The "Song of Zeeland" was created in 1919 as a reaction to Belgian annexation plans that emerged during the World War I. Many Belgians felt that the Netherlands had behaved pro-German during the war due to its neutrality. As compensation for the enormous damage and misery suffered by the country and the people, the Belgian government wanted to annex two Dutch areas, mainly in order to improve Belgium's defensive positions in a possible future conflict with Germany: Limburg because of the coal and to protect the strategic Meuse crossings at Maastricht under control and Zeeuws-Vlaanderen because of access to Antwerp, which in 1914 could not have been effectively supported militarily by sea due to the neutrality of the Netherlands.
In 1919, the Belgian desire for annexation came to the fore even more strongly. A large group throughout Zeeland then felt the need to emphasize the connection with the Netherlands and Orange. The head teacher from 's-Gravenpolder, D.A. Poldermans (1877-1939), wrote the words of a national anthem to which the Middelburg conductor Jan Morks wrote the music. They dedicated the Zeeland national anthem to the Queen's Commissioner, H.J. Dyck master. The song proved to be here to stay: in 2020, on the initiative of a councilor from the municipality of Borsele, its 100th anniversary was celebrated and on many occasions, including during the New Year's receptions of the Provincial Board, it is sung with verve by those present.
This national anthem is less well known in the south of the Western Scheldt, where the Zeeuws-Flemish anthem is preferred as the national anthem on occasions.
Lyrics[]
Geen dierber' plek voor ons op aard,
Geen oord ter wereld meer ons waard,
Dan, waar beschermd door dijk en duin,
Ons toelacht veld en bosch en tuin;
Waar steeds d'aloude Eendracht woont,
En welvaart 's landsmans werk bekroont,
waar klinkt des Leeuwen forsche stem;
'Ik worstel moedig en ontzwem!'
Het land, dat fier zijn zonen prijst,
En ons met trots de namen wijst,
Van Bestevaer en Joost de Moor,
Die blinken zullen d'eeuwen door;
Waarvan in de historieblaên,
De Evertsen en Bankert staan,
Dat immerhoog in eere houdt,
den onverschrokken Naerebout.
Gij, Zeeland, zijt ons eigen land,
Wij dulden hier geen vreemde hand,
Die over ons regeeren zou,
Aan onze vrijheid zijn wij trouw.
Wij hebben slechts één enk'le keus
'Oranje en Zeeland!' da's de leus!
Zoo blijven wij met hart en mond,
Met lijf en ziel: goed Zeeuwsch goed rond.
English translation[]
No dearest place for us on earth,
There is no place in the world worth us anymore,
Then, where protected by dike and dune,
Field and forest and garden smile upon us;
Where the ancient Eendracht always dwells,
And prosperity crowns the country's work,
where does the lion's strong voice sound;
"I struggle bravely and swim!"
The land that proudly praises its sons,
And proudly shows us the names,
Van Bestevaer and Joost de Moor,
Those shine through the ages;
Of which in the history sheets,
The Evertsen and Bankert are standing,
That ever high honors,
the fearless Naerebout.
You, Zealand, are our own land,
We don't tolerate a strange hand here,
who would rule over us,
We are faithful to our freedom.
We only have one choice
'Orange and Zeeland!' that's the lie!
Thus we remain with heart and mouth,
Body and soul: good Zeeland, well rounded.
Trivia[]
- The anthem of Sint Eustatius, an island in the Caribbean, uses this anthem's melody.