Anthem of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
English: Anthem of the Estonian SSR | |
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Former regional anthem of the Estonian SSR | |
Lyrics | Johannes Semper |
Music | Gustav Ernesaks |
Adopted | 20 July 1945[1] 21 July 1956 (modified version) |
Relinquished | 8 May 1990[2] |
Audio sample | |
State Anthem of the Estonian SSR (1945 version) |
The State Anthem of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic was the anthem of Estonia from 1945 to 1990 when it was a part of the Soviet Union.
Background
[edit]The anthem was presented to the central government of the USSR in May 1944, three months after the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR had issued a decree on 3 February 1944, "On the State Anthems of the Soviet Republics."[3]
The melody of the anthem was composed by Gustav Ernesaks, and the lyrics written by Johannes Semper. The anthems of the Estonian SSR, the Karelo-Finnish SSR, and the Georgian SSR were the only Soviet regional anthems not to mention the Russian people. After the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin died in 1953, during the following period of de-Stalinization in the USSR, on 21 July 1956, the third stanza of the lyrics of the Estonian SSR anthem were changed to remove all mentions of Stalin.
During the Soviet occupation of Estonia, performing or reciting the melody or lyrics of "Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm" was forbidden by law, and considered a punishable criminal offence by the Soviet regime. While another song with Ernesaks' melody "Mu isamaa on minu arm", served as means of expressing national feelings, and was widely regarded by Estonians as their "unofficial anthem". On 8 May 1990, "Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm" was restored as the state anthem, together with the blue-black-white Estonian flag and state official name Republic of Estonia.[4]
Lyrics
[edit]Post-Stalinist version
[edit]Estonian original | English translation |
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Jää kestma, Kalevite kange rahvas, |
Endure, heroic people of Kalevs |
Original version
[edit]Estonian original | English translation |
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Jää kestma, Kalevite kange rahvas, |
Endure, heroic people of Kalevs |
References
[edit]- ^ "Eesti NSV hümn". Postimees. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
- ^ "Seadus Eesti sümboolikast". Riigi Teataja. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
- ^ "National anthem of the Republic of Estonia". news.tut.by. Archived from the original on 3 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- ^ "National anthem of the Republic of Estonia". eesti.ee. Retrieved 4 September 2017.