To free Swisshood | Dedicate to true Swisshood

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by Leonhard Widmer (1808 - 1868)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Dem freien Schweizerthume

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

  Weih' dem ächten Schweizerthume, 
Sohn der Ahnen, Herz und Hand, 
Daß der Alpen reichste Blume, 
Daß die Freiheit blüh' im Vaterland! 
Edler, großer, heil'ger Name, 
Du, dem Starken nur bewußt, 
Glüh', als reine Gottesflamme, 
Tief in jedes Schweizers Brust. 

  Freie Sitten, freie Rechte, 
Freier Glaube, freies Wort! 
Licht und Wahrheit dem Geschlechte! 
Nimm, o Schweizer, nimm sie dir zum Hort! 
Der zur Höh' den Pfad gelichtet, 
Ist der freien Thaten Gott! 
Wenn dein Volk auf sie verzichtet, 
Ist dein Schweizername todt. 

  Wie die Väter einst gestritten 
Für des Landes höchstes Gut, 
Zieh' aus deinen freien Hütten, 
Und vergieß, vergieß dein Heldenblut! 
Kämpfe, wie das Licht mit Schatten, 
Wenn die Nacht dich übermannt! 
Weih' dein Leben edeln Thaten, 
Weih's dem freien Vaterland!

Confirmed with Alpenröschen. Schweizerisches Taschen-Liederbuch, Zweite, vermehrte Auflage, Bern: J. Heuberger's Buchhandlung, [no year], page 21.

Text Authorship:

by Leonhard Widmer (1808 - 1868), "Dem freien Schweizerthume" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Wilhelm Sturm (1842 - 1922), "Dem freien Schweizerthume", op. 26 no. 2, published 1880 [ ttbb chorus ], Biel: Kuhn [sung text not yet checked]

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

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

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-11-13
Line count: 24
Word count: 122

To free Swisshood

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

  Dedicate to true Swisshood,
Son of the Alps, your heart and hand,
So that the richest flower of the Alps,
So that freedom may bloom in the homeland!
Noble, great, holy name,
You, known only to the strong,
Glow as a pure flame of God
Deep within every Swiss breast.

  Free customs, free rights,
Free faith, free speech!
Light and truth to our people!
Take, oh Swiss, take them for your refuge!
He who has lighted the way to the heights
Is the God of free deeds!
If your people were to neglect them,
Your Swiss name would perish.

  As the forefathers once fought
For the greatest good of the land,
Come forth from your free cottages
And let flow, let flow your heroic blood!
When night wishes to overcome you,
Fight as light fights with shadows!
Dedicate your life to noble deeds,
Dedicate it to your free homeland!

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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Leonhard Widmer (1808 - 1868), "Dem freien Schweizerthume"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2026-03-01
Line count: 24
Word count: 150