The Dutch anthem has an impressive fifteen verses the first letter of all verses originally formed the word Willem van Nassov, another old Dutch way to say Willem van Nassau. ➜ Do you have difficulties understanding Dutch? Let’s have a look at these useful tips on How to Improve Your Listening Skills. So, as you now know the history of the Netherlands’ national anthem, it’s time to have a look at the lyrics of Het Wilhelmus. This song of victory served as a way to express Dutch national pride and solidarity. So, when Het Wilhelmus became the official Dutch national anthem in 1932, there were protests.īut what changed in the following years? During the Nazi occupation of the Second World War, the Dutch national anthem regained popularity. However, they were not particularly popular during this period. At the beginning of the 19th century, the song was mainly sung by supporters of the Dutch royal family. It took some time before Het Wilhelmus officially became the Dutch national anthem. Besides this, he is also the founder of the Orange-Nassau royal family, which makes him the ancestor of the Dutch monarchy. He is, therefore, also known as Vader des Vaderlands (“Father of the Fatherlands”). He was one of the main leaders of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years’ War and resulted in the formal independence of what now is known as (part of) the Netherlands. The anthem is written from William’s perspective and follows his struggle to remain loyal to the Spanish king, who he has always served, while also serving God and leading his people in the fight against persecution.īut who is Willem van Oranje? He is also known as Willem van Nassau, or in old Dutch Wilhelmus van Nassouwe, which explains the title of the Dutch anthem. The Dutch anthem, therefore, tells the story of Willem van Oranje (“William of Orange”) and his fight against the King of Spain in order to gain independence for the Netherlands. The lyrics were written at the beginning of the Eighty Years’ War (1568-1648), also known as The Dutch War of Independence. So, the Dutch national anthem is actually one of the world’s oldest patriotic songs, as it dates back to at least 1572. This way you will be able to understand better what it’s all about. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutchīefore we have a look at the lyrics of the Dutch national anthem, it might come in handy to first learn more about its history.Should the Netherlands Find a New National Anthem?.We’ll then talk about its lyrics, the meaning of the Dutch anthem, and the criticisms it has received. In this article, we will first show you the history of the Dutch national anthem. However, although the Dutch don’t sing their national anthem very often, when they sing it on special occasions, everybody will sing along, even those that don’t know all the words, as you can always mumble or hum along. Why is the Spanish king mentioned in the Dutch national anthem? And what about that mention of German blood?Īs you can see, the Dutch anthem is not free of controversy, and some people even say that it should be changed. However, because of the old nature of the Dutch anthem, not all Dutch know the words or understand the meaning. It’s an anthem of fifteen verses, but mainly the first (and sometimes also the sixth) verse is sung. Have you ever heard Het Wilhelmus, the Dutch national anthem? It’s one of the oldest anthems in existence, and therefore the lyrics are not always easy to understand, full of old-fashioned words and unusual turns of phrases.
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