Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-27
THE HYMNS OF THE NATIONS

The echo of the ceremonies of the
recent transfer of the ashes of Rouget
de Lisle. the i'm
Composers of mortal French COM
National Airs. s Sun to to " the
Invalides has awakened attention to
Max Schneckenburger. the German COM
poser Of "Wacht am Rhein," whose an
niversary and that of Karl Wilhelm
have been celebrated in the little
Thuringian city Of Schmalken. Besides.
this great war in Europe lends a spe-
cial interest to the hymns and war
songs of all nations. and particularly
those which are engaged in the con-
flict.
Songs are the souls Of the nations
that create them: the French nation
said through Rouget de Lisle, its in
spired medium. I'VE sons of freemen.
awake to glory" and the Germans said
through Max Schneckenburger: The
Rhine, the Rhine. the German Rhine!
Who guards today my stream divine?
Heinrich Heine. the greatest figure
in German literature since Goethe and
Schiller, said in 1880 of 1.-The MarseiI-
laise": What a song, 1t thrills me
with fiery delight; 1t kindles within me
the glowing star Of enthusiasm and the
swift rocket Of desire. swelling. burn
heights of freedom in streams as bold
as those with which the Ganges lean
from the heights of the Hfmalayas! L
can write no more-this song lntoxl-
Gates my brain; louder and nearer ad.
vances the powerful chorus: To arms!
To arms, We brave!'
Claude Joseph Rouget de Isle was
born at Lons-le Saunier in 1850 Cap.
Strasburg in 1892. War had been de-
clared against the Austrians and
France was menaced by invasion. The
night of April "a. while dining with
the mayor. the latter asked him to
unteers who had been called to Paris
to Join the army of the Rhine. De
Lisle accepted the challenge and be-
fore morning he had executed the task
glorfouSly.
tionary, but, in fact, a royalist in prin-
ciple. On the ter
Rouget de Isle rible August 10 de
Lisle prot e sted
hoyallst. vigorously against
the atrocities committed-the stormfng
Of the Tuileries. the murder of the
Swiss guard and the Imprisonment OF
Louis XVI. For this the revolution
aries caused his arrest, and he I'M
doubtedly would have been guillotined
but for the timely fall of Robespierre.
ga Ira" remained the song of the
revolutionary rabble. but 1.-The Mar
If
the nation and the army. and. indeed,
of all liberty-loving people of the
world. A decree dated July IS. 1895.
established The Marssillaise" as "a a
composition belongs exclusively, to
Rouget de Isle, although it has been
said that the celebrated composer.
Gretry. touched up the tune.
President Poincare in his discourse
at the Inva1ides said. in part:
I'm decreeing that the ashes of Rou-
get de Isle should be solemnly
brought to Paris in the cause OF war
which Will decide the fate of Europe
only desired to celebrate the memory
of a French officer by whom Is ex-
pressed in a tragic hour the eternal
soul of the country. 1t wishes to bring
TWO great pages Of French history;
past. and whilst again France strug-
giles heroically for liberty. to glorify
the Incompatible hymn whose accents
have awakened in the heart of the
nation so many superhuman virtues.
Wherever The Marseillaise' resounds
it evokes the idea of a sovereign nation
which possesses the passion for inde-
pendence and whose sons prefer death
to slavery. 1t is not only
for the French that The Marsefllaise'
has that grandiose signification. Its
startling notes speak a universal Ian
guage. and they are today understood
by the entire world"
X
Max schneckenburger. the composer
of Die Wacht am Rhein," was born
February II. 1919.
Author of the at Thalheim. not
German Hymn. gen His father
was a merchant. but his maternal
grandfather was a poet, his eldest
brother a professor of theology at the
of Bern. His Die Wacht
am Rhein" has remained the German
battle hymn, the favorite hymn. the
'1ieblingslied' Of soldiers, although
their merits require mention of such
schla chtgesang" and "Germania with
God Alone"
In connection with the foregoing
Germany possesses other national
songs. Hell dir i'm Siegerkranz."
written by Heinrich Harris and music
by Henry Carey. for the birthday of
Christian VII of Denmark G790): Was
list des Deutschen Vaterland.' written
by Arndt 1s13), music by Reichardt
G825): "Deutschen Freheit Schlacht."
written by Arndt G812), music by
NJ g t hf e ssel US1S): Deutschland.
Deutschland Ueber Allies is set down
as a German national hymn, the music
by Haydn, but was originally written
The actual Austrian national hymn was
first sung on the emperor's birthday,
February -, 1897, in the National The
alter in Vienna and in all the theaters
of the provinces.
Austria is not SO prolific in war songs
as Germany and the national hymn re-
mains the same as written by Haschka
179O and the music by Haydn in the
same year. Austria has patriotic
song, the music of which Is by Won
Suppe, entitled, "Oh! Thou My Aus
tria"
Hungary possesses a national hymn
in swear. Hungarian, by Thy Country"
Popularity of melody as well as rhyth-
originality
Belgiums national hymn is the Bra
banconne. composed in 1880 by a Bel
gian officer who was killed in battle.
The music Is by Campenhout.
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