Björneborgarnas marsch

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.[1]

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
LyricsJohan Ludvig Runeberg (Swedish), 1860
Paavo Cajander (Finnish), 1889
MusicUnknown, 18th century
Adopted1918
Audio sample
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History

It was composed by an unknown composer in the 18th century, although the modern brass band arrangement is by Conrad Greve.[2][3][4][5] 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.[2][3] The most commonly used Finnish translation was written by Paavo Cajander in 1889, along with Cajander's translation of The Tales of Ensign Stål.[3] 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.[3] 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" (radio) and "Helsinki, Porilaisten Marssi" (television). 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.[6]

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,
mi Puolan, Lützin, Leipzigin
ja Narvan mailla vertaan vuoti,
viel' on Suomi voimissaan,
voi vainolaisten hurmehella peittää maan.
Pois, pois rauhan toimi jää,
jo tulta kohta kalpa lyö
ja vinkuen taas lentää luoti.
Joukkoon kaikki yhtykää,
meit' entisajan sankarhenget tervehtää.
Kauniina väikkyy muisto urhojemme,
kuolossa mekin vasta kalpenemme.
Eespäin rohkeasti vaan,
ei kunniaansa myö
sun poikas milloinkaan!
Uljaana taistolippu liehu,
voitosta voittohon
sä vielä meitä viet!
Eespäin nyt kaikki, taisto alkakaa,
saa sankareita vielä nähdä Suomenmaa!

Lyrics in Swedish (original)

Johan Ludvig Runeberg, 1860

Söner av ett folk, som blött
På Narvas hed, på Polens sand, på Leipzigs slätter, Lützens kullar,
Än har Finlands kraft ej dött,
Än kan med oväns blod ett fält här färgas rött!
Bort, bort, vila, rast och fred!
En storm är lös, det ljungar eld och fältkanonens åska rullar;
Framåt, framåt led vid led!
På tappre män se tappre fäders andar ned.

//

Ädlaste mål
Oss lyser på vår bana;
Skarpt är vårt stål
Och blöda är vår vana.
Alla, alla käckt framåt!
Här är vår sekelgamla frihets sköna stråt.

//

Lys högt, du segersälla fana,
Sliten av strider sen en grånad forntids dar,
Fram, fram, vårt ädla, härjade standar!
Än finns en flik med Finlands gamla färger kvar.

//

Lyrics in Estonian
Üles, vaimud vahvamad
kes Pärnu piirilt Peipsini
kes terves Eestis elamas
sest veel on Eestis vaimustust
mis kaitsma valmis kodupinna vabadust
Ja kuni särab meile tähte hele läik
meeles kõigil Riia võidukäik
Sest vahvad vaimud ärgake
Taas Eesti lippu lehvitage võidule
Välgu nüüd mõõk!
Värise vaenlane!
Paukuge püssid, vastu rõhujatele
surma ei karda eesti maleva!
Ei iial Eestit orjastada lase ta!
Pojad rahva vahvama
kes Pihkva, Jamburi ja Võnnu
väljadele külvand surma
Veel võib Eesti võidelda
veel vaenulise verega võib värvi maa
Kuulsuse täht toob hiilgust meie teile
Kõik koos tulle tormake
Me vabaduse kindlustuse tee on see
Välgu nüüd mõõk...

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

References
  1. "Mitenkä Porilaisten marssi on syntynyt?". Kysy. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  2. "Porilaisten Marssi". Presidentti. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  3. Latvakangas, Eva (5 February 2006). "Musikaalihitistä kunniamarssiksi". Turun Sanomat. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  4. Jussila, Risto (1 September 2009). "Porilaisten marssi ei olekaan porilainen". Keskisuomalainen. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  5. Sirén, Vesa (6 December 2013). "Onko se Porilaisten marssi?". Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  6. ”Pasila, Porilaisten marssi” – Miksi suomalaisen voittaessa olympiakultaa Yle soittaa Porilaisten marssin eikä vaikka Sandstormia? Yle Urheilun päällikkö avaa tradition taustat, Iltalehti, 24 February 2018
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