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Und bist du klein, mein Vaterland, Ist schön doch keins wie du, Wenn Morgens ob den grünen Strand Aufblitzt am See die Fluh. Und keines blieb von Alters her Wie du so frei, so frei, Frei wie die Ros' am Gletschermeer Und ob der Firn der Weih! Und bist du klein, mein Vaterland, Getrost nur immer zu! Zum Walle schuf mit gnädger Hand Gott selbst dir Fluh an Flu', Und schaut herab so väterlich Und bleibt dein Schild und Lohn, Und schirmet dich und rettet dich Wie einst von seinem Thron! Sei einig nur, mein Vaterland! Ist klein auch keins wie du! Hellfreudig bis zum fernsten Strand [Verkünden's]1 Firn' und Fluh: Frei bleibst du wie von Alters her, [Noch lebe der Väter Gott]2! Und dräut ein Feind wie Sand am Meer, Sein Wink macht ihn zu Spott!
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View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, pages 281-282.
1 Nater: "Verkündet's"; Tauwitz: "Verkündet"2 Tauwitz: "Noch lebt der Vater Gott"
Text Authorship:
- by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), no title, appears in Liederbuch, in 4. Vaterlandslieder, no. 313 [author's text checked 2 times 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 Theodor Gaugler (1840 - 1892), "Und bist du klein, mein Vaterland", op. 22 no. 8, published 1876 [ ttbb chorus ], from Fünfzehn Lieder und Gesänge von Friedrich Oser zunächst für Volksgesang (vierstimmigen Männerchor), no. 8, Binningen: Kompfe [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johann Jakob Nater (1826 - 1906), "Und bist du klein, mein Vaterland", published 1872 [ ttbb chorus ], from Zwölf Lieder für vierstimmigen Männerchor, no. 8, Zürich und St. Gallen: Eigenthum und Verlag von P.J. Fries [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Eduard Tauwitz (1812 - 1894), "Und bist du klein, mein Vaterland", op. 88 no. 2, published 1872 [ mixed chorus ], Zürich: Selbstverlag des Herausgebers [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "And though you are small, my homeland", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2017-10-12
Line count: 24
Word count: 140
And though you are small, my homeland, There is no land as fair as you, When in the morning about the green shore Of the lake the rock face sparkles. And no land from ancient times Remained as free, as free as you, Free as the rose on the edge of the glacier And, above the old snow, the kite! And though you are small, my homeland, Only remain confident always! God Himself with merciful hand created Rock face beside rock face as a rampart for you. And gazes down so like a father And remains your shield and reward, And protects you and rescues you From His throne, as He did in the past! Only be united, my homeland! Though no land be as small as you are! Brightly joyous to the most distant shore, The old snow and the rock faces proclaim it: You shall remain free as of old, [The God of your fathers]1 still lives! And though your threatening enemies may be like the sands by the sea, A sign from Him makes a mockery of them!
1 Tauwitz: "God the father"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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 Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), no title, appears in Liederbuch, in 4. Vaterlandslieder, no. 313
This text was added to the website: 2025-02-20
Line count: 24
Word count: 183