Overview
"Heil dir, o Oldenburg" (; ), is the city anthem of the City of Oldenburg, and in the past was the national anthem of the Grand Duchy, and after 1918, the Free State of Oldenburg.
History
The Grand Duchess Cecilia of Sweden composed the melody in 1835. later wrote the original four-verse version in 1844, and it was adopted soon after. In contrast to most regional anthems of the time, it praised the country itself rather than the ruling house, save for the third line of the first verse, which was changed multiple times. After the abolition of the monarchy, parts in praise to the former Grand Dukes were changed to reference the people. though it is most commonly sung in a shortened three-verse version, omitting the third stanza.
von Kobbe's version
Some verses focusing more heavily on the royals were later written:
Wilhelm Geiler's verse
Written by poet from Westerstede in 1872:
Further changes
After the collapse of the German Empire in 1918, though prior to Hitler becoming chancellor in 1933, the line (hail your prince, used instead of for Grand duke) was changed to (hail your leader). In 1980, this was changed by the (a regional organisation to preserve cultural heritage) to (hail your people). In 2015, the Oldenburg Landschaft changed the line (German men's strength) to (German People's strength).
Melody
% from https://digital.lb-oldenburg.de/ihd/content/titleinfo/332224 % incl. the rather strange dynamics there. \header tagline = ##f %\paper #(set-paper-size "a4") \layout indent = 0 \context \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" global = \key a \major \time 4/4 soprano = \relative c \global a2\f a4 a\ a2\! \breathe e'4.\ (d)\! cis4. (d8) b2 a2\mf a4 a cis4._">" b8 a4 \breathe cis b8 ( dis ) e\ fis2 e\! d!2\p b4 fis' e4._" cis4\! \breathe e\mf a_">" fis e dis e1\ " gis4. fis8 fis4 \breathe d cis2\ a2. r4\! \bar " ." alto = \relative c \global a2 e4 e a4. gis8 a2 cis4. (e8) e d cis b a4.
(b8) g2 a2 a4 a gis4. gis8 a4 a8 ais b4 e e4. dis?8 dis2 b b2 gis4 d' cis4. cis8 cis4 b a a gis fis gis2 (b4 d?) cis2 cis4 e e4. d8 d4 b a2 gis a2. r4 \bar " ." tenor = \relative c \global a2 cis4 cis e4. d8 cis2 a' a4 a8 fis e2 e a2 fis4 fis gis eis? fis fis fis gis8 ais b4. a8 a2 gis gis2 b4 b cis4. a8 a4 b cis cis b b b1 a2 a4 a a4. a8 a4 fis e2 e4 (d) cis2. r4 \bar " ." bass = \relative c \global a2 cis4 a 4. 8 a2 a4. (cis8) d4 d e2 e a2 fis4 fis eis cis fis fis8 e dis4 cis b4. b8 b2 e e2 e4 gis a4. a,8 a4 gis fis a b b e2 (gis) a2 a,4 cis d4. d8 d4 d e2 a,2. r4 \bar " ." verse = \lyricmode Heil dir, o Ol -- den -- burg! Heil dei -- nen Far -- ben! Gott schütz’ dein ed -- les Ross, er seg -- ne dei -- ne Gar -- ben!
Heil dei -- nem Für -- sten, Heil, der treu dir zu -- ge -- wandt, der dich so gern be -- glückt, o Va -- ter -- land! \score \new ChoirStaff > \new Lyrics \with \override VerticalAxisGroup #'staff-affinity = #CENTER \lyricsto "soprano" \verse \new Staff \with midiInstrument = "brass section" \consists "Merge_rests_engraver" > >> \layout \midi \tempo 4=105 Source