Schleswig-Holstein embraced by the sea

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Schleswig-Holstein song

Schleswig-Holstein wrapped around the sea (or the “Schleswig-Holstein song”; the little-known title is actually “Wanke not, my fatherland”) is the hymn of Schleswig-Holstein . It was presented in 1844 at the Schleswig Singing Festival . The melody comes from Carl Gottlieb Bellmann (1772–1862), the cantor of the St. Johannis monastery in Schleswig . A text originally written by the Berlin lawyer Karl Friedrich Straß (1803–1864) was almost completely rewritten shortly before the festival by the Schleswig lawyer Matthäus Friedrich Chemnitz (1815–1870) in order to do justice to the mood at the time. The song sings about the desire for a united, independent and a German Schleswig-Holstein.

history

After Adolf VIII (Holstein) died in 1459 without heirs, the nobility , who were responsible for the entire administration and owned properties in both parts of the country, endeavored to keep the two duchies together under one sovereign. After the first attempts to find a successor were unsuccessful, the Danish King Christian I offered himself . Schleswig (also South Jutland), as a Danish fiefdom, would have fallen back to the Danish king as a reversal after the direct line of dukes died out. However, the Schleswig-Holstein nobility still wanted a joint administration of the country. With the election of Christian I from Oldenburg , both the interests of the king and the nobility in the duchies could be satisfied. He was elected in 1460 by making concessions to the nobles. Among other things, the independence of Schleswig and Holstein from the Kingdom of Denmark was confirmed in the so-called Ripener deed (apart from the personal union, there were no constitutional links between Holstein and Denmark, between Schleswig and Denmark there was a feudal relationship) and assured "dat se bliven ewich tosamende ungedelt “(That they remain undivided together forever). This part of the Ripener privilege became the core of the Schleswig-Holstein movement in the 19th century. However, the latest research has made it clear that the historical context of the Ripener deed did not mean the territorial indivisibility of Schleswig and Holstein. As early as 1490 there was a first division between the sons of Christian I. 350 years of history followed with ever changing borders and wars.

National awakening

In the 19th century spread in Europe the national state , their individual, shaped by history, culture and language peculiarities idea after the nations best in a national state can develop. After the Napoleonic wars and the resulting bankruptcy of Denmark in 1813, the population of Schleswig and Holstein was used more to finance the subsequent currency reform than the Danish. This was the beginning of differences between Germans and Danes in Schleswig. In Schleswig-Holstein, the southern duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg were German fiefdoms of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation as early as 1806 and also became members of the German Confederation in 1815 , while the Duchy of Schleswig was a Danish fiefdom with the Danish king as both duke (vassal) as well as king (liege lord) was.

During this time of national awakening, the duchies began to become politicized. In 1835 advisory estates were formed and a political public arose. But despite the introduction of the assemblies of the estates, absolutism continued to apply . From 1838 to 1842, there was a ban on political gatherings. On the one hand, German national liberals demanded the political independence of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein and Schleswig's admission to the German Confederation; on the other hand, Danish national liberals demanded that Schleswig be bound closer to the kingdom. As a result of increasing politicization, the first newspapers appeared. In North Schleswig, Danish was introduced as the official language in 1840 (the official language here was previously German, although the vernacular was mostly Danish). The attempt to introduce Danish as a language on an equal footing with German throughout Schleswig failed in the German-minded Schleswig estates assembly.

Schleswig singer festival

As part of the early German national movement, folk and singer festivals with a political background took place throughout Germany since the 1830s (such as the well-known Hambach Festival ). Such festivals were the usual setting for political activities, as political events were forbidden in many places at that time. In keeping with this tradition, the Schleswig Singing Festival in 1844, like practically all larger gatherings, was of political importance. Analogous to the German festivals, for example , corresponding Danish public assemblies were held on Skamlingsbanken in northern Schleswig.

In the Schleswig Estates Assembly , which had met shortly before, the Danish King Christian VIII disapproved of the dispute that had broken out during a session of the Schleswig Estates Assembly in 1842 over a provocation in the Danish language of MP Hiort Lorenzen (previously was alone German admitted as language). Presumably as a reaction to this rebuke, which was perceived as unjust, the text of the Schleswig-Holstein song by Karl Friedrich Straß was then rewritten by Matthäus Friedrich Chemnitz shortly before the singing festival in order to give more expression to the desire for unity and independence. In particular, he changed the beginning of the song from “Schleswig, Holstein” to “Schleswig-Holstein” with a hyphen to emphasize the unity and independence. He kept only three lines of the original four stanzas. The song quickly became popular after its performance at the song festival and also became a battle song for freedom and independence.

Another story

The political and national tensions led to the First Schleswig War (“Three Years War”) in 1848 , which ended in 1851 under pressure from the Allies with a status quo and the restoration of the entire Danish state . The wishes for the formation of a German or Danish national state were not fulfilled and the underlying conflict about the national affiliation of Schleswig was not resolved. As a result of the war, the Danish movement in northern and central Schleswig received a large number of visitors. In 1851/1852 the Danish government undertook in consultation with the major European powers to restore the entire state in its previous form with parts of the country on an equal footing.

In 1855 a bilingual state constitution presented by the Danish government was rejected by the Holstein assembly of estates and declared invalid by the Bundestag in Frankfurt in 1858. The negative attitude of German politics led to Denmark adopting the November Constitution in November 1863, a joint constitution for the Kingdom of Denmark and the Duchy of Schleswig, and promising the Duchy of Holstein its own constitution and administration. This breach of the agreements of 1851/1852 led to a dispute with the German-oriented Schleswig-Holstein movement and the states of the German Confederation.

As a result of the introduction of the November Constitution, Holstein and Lauenburg were executed by the federal government in December 1863 . When Denmark did not comply with Prussia's request in January 1864 to repeal the disputed constitution, the German-Danish War (“Second Schleswig War”) finally broke out, which ended in the same year with the victory of Prussia and Austria . As a result of the war, the government of the duchies of Schleswig, Holstein and Lauenburg passed to Prussia and Austria, which initially administered it jointly . After the Austro-Prussian War , Prussia incorporated the duchies as the province of Schleswig-Holstein .

A referendum on the national affiliation of Schleswig, provided for in the Peace of Prague of 1866, was initially not carried out. Only because of a provision in the Versailles Treaty after the end of the First World War , referendums on national affiliation were held in the central and northern parts of Schleswig in 1920 . The northern part of Schleswig fell to Denmark.

Ahead of the upcoming for the January 13, 1935 Saar plebiscite Schleswig had with other former voting areas, represented by the "Reich Federation of German abroad" (VDA) , at the Vienna tower watchmaker Emil Schauer for the tower of the Graz architect Georg von Hauberrisser built The town hall St. Johann in Saarbrücken commissioned a carillon with 19 bronze bells, which played the Schleswig-Holstein anthem twice a day for the purpose of pro-German propaganda.

The first verse of the song is traditionally played at midnight by the radio station Radio Schleswig-Holstein (R.SH).

The beginning of the song is also jokingly quoted in " Mr. Pastor sien Kauh ", where it says: "Schleswig-Holstein, embraced by the sea, is now dealing with ox tongues" (in the original on flat).

song lyrics

Bellmann-Chemnitz-Monument at the Schützenkoppel in Schleswig
Do not waver, my country
1.
Schleswig-Holstein, embraced by the sea,
German custom high watch!
True faithful to what was hard to achieve
until a better morning meets!
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
do not waver, my country!
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
do not waver, my country!
2.
Whether the surf roared wildly,
Flood after flood from bay to bay:
Oh, let bloom in your lap
German virtue, German loyalty.
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
remain faithful, my country!
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
remain faithful, my country!
3.
But when inner storms rage
the north rises threateningly,
God protect the lovely blossoms,
enlivened by a mild south.
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
stand firm, my country!
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
stand firm, my country!
4th
God is strong even in the weak,
if they trust him faithfully;
never hesitate, and your boat
will see the harbor despite the storm.
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
persevere, my country!
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
persevere, my country!
5.
From the wave that rears up
along the Belt on the Baltic Sea beach,
until the flood, which foams restlessly
sand fleeing at the dune. -
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
stand firm, my country!
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
stand firm, my country!
6th
And where in the country's brands
The Königsau flashes pensively,
and where roaring, proud boats
Move towards the Elbe to the Holstengau. -
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
remain faithful, my country!
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
remain faithful, my country!
7th
Dear country, you double oak,
under a crown roof,
stand firm and never give up,
as the enemy may threaten!
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
do not waver, my country!
Schleswig-Holstein, relatives,
do not waver, my country!

Submission by Straß (1844)

Karl Friedrich Straß himself wrote the following about the origin of the text in 1852:

“This song has its own connection. The undersigned is its first author, but not its author in its current form. The thing is this. In 1842 [sc. 1844] the undersigned was supposed to attend a song festival in Schleswig. Sickness forced him to go to Marienbad ; However, to show his participation, he sent three songs, among which was one which, composed by Bellmann, the music director, met with lively applause at the singing festival. This song, the original text of which the undersigned can no longer find, was reworked by the advocate Chemnitz zu Schleswig according to local and time conditions and was so happy to become a folk song. The above text is largely the property of Mr. Chemnitz. "

- Karl Friedrich Strass
Monument in the form of a double oak for Georg Löck, a spokesman for the Holstein Estates Assembly in front of the Estates Hall on the market square in Itzehoe
Double oak in Bordesholm
To Schleswig-Holstein
1.
Schleswig, Holstein, beautiful country,
where my foot entered the world
Oh, that always on your beach
germs of true happiness seeds!
Schleswig, Holstein, relatives,
hold on to the unity band!
Schleswig, Holstein, relatives,
hold on to the unity band!
2.
How the storms rage around you
the wild tide roars,
hold fast to love roses,
hold on to faithful courage!
Schleswig, Holstein, relatives,
hold on to the unity band!
Schleswig, Holstein, relatives,
hold on to the unity band!
3.
God is strong even in the weak,
if they trust him faithfully,
and a well-steered boat
can see the harbor despite the storm.
Schleswig, Holstein, relatives,
hold on to the unity band!
Schleswig, Holstein, relatives,
hold on to the unity band!
4th
How beautifully wreath the houses
the bushed old Schlei,
as the waves shine silver,
a flowery May often approaches soon.
Schleswig, Holstein, relatives,
hold on to the unity band!
Schleswig, Holstein, relatives,
hold on to the unity band!

Explanations

Some phrases in the lyrics are to be understood metaphorically. With " double oak" and "stem related" is meant the image of a two-stem oak that grows separately ("Schleswig" and "Holstein"), but is united. “Under one crown” symbolizes the desire for a common government. “Threatening north” and “milder south” are not only the winds, but also metaphors for Denmark and Germany, respectively. "Wild surf" stands for disruptive influences from outside, "internal storms" for the disputes within Schleswig.

With the information "Belt am Ostseestrand" (Baltic Sea in the east), "Flood on the dune" (North Sea in the west), " Königsau " (northern border between Schleswig and Denmark) and "Holstengau elbwärts" (Holstein), as in the song of the Germans for Germany, the borders of Schleswig-Holstein are outlined. The fatherland sung about is not Germany, but a German Schleswig-Holstein.

See also

literature

Web links

Commons : Schleswig-Holstein Meerumschlungen  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

grades

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Information from Lord Mayor Neikes to the government commission on the planned carillon on the St. Johann town hall tower, Saarbrücken, April 18, 1934, copy of the StA Saarbrücken, inventory Großstadt No. 3897, sheet 8.
  2. ^ Offer from the Viennese tower clock manufacturer Emil Schauer for the glockenspiel at the Old Town Hall in Saarbrücken, Vienna, February 24, 1934, StA Saarbrücken, inventory Großstadt No. 4369, pages 7–8.
  3. ↑ Letter from the Lord Mayor regarding the commissioning of the glockenspiel and the song sequence, Saarbrücken, October 26, 1934, copy, StA Saarbrücken, inventory Großstadt No. 4369, sheet 125.
  4. ↑ Gertrud Stendal : The home hymns of the Prussian provinces and their landscapes - a literary characteristic. Carl Winters Universitätsbuchhandlung, Heidelberg 1919, p. 68 ( online at www.archive.org ).