What Is The Denmark National Anthem: English Translation, Original Lyrics And History

Sally Polly January 30, 2022 | 07:10

"Der er et yndigt land" ("There is a lovely country") is one of the two national anthems of Denmark. Learn more about its history, original lyrics and English translation.

What Is The Denmark National Anthem: English Translation, Original Lyrics And History. Photo: JR Videos

"Der er et yndigt land" ("There is a lovely country") is one of the two national anthems of Denmark. Denmark is one of only two countries in the world with two official national anthems. Here’s everything to know about ‘Der er et yndigt land’, which you’ll hear at sporting events, its history, original lyrics and English translation.

History of Denmark Anthem

The lyrics were written in 1819 by Adam Oehlenschläger and bore the motto in Latin: Ille terrarum mihi praeter omnes angulus ridet (Horace: "This corner of the earth smiles for me more than any other"). The music was composed in 1835 by Hans Ernst Krøyer. Later, Thomas Laub and Carl Nielsen each composed alternative melodies, but neither of them has gained widespread adoption, and today they are mostly unknown to the general population.

When first published, the national anthem had twelve verses, but this was shortened to the first, third, fifth, and last verse in later editions. In common use, only the first verse (or stanza) and the last three lines of the fourth verse are sung. The first half of the last verse is rarely heard and the last line of each verse is repeated once.

Denmark is one of only two countries in the world—the other being New Zealand—with two official national anthems. Officially, Kong Christian stod ved højen mast is both a national and a royal anthem; it has equal status with Der er et yndigt land, which is treated as the civil national anthem. On royal and military occasions, Kong Christian is performed alone, or the two national anthems are played together.

What are the lyrics to Denmark’s civil national anthem, ‘Der er et yndigt land’?

While originally published with 12 verses, later editions of ‘Der er et yndigt land’ just have the first, third, fifth and last verses. At today’s sporting events, only the first stanza and last lines of the fourth verse are sung, with the last line of each verse repeated once.

Der er et yndigt land,

det står med brede bøge

nær salten østerstrand

|Det bugter sig i bakke, dal

,det hedder gamle Danmark

og det er Frejas sal

Der sad i fordums tidde

harniskklædte kæmper,

udhvilede fra strid

|Så drog de frem til fjenders mén,

nu hvile deres bene

bag højens bautasten

Det land endnu er skønt,

thi blå sig søen bælter,

og løvet står så grønt

|Og ædle kvinder, skønne mø'r

og mænd og raske svende

bebo de danskes øer

Hil drot og fædreland!

Hil hver en danneborger,

som virker, hvad han kan!

Vort gamle Danmark skal bestå,

så længe bøgen spejler

sin top i bølgen blå

Denmark National Anthem in English Lyrics

There’s a beautiful country

It stands with wide beeches

Near the salty eastern beaches

It bays in the back and valley

It’s called Old Denmark

And it it Freya’s hall

Who sat in former times

The armour dressed fighters

Rested from the fight

then went up to the enemies injury

Now resting their legs

Behind the menhir of the hills

The country that’s still great

because blue is the sea that waves

and the foliage is so green

and noble women and beautiful virgins

and men and healthy swains

inhabit the islands of the danish

Hail king and motherland

Hail any Danish citizen

who gives what he can

Our old Denmark will endure

as long as the beech-tree mirrors

its treetop in the blue waves

Lyric videos of Denmark national anthem

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