My Switzerland, how beautiful you are

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by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Wie bist du schön, o Schweizerland

(Sung text for setting by T. Gaugler)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

  O Schweizerland, wie bist du so schön
Mit deinen Seeen, deinen Höhn!
  O herbes Weh', o harte Buß,
Wenn Einer von dir scheiden muß!

  Leb wohl, leb wohl! Vom Felsenrand
Sei dir mein letzter Gruß gesandt,
  Leb wohl, leb wohl! In Freud' und Noth 
Bleib' treu ich dir bis in den Tod!

  Mein Schweizerland! wie lachst so hold
Mir zu du noch im Abendgold!
  Wie klingt das Horn von Berg und Thal,
Leb wohl, leb wohl zum letzten Mal!

Mein liebes, teures Schweizerland!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,4(line4) of the original text.

Note: Gaugler's changes apply to both settings.

Composition:

Theodor Gaugler

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Mein Schweizerland! wie bist du schön!", appears in Liederbuch, in 4. Vaterlandslieder, no. 302

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2020-09-11
Line count: 16
Word count: 105

How beautiful you are, oh Switzerland

(Sung text translation for setting by T. Gaugler)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

  Oh Switzerland, how you are so beautiful
With your lakes, your heights!
  Oh bitter pain, oh hard penance,
When one must depart from you!

  Farewell, farewell! From the edge of the cliff
May my last greeting be sent to you,
  Farewell, farewell! In joy and adversity
I shall remain true to you until I die!

  My Switzerland! how you smile so beautifully
To me still in the evening gold!
  How the horn sounds from the mountain and the valley,
Farewell, farewell for the last time!

My dear, precious Switzerland!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,4(line4) of the original text.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 by Sharon Krebs, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Mein Schweizerland! wie bist du schön!", appears in Liederbuch, in 4. Vaterlandslieder, no. 302
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This text was added to the website: 2026-06-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 110