Kathy Epps

What do we want to learn?

Switzerland is a tiny place in the world, with a diverse history, culture, population, and landscape. These pages are an attempt to gather resources for anglophone Primary classes investigating various aspects of Switzerland.

The Swiss Psalm

The Swiss Psalm is the national anthem of Switzerland. It was composed in 1841, by Alberich Zwyssig (1808–1854). Since then, it has been frequently sung at patriotic events. The Federal Council declined however on numerous occasions to accept the psalm as the official anthem. This was because the council wanted the people to express their say on what they wanted as a national anthem. From 1961 to 1981 it provisionally replaced Rufst Du, mein Vaterland ("When You Call, My Country", French O Monts indépendants; Italian Ci chiami o patria, Romansh E clomas, tger paeis) the anthem by Johann Rudolf Wyss (1743–1818) which was set to the melody of God Save the Queen. On April 1, 1981, the Swiss Psalm was declared the official Swiss national anthem. (read more at Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Psalm)

Below, you'll find the Swiss "National song", with links to the words in the four national languages: German, French, Italian and Romanch. (You'll see, the words are slightly different in each language - use Google Translate http://translate.google.com if you need help.)

Switzerland - Wikitravel

http://wikitravel.org/en/Switzerland

Switzerland - Wikitravel

Swiss National Anthem

Schweizer Landeshymne (Schweizerpsalm)

Trittst im Morgenrot daher,
Seh' ich dich im Strahlenmeer,
Dich, du Hocherhabener, Herrlicher!
Wenn der Alpenfirn sich rötet,
Betet, freie Schweizer, betet!
Eure fromme Seele ahnt
Eure fromme Seele ahnt
Gott im hehren Vaterland,
Gott, den Herrn, im hehren Vaterland

admin.ch - Schweizer Landeshymne (Schweizerpsalm)

http://www.admin.ch/org/polit/00055/index.html?lang=de

admin.ch - Schweizer Landeshymne (Schweizerpsalm) - all the verses with mp3 files

Le cantique patriotique suisse

Hymne national suisse (Cantique suisse)

Sur nos monts, quand le soleil
Annonce un brillant réveil,
Et prédit d'un plus beau jour le retour,
Les beautés de la patrie
Parlent à l'âme attendrie;
Au ciel montent plus joyeux
Les accents d'un coeur pieux,
Les accents émus d'un coeur pieux.

admin.ch - Hymne national suisse (Cantique suisse)

http://www.admin.ch/org/polit/00055/index.html?lang=fr

admin.ch - Hymne national suisse (Cantique suisse) - all the verses with mp3 files

admin.ch - Inno nazionale svizzero (Salmo svizzero)

http://www.admin.ch/org/polit/00055/index.html?lang=it

admin.ch - Inno nazionale svizzero (Salmo svizzero) - all the verses with mp3 files

admin.ch - Imni naziunal svizzer (psalm svizzer)

http://www.admin.ch/org/polit/00055/index.html?lang=rm

admin.ch - Imni naziunal svizzer (psalm svizzer) - all the verses with mp3 files