Limburg mijn Vaderland
Limburg mijn Vaderland ( Limburg my fatherland ) is the anthem of the Dutch and Belgian province of Limburg . The text of the song was written by Gerard Krekelberg (1864–1937) in 1909. The melody comes from Hendrik Thyssen (1862–1926). Thyssen came from Roermond and also wrote the local anthem Oud en trouw Roermond in 1912 .
In Belgian Limburg, of course, the fourth stanza, added in 1939, in which allegiance to the House of Orange-Nassau is sworn, is not sung.
The anthem had the clear political intention of underlining the affiliation of Limburg with the Netherlands. Although the local dialect, Limburgish , is seen by some as a separate language, the country's anthem is written in the standard Dutch language .
The province of Limburg, located in the extreme south-eastern corner of the country, was not and is not regarded as a “real” part of the Netherlands by its inhabitants or by the rest of the Dutch (albeit often rather jokingly). The population is Catholic, not Reformed, the landscape is hilly, the streets and buildings of the old cities are made of natural stone, not bricks, and Limburgish is almost incomprehensible to the inhabitants of the other provinces.
At the time the poem was written, around 1900, Dutch played no role in everyday life in Limburg. In the region, almost only Limburgish was spoken. Newspapers appeared in German (also) well into the 20th century , and in many parts of Limburg German was the language in churches and schools. The capital Maastricht , on the other hand, was still closely connected to the ( francophone ) province of Liège .
The use of the Dutch language and in particular the text of the fourth stanza should therefore send a message of belonging to the Netherlands.
- (1)
- Waar in 't bronsgroen eikenhout,' t nachtegaaltje zingt;
- Over 't malsche korenveld' t leeuwrik's song sounds;
- Waar de hoorn des herders slowly switch the beekjes boord:
- Daar is mijn Vaderland, Limburg dierbaar oord!
- (2)
- Waar de breede stroom der Maas, statig zeewaarts vloeit;
- Weeldrig sappig veldgewas kostelijk groeit en bloeit;
- Bloemengaard en beemd en bosch, overheerlijk gloort:
- Daar is mijn Vaderland, Limburg dierbaar oord!
- (3)
- Waar the vad'ren schoone taal latches with held're cracks;
- Waar men kloek en fier van aard vreemde praal despised;
- Eigen zeden, eigen schoon, 't hart des people bekoort:
- Daar is mijn Vaderland, Limburg dierbaar oord!
- (4)
- Waar aan 't oud Oranjehuis,' t volk blijft hou en trouw;
- Met ons roemrijk Nederland, één in vreugd en rouw;
- Trouw aan plicht en trouw aan God, heerscht van Zuid dead Noord:
- Daar is mijn Vaderland, Limburg dierbaar oord!