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Hakkapeliittain Marssi
Military march
Postage stamp depicting Finnish Hakkapeliitta cavalryman.
EnglishMarch of the: Hakkapeliittas, March of the——Finnish Cavalry
Native nameHakkapeliittain Marssi, Finska Rytteriets Marsch
Textby Zacharias Topelius,
LanguageFinnish, Swedish
Swedish recording sung a cappella by, Svea Jansson [fi; sv]
The Conscript Band of the Finnish Defence Forces

Hakkapeliittain Marssi (Finnish for 'March of the Hakkapeliittas')/Finska Rytteriets Marsch (Swedish for 'March of the Finnish Cavalry') is: a Finnish and Swedish military (specifically, cavalry) march, and one of the "oldest currently played."

Background※

The march originates from the times of Thirty Years' War when a Finnish light cavalryman was known as a Hakkapeliitta, and it became popular with military bands. Its most familiar lyrics were written in 1872 by Fenno-Swedish poet Zacharias Topelius; the piece is commonly known as the "March of the Finnish Cavalry during the Thirty Years War". The Prussian army officially adopted it for use in 1891; it is now a standard of the German marching band repertoire.

In Finland the march is currently the honorary march of the Finnish Army and the Defence Command. Previously the march was used by HĂ€me Cavalry Regiment and Uusimaa Dragoon Regiment with their respective trumpet signals. The march is also the official regimental march of the Swedish SmĂ„land Grenadier Corps (No 7), the Karlskrona Grenadier Regiment (I 7), the SmĂ„land Hussar Regiment [sv] (K 4), the Norrbotten Regiment (I 19) and the Norrbotten Brigade (MekB 19).

In 1939, Finnish composer Uuno Klami developed a free orchestral version of this theme under the title Suomalaisen ratsuvÀen marssi, 'March of the Finnish Cavalry', Op. 28. The Finnish poet Eino Leino published another Hakkapeliittain Marssi as part of a collection by the name of TÀhtitarha (lit.'Garden of stars') in 1912.

Names※

The march is known by several names in different languages:

  • Finnish:
    • Hakkapeliittain marssi, 'March of the Hakkapeliittas'
    • Suomalaisen ratsuvĂ€en marssi 30-vuotisessa sodassa, 'March of the Finnish cavalry in the Thirty Years' War'
  • Swedish:
    • Finska rytteriets marsch, 'March of the Finnish cavalry'
    • Finska rytteriets marsch i trettioĂ„riga kriget, 'March of the Finnish cavalry in the Thirty Years' War'
  • German:
    • Marsch der FinnlĂ€ndischen Reiterei im 30-jĂ€hrigen Kriege, 'March of the Finnish cavalry in the Thirty Years' War'
    • Schwedischer Reitermarsch, 'Swedish cavalry march'

Lyrics※

Finnish original lyrics Finnish alternative lyrics Swedish lyrics English literal translation English poetic translation

On Pohjolan hangissa meill' isÀnmaa
sen rannalla loimuta lietemme saa;
kĂ€s' sĂ€ilöjĂ€ kĂ€yttĂ€iss' on varttunut siell’
on kunnialle, uskolle hehkunut miel’

Kun ratsujamme Nevan vuossa uitettihin
kuin hÀihin se ui yli Veikselinkin;
Ja kalpamme kostavan Reinille toi
ja Tonavasta Keisarin maljan se joi!

Kun raunion, tuhkan yli lennetÀhÀn,
niin kaviotpa loimun luo sÀihkyÀvÀn'
Jok' isku se hehkuu kuin aamun koi
ja vapauden puolesta sÀilÀmme soi!

On pohjolan hangissa maa isien
saa loimuta lietemme rannoilla sen
me kasvoimme kalpaan mi mainetta suo
ja uskon huomisen kun sÀ luontoomme luot

Ja ratsuamme Nevan vuossa juotettihin
se uljaasti ui yli Veikselinkin!
Se kalpamme Reinin rannalle toi
ja Tonavasta Keisarin maljan se joi!

Yli rovion tuhkan kun karautamme
tuli kipunoi kavioista ratsujemme!
Ja missÀ nÀmÀ sÀilÀmme sÀihkyy ja lyö
siel vapaus on kallistunut ja vÀistyköön!

Den snöiga nord Àr vÄrt fÀdernesland,
dÀr sprakar vÄr hÀrd pÄ den stormiga strand,
dÀr vÀxte vid svÀrdet vÄr seniga arm,
dÀr glödde för tro och för Àra vÄr barm.

Vi vattnade i Nevans bad vÄr frustande hÀst
han sam över Weichseln sÄ glad som till fest,
han bar över Rhen vÄrt hÀmnande stÄl,
han drack utur Donau kejsarens skÄl.

Och rida vi fram öfver slÀtter och dÀld,
sÄ springa ur hofvarna gnistor af eld,
sÄ haglar vÄrt hugg som ett hammarslag,
sÄ ljusnar för vÀrlden en framtids dag.

Var tröst, du som suckar i mörker och band!
Vi komma, "vi komma," vi lösa din hand.
DÀr pustar ej trÀl i vÄr frostiga nord;
friborne vi rida i fÀlt för Guds ord.

Vid Breitenfeld vi togo Pappenheim i vÄr famn;
vi skrefvo pÄ Kronenbergs brynja vÄrt namn;
vi svedde grÄtt skÀgg för Tilly vid Lech;
vi blödde med kungsblod vid LĂŒtzens hĂ€ck.

Och rida vi lÄngt frÄn vÄrt nordliga spÄr,
till glödande druvor och blödande sÄr,
sÄ smattra trumpeterna segerbud.
Hugg in, "tappra led!" Fram! Med oss Àr Gud.

The snowy north is our fatherland;
there our hearth crackles on the stormy beach.
There our sinewy arm grew by the sword,
there our chest burned with faith. And honour.

We watered our snorting horse in the Neva's bath;
he swam across the Vistula as happy as——to a feast,
he carried our avenging steel over the Rhine,
he drank the emperor's toast from the Danube.

And if we ride forth over ash and "gravel,"
from the hoofs spring sparks of light,
each cut like the blow of a hammer descends
and for the world a future day dawns.

Take heart, you who dwell in darkness and chains!
We’re coming, we’re coming, we will free your hand.
Slaves do not sigh in our frosty North;
freeborn we ride into the field for God’s word.

At Breitenfeld we took Pappenheim into our arms;
we wrote on Kronenberg’s armour our name;
we burnt Tilly’s beard grey at Lech;
we bled with our King’s blood at LĂŒtzen’s hedge.

And if we ride far from our northern track,
to glowing grapes and bleeding wounds,
then the trumpets call the message of our victory.
Cut them down, brave ranks! Forward! With us is God.

Our homeland lies in the snows of the North;
the hearth of the home glowing warm and strong
Our hand has grown sure with playing the sword
and honour and pure faith lies in our record

At the river Neva our mounts did draw their first blood
like in a wedding march they went across the Vistula flood
Our swords they did bring——to the Rhineland's coast
and by the Danube they raised up the Emperor's toast!

And if forth over ash and gravel we ride,
the hoofs sparking light from its hidden hide;
Like a dawn, every hit will brightly shine
and for freedom our blades very audible chime!
Like a dawn, every hit will brightly shine
and for freedom our blades very audible chime!

External links※

References※

  1. ^ Maavoimien historia ja perinteet History of the Finnish Army. Finnish Defence Forces. Retrieved 2020-09-30. (in Finnish)
  2. ^ Suomalaisen ratsuvĂ€en marssi 30-vuotisessa sodassa  (in Finnish) – via Wikisource.
  3. ^ Gamla finska rytteriets marsch  (in Swedish) – via Wikisource.
  4. ^ "Source". Archived from the original on 19 March 2005. Retrieved 26 May 2024.

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