Björneborgarnas marsch

Björneborgarnas marsch
Porilaisten marssi
Porilaste marss

English: March of the Björneborgers or March of the Pori Regiment
March, painting by Albert Edelfelt, 1900
Military anthem of Finnish Defence Force Song of the President of Finland Military Anthem of the Estonian Defence Forces Song of the President of Estonia
Lyrics	Johan Ludvig Runeberg (Swedish), 1860 Paavo Cajander (Finnish), 1889
Music	Unknown, 18th century
Adopted	1918
Audio sample
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Björneborgarnas marsch (original Swedish title; Porilaisten marssi in Finnish; Porilaste marss in Estonian; in English 'March of the Björneborgers' or 'March of the Pori Regiment') is the honorary march of the Finnish Defence Forces since 1918.

History

It was composed by an unknown composer in the 18th century, although the modern brass band arrangement is by Conrad Greve. The original text was published in Swedish in 1860 by the Finnish national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg in his epic poem The Tales of Ensign Stål, although Zachris Topelius had also given it his own words in 1858. The most commonly used Finnish translation was written by Paavo Cajander in 1889, along with Cajander's translation of The Tales of Ensign Stål. The name of the march refers to the Pori Regiment in Finnish. It contains an iambic meter.

Use

Björneborgarnas marsch is the honorary march of the Finnish Defence Forces and is played (only rarely sung) for the Commander-in-Chief, i.e. the President of Finland. The President has, however, the right to delegate this position to another Finnish citizen; the only time this has occurred was during the World War II, when Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim acted as Commander-in-Chief instead of then-President Risto Ryti. Thus, Ryti is the only President of Finland not to have been Commander-in-Chief at any point of his two terms (1940−1944).

As Finland and Estonia share similarities in both their languages and also through their respective military traditions, it is also the Estonian Defence Forces' official honorary march, played for the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces, its commander in chief under constitutional provisions.

Non-political

Since 1948, the Finnish national broadcast company Yleisradio has played Björneborgarnas marsch played on radio or television every time a Finnish athlete wins a gold medal in the Olympic games – the traditional phrase to initiate this was "Pasila, Porilaisten Marssi". An exception to this was made in 1998 when MTV3 similarly asked the song to be played after Mika Häkkinen won the 1998 Formula One World Championship.

Björneborgarnas marsch is also played on Christmas Eve during the Declaration of Christmas Peace ceremony, which has caused minor controversy due to the violent lyrics of the march, even though the lyrics are not sung on the occasion.

Lyrics

Lyrics in Finnish

Translation by Paavo Cajander, 1889.

Pojat, kansan urhokkaan,code: fin promoted to code: fi

mi Puolan, Lützin, Leipzigincode: fin promoted to code: fi

ja Narvan mailla vertaan vuoti,code: fin promoted to code: fi

viel' on Suomi voimissaan,code: fin promoted to code: fi

voi vainolaisten hurmehella peittää maan.code: fin promoted to code: fi

Pois, pois rauhan toimi jää,code: fin promoted to code: fi

jo tulta kohta kalpa lyöcode: fin promoted to code: fi

ja vinkuen taas lentää luoti.code: fin promoted to code: fi

Joukkoon kaikki yhtykää,code: fin promoted to code: fi

meit' entisajan sankarhenget tervehtää.code: fin promoted to code: fi

Kauniina väikkyy muisto urhojemme,code: fin promoted to code: fi

kuolossa mekin vasta kalpenemme.code: fin promoted to code: fi

Eespäin rohkeasti vaan,code: fin promoted to code: fi

ei kunniaansa myöcode: fin promoted to code: fi

sun poikas milloinkaan!code: fin promoted to code: fi

Uljaana taistolippu liehu,code: fin promoted to code: fi

voitosta voittohoncode: fin promoted to code: fi

sä vielä meitä viet!code: fin promoted to code: fi

Eespäin nyt kaikki, taisto alkakaa,code: fin promoted to code: fi

saa sankareita vielä nähdä Suomenmaa!code: fin promoted to code: fi

Lyrics in Swedish (original)

Johan Ludvig Runeberg, 1860

Söner av ett folk, som blöttcode: swe promoted to code: sv

På Narvas hed, på Polens sand, på Leipzigs slätter, Lützens kullar,code: swe promoted to code: sv

Än har Finlands kraft ej dött,code: swe promoted to code: sv

Än kan med oväns blod ett fält här färgas rött!code: swe promoted to code: sv

Bort, bort, vila, rast och fred!code: swe promoted to code: sv

En storm är lös, det ljungar eld och fältkanonens åska rullar;code: swe promoted to code: sv

Framåt, framåt led vid led!code: swe promoted to code: sv

På tappre män se tappre fäders andar ned.code: swe promoted to code: sv

Ädlaste målcode: swe promoted to code: sv

Oss lyser på vår bana;code: swe promoted to code: sv

Skarpt är vårt stålcode: swe promoted to code: sv

Och blöda är vår vana.code: swe promoted to code: sv

Alla, alla käckt framåt!code: swe promoted to code: sv

Här är vår sekelgamla frihets sköna stråt.code: swe promoted to code: sv

Lys högt, du segersälla fana,code: swe promoted to code: sv

Sliten av strider sen en grånad forntids dar,code: swe promoted to code: sv

Fram, fram, vårt ädla, härjade standar!code: swe promoted to code: sv

Än finns en flik med Finlands gamla färger kvar.code: swe promoted to code: sv

Lyrics in Estonian

Üles, vaimud vahvamadcode: est promoted to code: et

kes Pärnu piirilt Peipsinicode: est promoted to code: et

kes terves Eestis elamascode: est promoted to code: et

sest veel on Eestis vaimustustcode: est promoted to code: et

mis kaitsma valmis kodupinna vabadustcode: est promoted to code: et

Ja kuni särab meile tähte hele läikcode: est promoted to code: et

meeles kõigil Riia võidukäikcode: est promoted to code: et

Sest vahvad vaimud ärgakecode: est promoted to code: et

Taas Eesti lippu lehvitage võidulecode: est promoted to code: et

Välgu nüüd mõõk!code: est promoted to code: et

Värise vaenlane!code: est promoted to code: et

Paukuge püssid, vastu rõhujatelecode: est promoted to code: et

surma ei karda eesti maleva!code: est promoted to code: et

Ei iial Eestit orjastada lase ta!code: est promoted to code: et

Pojad rahva vahvamacode: est promoted to code: et

kes Pihkva, Jamburi ja Võnnucode: est promoted to code: et

väljadele külvand surmacode: est promoted to code: et

Veel võib Eesti võideldacode: est promoted to code: et

veel vaenulise verega võib värvi maacode: est promoted to code: et

Kuulsuse täht toob hiilgust meie teilecode: est promoted to code: et

Kõik koos tulle tormakecode: est promoted to code: et

Me vabaduse kindlustuse tee on seecode: est promoted to code: et

Välgu nüüd mõõk...code: est promoted to code: et

Lyrics in English

Modern translation.

Sons of a people whose blood was shed,

On the field of Narva; Polish sand; at Leipzig; on Lützen's dark hills;

Not yet is Finland defeated;

With the blood of foes a field may still be tinted red!

Rest, begone, away, and peace!

A storm unleashed; lightning swarms and cannons thunder on,

Forward! Forward, line by line!

Brave fathers look down on brave sons.

No nobler aim,

Could light our way,

Our steel is sharp,

To bleed is our custom,

Man by man, brave and bold!

Behold our ancient freedom's march!

Shine bright, our victorious banner!

Torn by distant battles of days gone,

Be proud, our noble, tattered Standard!

There is still a piece of Finland's ancient Colours left!

See also

• "Maamme", Finnish national anthem

External links

• Porilaisten marssi in YouTube
• Recording of the song (WAV format) at the official website of the President of Finland