Though on a foreign ocean shore
The heart flees to the old homeland,
And goes to the green heights of the Alps
On wings of quiet yearning,
There is yet a sign given to us
That fills our breast with courage,
When during the blessing of joyful celebrations
It reveals itself before our eyes:
  Unfurl, banner of the homeland,
  You white cross on the red background,
  In the midst of the tumult of the world, 
  All our love and joy rests in you!

What swells the heart with proud happiness
When the wave of singing roars?
It is a song of the homeland,
To which the lad already listened devoutly.
Like mountain air its sounds waft,
Like bells through a sunny valley,
Oh, only flow, ye tears of homesickness,
You do not flow for the last time!
  Unfurl, banner of freedom,
  You white cross on the red background,
  And flutter a greeting over to those
  Who dwell there upon the vault of heaven!

Upon bloody battlefields of victory
The old freedom burgeoned forth for us;
From out of misery and misjudgement it wafted
Upward in purity, a dove!
And there where even now in the final struggle
A nation swears allegiance to its flag,
There it becomes strong and courageous unto death
When it hears the cry to perish:
  Unfurl, banner of the homeland,
  You white cross on the red background,
  You admonish us with the voice of a mother:
  Every fighter is to be a hero!

Though the dark storms roar all around,
The alpine wall remains steadfast;
Thus shall our love for you
Also remain, oh cherished homeland!
And if you must someday fall in the storm,
Must break as an oak breaks,
A great legacy remains to us all,
You fall, -- but you shall not die:
  Unfurl, banner of freedom,
  You white cross on the red background,
  The sons of the old homeland carry you
  In triumph through the world!