''Sempacherlied'' is the title of a number of patriotic songs celebrating the Swiss victory at the

Battle of Sempach The Battle of Sempach was fought on 9 July 1386, between Leopold III, Duke of Austria and the Old Swiss Confederacy. The battle was a decisive Swiss victory in which Duke Leopold and numerous Austrian nobles died. The victory helped turn the loo ...

(1386). The oldest versions are recorded in the late 15th to early 16th century, e.g. by

Melchior Russ Melchior Russ (c. 1450 – 20 July 1499) was born of an old noble family in Lucerne.Müller, p. 9. In 1473, after having studied for at least two years in Basle, Russ left the University of Basle for the University of Pavia with the intent ...

(1488), by

Wernher Schodeler Werner Schodoler (also Wernher Schodoler (1490 in Bremgarten, Aargau – 15 October 1541, in Bremgarten, Aargau) was a Swiss chronicler. He was the author of ''Swiss History'', the earliest of the Swiss illustrated chronicles Several illustrated ...

(1515) and by

Aegidius Tschudi Aegidius (or Giles or Glig) Tschudi (5 February 150528 February 1572) was a Swiss statesman and historian, an eminent member of the Tschudi family of Glarus, Switzerland. His best known work is the Chronicon Helveticum, a history of the early ...

(1536). A version composed by one Hensli Halbsuter in the late 15th century, comprising a total of 63 verses, was printed in 1599 (incipit ''Im 1386 iar''). The modern song (incipit ''Lasst hören aus alter Zeit'') was written ca. 1836 by

Heinrich Bosshard Heinrich may refer to: People * Heinrich (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Heinrich (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) *Hetty (given name), a given name (including a list of peo ...

(1811-1877), set to music by

Ulrich Wehrli Ulrich (), is a German given name, derived from Old High German ''Uodalrich'', ''Odalric''. It is composed of the elements '' uodal-'' meaning "(noble) heritage" and ''-rich'' meaning "rich, powerful". Attested from the 8th century as the name of Al ...

(1794-1839), in the context of the period of

Regeneration Regeneration may refer to: Science and technology * Regeneration (biology), the ability to recreate lost or damaged cells, tissues, organs and limbs * Regeneration (ecology), the ability of ecosystems to regenerate biomass, using photosynthesis ...

, formative of the

Swiss national identity The historiography of Switzerland is the study of the history of Switzerland. Early accounts of the history of the Old Swiss Confederacy are found in the numerous Swiss chronicles of the 14th to 16th centuries. As elsewhere in Europe, these la ...

which resulted in the foundation of

Switzerland as a federal state The rise of Switzerland as a federal state began on 12 September 1848, with the creation of a federal constitution in response to a 27-day civil war, the ''Sonderbundskrieg''. The constitution, which was heavily influenced by the United Sta ...

in 1848.

References

*Kreis, K. ''Das Sempacherlied mit den Lebensbildern des Componisten I.U. Wehrli und des Dichters H. Bosshard''. Zürich, Zürcherische Liederbuchanstalt, 1886. *Alois Lütolf,'' Luzerner Schlachtliederdichter im 15. Jahrh., bes. Hans Halbsuter und das Sempacherlied'', Geschichtsfreund, 1862. *Ludwig Tobler, ''Schweizerische Volkslieder; mit Einleitung und Anmerkungen'' 1882. *Halbsuter, Hans, ''Lied von der Schlacht beschehen vor Sempach, in Lucerner Biet gelegen'', Zürich, Rudolff Wyssenbach, 1599.

External links

Text of the ''Halbsuterlied''
Swiss patriotic songs Sempach

See also

References

External links