What are the lyrics to the Danish national anthem, and why does Denmark have two official songs?
20 July 2023, 16:17
Denmark is one of only two countries in the world which has two official national anthems, of equal status. Here’s everything to know about ‘Der er et yndigt land’ and ‘Kong Christian stod ved højen mast’.
When Denmark faces its global opponents at sports matches, a gently majestic refrain cues in the kick-off.
‘Der er et yndigt land’, which translates to English as ‘There is a lovely country’, is the civil national anthem of Denmark, and the one most commonly heard at sports matches.
Its lyrics were written in 1819 by Adam Oehlenschläger, and set to music by Hans Ernst Krøyer in 1835. The classical composer Carl Nielsen also composed an alternative melody, but it didn’t really stick.
After its first performance to the Danish people in 1844, the beautiful piece quickly gained popularity and was adopted later that year by the government as a national anthem – but not the national anthem.
Denmark is one of only two countries, along with New Zealand, to have two national anthems. The other official song is ‘Kong Christian stod ved højen mast’, the unofficial royal anthem of the Kingdom of Denmark which has equal status to ‘Der er et yndigt land’. As a national and royal anthem, it tends to be heard on military and royal occasions.
Read more: The world’s greatest national anthems
Ursula Von Der Leyen greeted with Danish national nathem on visit in 2019
What are the lyrics to Denmark’s civil national anthem, ‘Der er et yndigt land’?
While originally published with 12 verses, later editions of ‘Der er et yndigt land’ just have the first, third, fifth and last verses. At today’s sporting events, only the first stanza and last lines of the fourth verse are sung, with the last line of each verse repeated once.
Der er et yndigt land,
det står med brede bøge
nær salten østerstrand
nær salten østerstrand
|Det bugter sig i bakke, dal
,det hedder gamle Danmark
og det er Frejas sal
Der sad i fordums tidde
harniskklædte kæmper,
udhvilede fra strid
udhvilede fra strid
|Så drog de frem til fjenders mén,
nu hvile deres bene
bag højens bautasten
Det land endnu er skønt,
thi blå sig søen bælter,
og løvet står så grønt
og løvet står så grønt
|Og ædle kvinder, skønne mø'r
og mænd og raske svende
bebo de danskes øer
bebo de danskes øer
Hil drot og fædreland!
Hil hver en danneborger,
som virker, hvad han kan!
som virker, hvad han kan!
Vort gamle Danmark skal bestå,
så længe bøgen spejler
sin top i bølgen blå
sin top i bølgen blå
Danish National Anthem - "Der Er Et Yndigt Land" (DA/EN)
What do the lyrics to ‘Der Er Et Yndigt Land’ mean in English?
There’s a beautiful country
It stands with wide beeches
Near the salty eastern beaches
Near the salty eastern beaches
It bays in the back and valley
It’s called Old Denmark
And it it Freya’s hall
Who sat in former times
The armour dressed fighters
Rested from the fight
Rested from the fight
then went up to the enemies injury
Now resting their legs
Behind the menhir of the hills
The country that’s still great
because blue is the sea that waves
and the foliage is so green
and the foliage is so green
and noble women and beautiful virgins
and men and healthy swains
inhabit the islands of the danish
inhabit the islands of the danish
Hail king and motherland
Hail any Danish citizen
who gives what he can
who gives what he can
Our old Denmark will endure
as long as the beech-tree mirrors
its treetop in the blue waves
its treetop in the blue waves
What are the lyrics to Denmark’s second, royal anthem, ‘Kong Christian stod ved højen mast’?
1. Kong Christian stod ved højen mast
i røg og damp;
hans værge hamrede så fast,
at gotens hjelm og hjerne brast.
Da sank hvert fjendtligt spejl og mast
i røg og damp.
Fly, skreg de, fly, hvad flygte kan!
hvo står for Danmarks Christian
hvo står for Danmarks Christian
i kamp?
2. Niels Juel gav agt på stormens brag.
Nu er det tid.
Han hejsede det røde flag
og slog på fjenden slag i slag.
Da skreg de højt blandt stormens brag:
Nu er det tid!
Fly, skreg de, hver, som véd et skjul!
hvo kan bestå mod Danmarks Juel
hvo kan bestå mod Danmarks Juel
i strid?
3. O, Nordhav! Glimt af Wessel brød
din mørke sky.
Da ty’de kæmper til dit skød;
thi med ham lynte skræk og død.
Fra valen hørtes vrål, som brød
den tykke sky.
Fra Danmark lyner Tordenskjold;
hver give sig i himlens vold
hver give sig i himlens vold
og fly!
4. Du danskes vej til ros og magt,
sortladne hav!
Modtag din ven, som uforsagt
tør møde faren med foragt
så stolt som du mod stormens magt,
sortladne hav!
Og rask igennem larm og spil
og kamp og sejr før mig til
og kamp og sejr før mig til
min grav!
What do the lyrics to ‘Kong Christian stod ved højen mast’ mean in English?
1. King Christian stood by the lofty mast
In mist and smoke;
His sword was hammering so fast,
Through Gothic helm and brain it passed;
Then sank each hostile hulk and mast,
In mist and smoke.
‘Fly!’ shouted they, ‘fly, he who can!
Who braves of Denmark’s Christian,
Who braves of Denmark’s Christian,
The stroke?’
2. Niels Juel gave heed to the tempest’s roar,
Now is the hour!
He hoisted his blood-red flag once more,
And smote upon the foe full sore,
And shouted loud, through the tempest’s roar,
‘Now is the hour!’
‘Fly!’ shouted they, ‘for shelter fly!
Of Denmark’s Juel who can defy,
Of Denmark’s Juel who can defy,
The power?’
3. North Sea! a glimpse of Wessel rent
Thy murky sky!
Then champions to thine arms were sent;
Terror and Death glared where he went;
From the waves was heard a wail, that rent
Thy murky sky!
From Denmark thunders Tordenskiol’,
Let each to Heaven commend his soul,
Let each to Heaven commend his soul,
And fly!
4. Path of the Dane to fame and might!
Dark-rolling wave!
Receive thy friend, who, scorning flight,
Goes to meet danger with despite,
Proudly as thou the tempest's might,
Dark-rolling wave!
And ‘mid pleasures and alarms,
And war and victory, be thine arms,
And war and victory, be thine arms,
My grave!
