DeGrauwe, Luc (2002). Emerging Mother-Tongue Awareness: The special case of Dutch and German in the Middle Ages and the early Modern Period, in: Standardisation: studies from the Germanic languages. pp. 99–116.
  19. ^ a b van Doorn, T. H. "Het Wilhelmus, analyse van de inhoud, de structuur en de boodschap". www.cubra.nl. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  20. ^ "Lagu Wilhelmus dan Nasionalisme yang Dipaksakan di Hindia Belanda".
  21. ^ Dewulf, Jeroen (2010), Spirit of Resistance: Dutch Clandestine Literature During the Nazi Occupation, Camden House, New York ISBN 978-1-57113-493-6 (p. 115)
  22. ^ Furhammar, Leif and Isaksson, Folke (1971), Politics and film, Praeger Publishers, New York (p. 81)
  23. ^ Each of the 15 stanzas lasts 56 seconds, and the last stanza has a ritenuto.
  24. ^ Michel, Winfried; Hermien Teske, eds. (1984). Jacob van Eyck (ca. 1590–1657): Der Fluyten Lust-hof. Winterthur: Amadeus Verlag – Bernhard Päuler.
  25. ^ "Wilhelmus" music, lyrics and customs, Royal House of the Netherlands

External links edit

  •   Media related to Wilhelmus at Wikimedia Commons
  • Sheet music of "Wilhelmus"
  • "Wilhelmus", vocal version of the first and sixth verse at the Himnuszok website (in Hungarian)
  • A song for Prince William authentic version on youtube
  • Strauss: "Variationen über 'Wilhelm von Oraniên'" for military band

wilhelmus, this, article, about, national, anthem, netherlands, confused, with, grand, ducal, anthem, luxembourg, nassouwe, usually, known, just, dutch, pronounced, ɦɛt, ʋɪlˈɦɛlmʏs, english, translation, william, national, anthem, both, netherlands, kingdom, n. This article is about the national anthem of the Netherlands It is not to be confused with the grand ducal anthem of Luxembourg De Wilhelmus Wilhelmus van Nassouwe usually known just as Wilhelmus Dutch Het Wilhelmus pronounced ɦɛt ʋɪlˈɦɛlmʏs English translation The William is the national anthem of both the Netherlands and the Kingdom of the Netherlands It dates back to at least 1572 making it the oldest national anthem in use today provided that the latter is defined as consisting of both a melody and lyrics 2 3 Although Wilhelmus 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 4 It was also the anthem of the Netherlands Antilles from 1954 to 1964 WilhelmusEnglish William Early version of the Wilhelmus as preserved in a manuscript from 1617 1 National anthem of the NetherlandsLyricsDisputed between 1568 and 1572Musicadapted by Adrianus Valerius composer of original unknown 1568Adopted157417th century10 May 1932 91 years ago 1932 05 10 official 1954 Netherlands Antilles Relinquished1964 Netherlands Antilles Preceded byWien Neerlands BloedAudio sample source source source track track track track track Wilhelmus instrumental one stanza filehelp Wilhelmus originated in the Dutch Revolt the nation s struggle to achieve independence from the Spanish Empire It tells of the Father of the Nation William of Orange who was stadholder in the Netherlands under the King of Spain In the first person as if quoting himself William speaks to the Dutch about both the revolt and his own personal struggle to be faithful to the king 5 without being unfaithful to his conscience to serve God and the Dutch In the lyrics William compares himself with the biblical David who serves under the tyrannic king Saul As the merciful David defeats the unjust Saul and is rewarded by God with the kingdom of Israel so too William hopes to be rewarded with a kingdom Both Wilhelmus and the Dutch Revolt should be seen in the light of the 16th century Reformation in Europe and the resulting persecution of Protestants by the Spanish Inquisition in the Low Countries Militant music proved very useful not only in lampooning Roman clerks and repressive monarchs but also in generating class transcending social cohesion In successfully combining a psalmic character with political relevancy Wilhelmus stands as the pre eminent example of the genre 6 Contents 1 Inception 1 1 Origins of melody 1 2 Origins of lyrics 2 Structure and interpretation 3 Performance 3 1 History 3 2 Current 4 Variations 5 Lyrics 6 Notes 7 References 8 External linksInception editOrigins of melody edit The melody of Wilhelmus was borrowed from a well known Roman Catholic French song titled Autre chanson de la ville de Chartres assiegee par le prince de Conde 7 or in short Chartres This song ridiculed the failed Siege of Chartres in 1568 by the Huguenot Protestant Prince de Conde during the French Wars of Religion However the triumphant contents of Wilhelmus differ greatly from the content of the original song making it subversive at several levels Thus the Dutch Protestants had taken over an anti Protestant song and adapted it into propaganda for their own agenda In that way Wilhelmus was typical for its time it was common practice in the 16th century for warring groups to steal each other s songs in order to rewrite them 5 Even though the melody stems from 1568 the first known written down version of it comes from 1574 at the time the anthem was sung at a much quicker pace 8 Dutch composer Adriaen Valerius recorded the current melody of Wilhelmus in his Nederlantsche Gedenck clanck in 1626 slowing down the melody s pace probably to allow it to be sung in churches nbsp Philips of Marnix presents Wilhelmus to William the Silent by Jacob Spoel ca 1850 Origins of lyrics edit The origins of the lyrics are uncertain Wilhelmus was first written some time between the start of the Eighty Years War in April 1568 and the capture of Brielle on 1 April 1572 9 Soon after the anthem was finished it was said that either Philips of Marnix a writer statesman and former mayor of Antwerp or Dirck Coornhert a politician and theologian wrote the lyrics However this is disputed as neither Marnix nor Coornhert ever mentioned that they had written the lyrics even though the song was immensely popular in their time 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 Wilhelmus was written and it is said 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 Wilhelmus appeared around 1582 10 Recent stylometric research has mentioned Pieter Datheen as a possible author of the text of the Dutch national anthem 11 Dutch and Flemish researchers Meertens Institute Utrecht University and University of Antwerp discovered by chance a striking number of similarities between his style and the style of the national anthem 12 13 Structure and interpretation editSee also Theodiscus and Terminology of the Low Countries The complete text comprises fifteen stanzas The anthem is an acrostic the first letters of the fifteen stanzas formed the name Willem van Nassov Nassov was a contemporary orthographic variant of Nassau In the current Dutch spelling the first words of the 12th and 13th stanzas begin with Z instead of S Like many of the songs of the period it has a complex structure composed around a thematic chiasmus the text is symmetrical in that verses one and 15 resemble one another in meaning as do verses two and 14 three and 13 etc until they converge in the 8th verse the heart of the song Oh David thou soughtest shelter from King Saul s tyranny Even so I fled this welter where the comparison is made not only between the biblical David and William of Orange as a merciful and just leader of the Dutch Revolt but also between the tyrant King Saul and the Spanish crown and between the promised land of Israel granted by God to David and a kingdom granted by God to William 14 In the first person as if quoting himself William speaks about how his disagreement with his king troubles him he tries to be faithful to his king 5 but he is above all faithful to his conscience to serve God and the Dutch people Therefore the last two lines of the first stanza indicate that the leader of the Dutch civil war against the Spanish Empire of which they were part had no specific quarrel with king Philip II of Spain but rather with his emissaries in the Low Countries such as Fernando Alvarez de Toledo 3rd Duke of Alba This may have been because at the time late 16th century it was uncommon to doubt publicly the divine right of kings who were accountable to God alone 15 In 1581 the Netherlands nevertheless rejected the legitimacy of the king of Spain s rule over it in the Act of Abjuration Duytschen in English generally translated as Dutch native or Germanic in the first stanza is a reference to William s roots its modern Dutch equivalent Duits exclusively means German and it may refer to William s ancestral house Nassau Germany or to the lands of the Holy Roman Empire including the Netherlands 16 17 But most probably it is simply a reference to the broader meaning of the word which points out William as a native of the fatherland as opposed to the king of Spain who seldom or never visited the Netherlands The prince thus states that his roots are Germanic rather than Romance in spite of his being Prince of Orange as well 18 Performance edit nbsp William I leader of the Dutch Revolt by Adriaen Thomasz KeyHistory edit source source track First recording of the Wilhelmus in 1899 source source Vocal rendition of the Wilhelmus in 1920Though only proclaimed the national anthem in 1932 the Wilhelmus already had a centuries old history It had been sung on many official occasions and at many important events since the outbreak of the Dutch Revolt in 1568 such as the siege of Haarlem in 1573 and the ceremonial entry of the Prince of Orange into Brussels on 18 September 1578 It has been claimed that during the gruesome torture of Balthasar Gerard the assassin of William of Orange in 1584 the song was sung by the guards who sought to overpower Gerard s screams when boiling pigs fat was poured over him Gerard allegedly responded Sing Dutch sinners Sing But know that soon I shall be sung of 19 Another legend claims that following the Navigation Act 1651 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 and last English warning shot Tromp fired a full broadside thereby beginning the Battle of Goodwin Sands and the First Anglo Dutch War 19 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 Patriots who 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 replaced by Hendrik Tollens song Wien Neerlands bloed door d aderen vloeit which was the official Dutch anthem from 1815 until 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 Wilhelmus had a Malay translation of which was sung back when Indonesia was under Dutch colonial rule 20 During the German occupation of the Netherlands Arthur Seyss Inquart the Nazi Reichskommissar banned all the emblems of the Dutch royal family including the Wilhelmus It was then taken up by all factions of the Dutch resistance even those socialists who had previously taken an anti monarchist stance The pro German Nationaal Socialistische Beweging NSB who had sung the Wilhelmus at their meetings before the occupation replaced it with Alle Man van Neerlands Stam All Men of Dutch Origin 21 The anthem was drawn to the attention of the English speaking world by the 1942 British war film One of Our Aircraft Is Missing The film concerns a Royal Air Force bomber crew who are shot down over the occupied Netherlands and are helped to escape by the local inhabitants The melody is heard during the film as part of the campaign of passive resistance by the population and it finishes with the coat of arms of the Netherlands on screen while the Wilhelmus is played 22 Current edit nbsp First stanza of the Wilhelmus The Wilhelmus is to be played only once at a ceremony or 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 During international sport events such as the World Cup UEFA European Football Championship the Olympic Games and the Dutch Grand Prix the Wilhelmus is also played In nearly every case the 1st and 6th stanzas or repeating the last lines or the 1st stanza alone are sung played rather than the entire song which would result in about 15 minutes of music 23 The Wilhelmus is also widely used in Flemish nationalist gatherings as a symbol of cultural unity with the Netherlands Yearly rallies like the IJzerbedevaart and the Vlaams Nationaal Zangfeest close with singing the 6th stanza after which the Flemish national anthem De Vlaamse Leeuw is sung Variations editAn important set of variations on the melody of Wilhelmus van Nassouwe is that by the blind carillon player Jacob van Eyck in his mid 17th century collection of variations Der Fluyten Lust hof 24 The 10 year old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed in 1766 while visiting Holland a set of 7 variations for keyboard in D major on the song now listed as K 25 Richard Strauss wrote his Variationen uber Wilhelm von Oranien for military band in 1892 The manuscript which it seems was mislaid is in the Koninklijke Collecties in the Hague There is a recording available on YouTube by the Band of the Netherlands Royal Marines The royal anthem of Luxembourg called De Wilhelmus is a variation on the Wilhelmus 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 It is in official use since 1919 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 used exactly the same melody as the Wilhelmus citation needed After the First World War this became extremely popular among German nationalist groups It became one of the most popular songs of the SS together with the Horst Wessel song The melody is also used in the Swedish folksong Ack Gota konungarike sv Alas Gothic kingdom written down in 1626 The song deals with the liberation struggle of Sweden under Gustav Vasa in the 16th century Lyrics edit nbsp The Wilhelmus source source track track track Choir accompanied by an organ sings the first and sixth stanza Problems playing this file See media help The Wilhelmus was first printed in a geuzenliedboek literally Beggars songbook in 1581 It used the following text as an introduction to the Wilhelmus citation needed 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 Pater Patriae Father of the Nation 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 1568 citation needed Wilhelmus van Nassouwe Ben ick van Duytschen bloet Den Vaderlant getrouwe Blyf ick tot in den doet Een Prince van Oraengien Ben ick vrij onverveert Den Coninck van Hispaengien Heb ick altijt gheeert In Godes vrees te leven Heb ick altyt betracht Daerom ben ick verdreven Om Landt om Luyd ghebracht Maer God sal mij regeren Als een goet Instrument Dat ick zal wederkeeren In mijnen Regiment Lydt u myn Ondersaten Die oprecht zyn van aert Godt sal u niet verlaten Al zijt ghy nu beswaert Die vroom begheert te leven Bidt Godt nacht ende dach Dat hy my cracht wil gheven Dat ick u helpen mach Lyf en goet al te samen Heb ick u niet verschoont Mijn broeders hooch van Namen Hebbent u oock vertoont Graef Adolff is ghebleven In Vriesland in den slaech Syn Siel int ewich Leven Verwacht den Jongsten dach Edel en Hooch gheboren Van Keyserlicken Stam Een Vorst des Rijcks vercoren Als een vroom Christen man Voor Godes Woort ghepreesen Heb ick vrij onversaecht Als een Helt sonder vreesen Mijn edel bloet ghewaecht Mijn Schilt ende betrouwen Sijt ghy o Godt mijn Heer Op u soo wil ick bouwen Verlaet mij nimmermeer Dat ick doch vroom mach blijven V dienaer taller stondt Die Tyranny verdrijven Die my mijn hert doorwondt Van al die my beswaren End mijn Vervolghers zijn Mijn Godt wilt doch bewaren Den trouwen dienaer dijn Dat sy my niet verrasschen In haren boosen moet Haer handen niet en wasschen In mijn onschuldich bloet Als David moeste vluchten Voor Saul den Tyran Soo heb ick moeten suchten Met menich Edelman Maer Godt heeft hem verheven Verlost uit alder noot Een Coninckrijk ghegheven In Israel seer groot Na tsuer sal ick ontfanghen Van Godt mijn Heer dat soet Daer na so doet verlanghen Mijn Vorstelick ghemoet Dat is dat ick mach sterven Met eeren in dat Velt Een eewich Rijck verwerven Als een ghetrouwe Helt Niet doet my meer erbarmen In mijnen wederspoet Dan dat men siet verarmen Des Conincks Landen goet Dat van de Spaengiaerts crencken O Edel Neerlandt soet Als ick daer aen ghedencke Mijn Edel hert dat bloet Als een Prins op gheseten Met mijner Heyres cracht Van den Tyran vermeten Heb ick den Slach verwacht Die by Maestricht begraven Bevreesden mijn ghewelt Mijn ruyters sach men draven Seer moedich door dat Velt Soo het den wille des Heeren Op die tyt had gheweest Had ick gheern willen keeren Van v dit swear tempeest Maer de Heer van hier boven Die alle dinck regeert Diemen altijd moet loven En heeftet niet begheert Seer Christlick was ghedreven Mijn Princelick ghemoet Stantvastich is ghebleven Mijn hert in teghenspoet Den Heer heb ick ghebeden Van mijnes herten gront Dat hy mijn saeck wil reden Mijn onschult doen bekant Oorlof mijn arme Schapen Die zijt in grooten noot V Herder sal niet slapen Al zijt ghy nu verstroyt Tot Godt wilt v begheven Syn heylsaem Woort neemt aen Als vrome Christen leven Tsal hier haest zijn ghedaen Voor Godt wil ick belijden End zijner grooter Macht Dat ick tot gheenen tijden Den Coninck heb veracht Dan dat ick Godt den Heere Der hoochster Maiesteyt Heb moeten obedieren Inder gherechticheyt AcrosticWILLEM VAN NASSOV Contemporary DutchWilhelmus van Nassouwe ben ik van Duitsen bloed den vaderland getrouwe blijf ik tot in den dood Een Prinse van Oranje ben ik vrij onverveerd den Koning van Hispanje heb ik altijd geeerd In Godes vrees te leven heb ik altijd betracht daarom ben ik verdreven om land om luid gebracht Maar God zal mij regeren als een goed instrument dat ik zal wederkeren in mijnen regiment Lijdt u mijn onderzaten die oprecht zijt van aard God zal u niet verlaten al zijt gij nu bezwaard Die vroom begeert te leven bidt God nacht ende dag dat Hij mij kracht wil geven dat ik u helpen mag Lijf en goed al te samen heb ik u niet verschoond mijn broeders hoog van namen hebben t u ook vertoond Graaf Adolf is gebleven in Friesland in de slag zijn ziel in t eeuwig leven verwacht de jongste dag Edel en hooggeboren van keizerlijke stam een vorst des rijks verkoren als een vroom christenman voor Godes woord geprezen heb ik vrij onversaagd als een held zonder vreze mijn edel bloed gewaagd Mijn schild ende betrouwen zijt Gij o God mijn Heer op U zo wil ik bouwen verlaat mij nimmermeer Dat ik doch vroom mag blijven uw dienaar t aller stond de tirannie verdrijven die mij mijn hart doorwondt Van al die mij bezwaren en mijn vervolgers zijn mijn God wil doch bewaren de trouwe dienaar dijn dat zij mij niet verrassen in hunne boze moed hun handen niet en wassen in mijn onschuldig bloed Als David moeste vluchten voor Sauel den tiran zo heb ik moeten zuchten als menig edelman Maar God heeft hem verheven verlost uit alder nood een koninkrijk gegeven in Israel zeer groot Na t zuur zal ik ontvangen van God mijn Heer het zoet daarnaar zo doet verlangen mijn vorstelijk gemoed dat is dat ik mag sterven met ere in dat veld een eeuwig rijk verwerven als een getrouwe held Niets doet mij meer erbarmen in mijne wederspoed dan dat men ziet verarmen des Konings landen goed Dat u de Spanjaards krenken o edel Neerland zoet als ik daaraan gedenke mijn edel hart dat bloedt Als een prins opgezeten met mijner heireskracht van de tiran vermeten heb ik de slag verwacht die bij Maastricht begraven bevreesden mijn geweld mijn ruiters zag men draven zeer moedig door dat veld Zo het de wil des Heren op die tijd was geweest had ik geern willen keren van u dit zwaar tempeest Maar de Heer van hierboven die alle ding regeert die men altijd moet loven Hij heeft het niet begeerd Zeer christlijk was gedreven mijn prinselijk gemoed standvastig is gebleven mijn hart in tegenspoed De Heer heb ik gebeden uit mijnes harten grond dat Hij mijn zaak wil redden mijn onschuld maken kond Oorlof mijn arme schapen die zijt in grote nood uw herder zal niet slapen al zijt gij nu verstrooid Tot God wilt u begeven zijn heilzaam woord neemt aan als vrome christen leven t zal hier haast zijn gedaan Voor God wil ik belijden en zijne grote macht dat ik tot gene tijden de Koning heb veracht dan dat ik God de Here de hoogste Majesteit heb moeten obedieren in de gerechtigheid WILLEM VAN NAZZOV Official free translation 25 William of Nassau scion Of a German and ancient line I dedicate undying Faith to this land of mine A prince I am undaunted Of Orange ever free To the king of Spain I ve granted A lifelong loyalty I ve ever tried to live in The fear of God s command And therefore I ve been driven From people home and land But God I trust will rate me His willing instrument And one day reinstate me Into my government Let no despair betray you My subjects true and good The Lord will surely stay you Though now you are pursued He who would live devoutly Must pray God day and night To throw His power about me As champion of your right Life and my all for others I sacrificed for you And my illustrious brothers Proved their devotion too Count Adolf more s the pity Fell in the Frisian fray And in the eternal city Awaits the judgement day I nobly born descended From an imperial stock An empire s prince defended Braving the battle s shock Heroically and fearless As pious Christian ought With my life s blood the peerless Gospel of God our Lord A shield and my reliance O God Thou ever wert I ll trust unto Thy guidance O leave me not ungirt That I may stay a pious Servant of Thine for aye And drive the plagues that try us And tyranny away My God I pray thee save me From all who do pursue And threaten to enslave me Thy trusted servant true O Father do not sanction Their wicked foul design Don t let them wash their hands in This guiltless blood of mine O David thou soughtest shelter From King Saul s tyranny Even so I fled this welter And many a lord with me But God the Lord did save me From exile and its hell And in His mercy gave him A realm in Israel Fear not t will rain sans ceasing The clouds are bound to part I bide that sight so pleasing Unto my princely heart Which is that I with honor Encounter death in war And meet in heaven my Donor His faithful warrior Nothing so moves my pity As seeing through these lands Field village town and city Pillaged by roving hands O that the Spaniards rape thee My Netherlands so sweet The thought of that does grip me Causing my heart to bleed A stride on steed of mettle I ve waited with my host The tyrant s call to battle Who durst not do his boast For near Maastricht ensconced He feared the force I wield My horsemen saw one bounce it Bravely across the field Surely if God had willed it When that fierce tempest blew My power would have stilled it Or turned its blast from you But He who dwells in heaven Whence all our blessings flow For which aye praise be given Did not desire it so Steadfast my heart remaineth In my adversity My princely courage straineth All nerves to live and be I ve prayed the Lord my Master With fervid heart and tense To save me from disaster And prove my innocence Alas my flock To sever Is hard on us Farewell Your Shepherd wakes wherever Dispersed you may dwell Pray God that He may ease you His Gospel be your cure Walk in the steps of Jesu This life will not endure Unto the Lord His power I do confession make That ne er at any hour Ill of the King I spake But unto God the greatest Of Majesties I owe Obedience first and latest For Justice wills it so WILLIAM OF NASSAU IPA transcription of the first and sixth stanzas a ʋɪɫ ˈɦɛɫ mʏs vɑn nɑ ˈsɑu o bɛn ɪk vɑn ˈdœy t sen blut dɛn ˈvaː dor ˌɫɑnt ɣo ˈtrɑu o blɛi v ɪk tɔt ɪn dɛn doː w t en ˈprɪn so vɑn ˌoː w ˈrɑn jo bɛn ɪk frɛi ˌɔn vor ˈveːrt dɛn ˈkoː w nɪŋ vɑn ɦɪs ˈspɑn jo ɦɛp ɪk ˈɑɫ tɛi t ɣo ˈeːrt mɛi n sxɪɫt ˈɛn do bo ˈtrɑu en ˈzɛi t ɣɛi oː w ɣɔt mɛi n ɦeːr ɔp y zoː w ʋɪl ɪk ˈbɑu en ver ˈlaːt mɛi ˌnɪ mor ˈmeːr dɑt ɪk dɔx froː w m mɑɣ ˈblɛi ven yu ˈdi naːr ˈtɑ lor stɔnt do ˌti rɑ ˈni ver ˈdrɛi ven di mɛi mɛi n ɦɑrt ˈdoːr ʋɔnt Notes edit See Help IPA Dutch and Dutch phonology References edit M de Bruin Het Wilhelmus tijdens de Republiek in L P Grijp ed Nationale hymnen Het Wilhelmus en zijn buren Volkskundig bulletin 24 1998 p 16 42 199 200 esp p 28 n 65 J Leerssen National Thought in Europe A Cultural History Amsterdam University Press 2020 p 103 Facts About National Anthems www national anthems org The words of the Japanese anthem Kimigayo date from the 9th century Netherlands Het Wilhelmus NationalAnthems me Retrieved 21 November 2011 a b c Geuzenliedboek cf hum uva nl DeLapp Nevada Levi 2014 The Reformed David s and the Question of Resistance to Tyranny Reading the Bible in the 16th and 17th Centuries Bloomsbury Publishing p 87 ISBN 978 0 567 65549 3 O la folle entreprise du Prince de Conde Wilhelmus van Nassau c 1568 on YouTube Het Wilhelmus reconstruction on YouTube in the pace of the 16th century version Louis Peter Grijp lezing 10 mei 2016 Vimeo Retrieved 13 August 2016 J te Winkel De ontwikkelingsgang der Nederlandsche letterkunde Deel 2 Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche letterkunde van Middeleeuwen en Rederijkerstijd Haarlem 1922 p 491 n 1 via Digital Library for Dutch Literature Schrijver Wilhelmus is te ontdekken met computeralgoritme in Dutch 10 May 2016 Retrieved 13 August 2016 Toevallig op Petrus Datheen stuiten in Dutch 11 May 2016 Retrieved 13 August 2016 Louis Peter Grijp lezing online in Dutch 22 May 2016 Retrieved 13 August 2016 DeLapp Nevada Levi 28 August 2014 The Reformed David s and the Question of Resistance to Tyranny Reading the Bible in the 16th and 17th Centuries Bloomsbury Publishing pp 88 90 ISBN 9780567655493 DeLapp Nevada Levi 28 August 2014 The Reformed David s and the Question of Resistance to Tyranny Reading the Bible in the 16th and 17th Centuries Bloomsbury Publishing p 155 ISBN 9780567655493 Maria A Schenkeveld Dutch literature in the age of Rembrandt themes and ideas 1991 6 Leerssen J 1999 Nationaal denken in Europa een cultuurhistorische schets p 29 DeGrauwe Luc 2002 Emerging Mother Tongue Awareness The special case of Dutch and German in the Middle Ages and the early Modern Period in Standardisation studies from the Germanic languages pp 99 116 a b van Doorn T H Het Wilhelmus analyse van de inhoud de structuur en de boodschap www cubra nl Retrieved 14 August 2016 Lagu Wilhelmus dan Nasionalisme yang Dipaksakan di Hindia Belanda Dewulf Jeroen 2010 Spirit of Resistance Dutch Clandestine Literature During the Nazi Occupation Camden House New York ISBN 978 1 57113 493 6 p 115 Furhammar Leif and Isaksson Folke 1971 Politics and film Praeger Publishers New York p 81 Each of the 15 stanzas lasts 56 seconds and the last stanza has a ritenuto Michel Winfried Hermien Teske eds 1984 Jacob van Eyck ca 1590 1657 Der Fluyten Lust hof Winterthur Amadeus Verlag Bernhard Pauler Wilhelmus music lyrics and customs Royal House of the NetherlandsExternal links edit nbsp English Wikisource has original text related to this article Het Wilhelmus nbsp Media related to Wilhelmus at Wikimedia Commons Sheet music of Wilhelmus Wilhelmus vocal version of the first and sixth verse at the Himnuszok website in Hungarian A song for Prince William authentic version on youtube Strauss Variationen uber Wilhelm von Oranien for military band Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wilhelmus amp oldid 1192522824, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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