Kde domov můj

"Kde domov můj" (pronounced [ɡdɛ ˈdomof muːj]; English: "Where My Home Is") is the national anthem of the Czech Republic, written by the composer František Škroup and the playwright Josef Kajetán Tyl.

The piece was written as a part of the incidental music to the comedy Fidlovačka aneb Žádný hněv a žádná rvačka (Fidlovačka, or No Anger and No Brawl). It was first performed by Karel Strakatý at the Estates Theatre in Prague on 21 December 1834. The original song consists of two verses (see below). Although J. K. Tyl is said to have considered leaving the song out of the play, not convinced of its quality, it soon became very popular among Czechs and was accepted as an informal anthem of a nation seeking to revive its identity within the Habsburg Monarchy.

Soon after Czechoslovakia was formed in 1918, the first verse of the song became the Czech part of the national anthem, followed by the first verse of the Slovak song "Nad Tatrou sa blýska". The songs reflected the two nations' concerns in the 19th century when they were confronted with the already fervent national-ethnic activism of the Germans and the Hungarians, their fellow ethnic groups in the Habsburg Monarchy. Because of the linguistic and ethnic diversity of the First Republic, official translations were made into Hungarian and German as well.

With the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the Czechoslovak anthem was divided as well. While Slovakia extended its anthem by adding a second verse, the Czech Republic's national anthem was adopted unextended, in its single-verse version.

Original lyrics (from Fidlovačka, 1834)

Czech original and English translation

Czech	IPA transcription	Poetic English translation 1	Poetic English translation 2
First stanza
Kde domov můj, kde domov můj, voda hučí po lučinách, bory šumí po skalinách, v sadě skví se jara květ, zemský ráj to na pohled! A to je ta krásná země, země česká domov můj, země česká domov můj!	[ɡdɛ ˈdomof muːj \| ɡdɛ ˈdomof muːj] [ˈvoda ˈɦut͡ʃiː po ˈlut͡ʃɪnaːx] [ˈborɪ ˈʃumiː po ˈskalɪnaːx] [ˈf saɟɛ ˈskviː sɛ ˈjara kvjɛt] [ˈzɛmskiː raːj to na ˈpoɦlɛt] [a to jɛ ta ˈkraːsnaː ˈzɛmɲɛ] [ˈzɛmɲɛ ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈdomof muːj] [ˈzɛmɲɛ ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈdomof muːj]	Where my home is, where my home is, Streams are rushing through the meadows, Midst the rocks sigh fragrant pine groves, Orchards decked in spring's array, Scenes of paradise portray. And this land of wondrous beauty, Is the Czech land of my home, Is the Czech land of my home!	Where is my home, where is my home? Over leas are waters streaming, On the hills blue forests dreaming, Flowery worlds, Spring‘s happy skies, Like an earthly Paradise; There‘s the land so full of beauty, Czechia, my fatherland! Czechia, my fatherland!
Second stanza
Kde domov můj, kde domov můj, v kraji znáš-li bohumilém duše útlé v těle čilém, mysl jasnou, vznik a zdar a tu sílu vzdoru zmar, to je Čechů slavné plémě mezi Čechy domov můj! mezi Čechy domov můj!	[ɡdɛ ˈdomof muːj \| ɡdɛ ˈdomof muːj] [ˈf krajɪ ˈznaːʃlɪ ˈboɦumɪlɛːm] [ˈduʃɛ ˈuːtlɛː ˈf cɛlɛ t͡ʃɪlɛːm] [ˈmɪsl̩ ˈjasnou̯ \| ˈvznɪk a zdar] [a tu ˈsiːlu ˈvzdoru zmar] [to jɛ ˈt͡ʃɛxuː ˈslavnɛː ˈplɛːmɲɛ] [ˈmɛzɪ ˈt͡ʃɛxɪ ˈdomof muːj] [ˈmɛzɪ ˈt͡ʃɛxɪ ˈdomof muːj]	Where my home is, where my home is, If, in the heavenly land, you have met Slender souls in spry bodies, Of clear mind, vigorous and prospering, And with a strength that frustrates all defiance, That is the glorious nation of Czechs Among the Czechs (is) my home! Among the Czechs, my home!	Where is my home, where is my home? Where God self to man had spoken: Gentle be, but never broken, Ever cheerful, hopeful, strong, Bravely thwarting any wrong: There‘s the land of manly honor, Czechia, my fatherland! Czechia, my fatherland!

National Anthem of Czechoslovakia 1918–1992

The first stanza, along with that of the Slovak song Nad Tatrou sa blýska which is nowadays the national anthem of Slovakia, became from 1918 to 1992 the national anthem of Czechoslovakia.

Czech and Slovak anthem with English translation

Czech and Slovak	IPA transcription	English translation
Stanza 1 (Kde domov můj)
Kde domov můj, kde domov můj, voda hučí po lučinách, bory šumí po skalinách, v sadě skví se jara květ, zemský ráj to na pohled! A to je ta krásná země, země česká domov můj, země česká domov můj!	[ɡdɛ ˈdomof muːj \| ɡdɛ ˈdomof muːj] [ˈvoda ˈɦut͡ʃiː po ˈlut͡ʃɪnaːx] [ˈborɪ ˈʃumiː po ˈskalɪnaːx] [ˈf saɟɛ ˈskviː sɛ ˈjara kvjɛt] [ˈzɛmskiː raːj to na ˈpoɦlɛt] [ˈa to jɛ ta ˈkraːsnaː ˈzɛmɲɛ] [ˈzɛmɲɛ ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈdomof muːj] [ˈzɛmɲɛ ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈdomof muːj]	Where my home is, where my home is, Water roars across the meadows, Pinewoods rustle among crags, The garden is glorious with spring blossom, Paradise on earth it is to see. And this is that beautiful land, The Czech land, my home, The Czech land, my home!
Stanza 2 (Nad Tatrou sa blýska)
Nad Tatrou sa blýska, hromy divo bijú Nad Tatrou sa blýska, hromy divo bijú Zastavme ich, bratia, veď sa ony stratia, Slováci ožijú. Zastavme ich, bratia, veď sa ony stratia, Slováci ožijú.	[ˈnat tatrɔʊ̯ sa ˈbliːska \| ˈɦrɔmi ˈdiʋɔ ˈbijuː] [ˈnat tatrɔʊ̯ sa ˈbliːska \| ˈɦrɔmi ˈdiʋɔ ˈbijuː] [ˈzastaʊ̯ mɛ ˈix \| ˈbracɪ̯a \| ˈʋɛc sa ˈɔni ˈstracɪ̯a] [ˈslɔʋaːt͡si ˈɔʒijuː] [ˈzastaʊ̯ mɛ ˈix \| ˈbracɪ̯a \| ˈʋɛc sa ˈɔni ˈstracɪ̯a] [ˈslɔʋaːt͡si ˈɔʒijuː]	There is lightning over the Tatras, thunders wildly beat, There is lightning over the Tatras, thunders wildly beat. Let's stop them, brethren, after all they'll disappear, the Slovaks will revive. Let's stop them, brethren, after all they'll disappear, the Slovaks will revive.

Official lyrics (adapted version)

Czech lyrics and English translations

Czech Original	IPA transcription	Official Translation	Poetic Translation (Unofficial)
Kde domov můj, kde domov můj, Voda hučí po lučinách, bory šumí po skalinách, v sadě skví se jara květ, zemský ráj to na pohled! A to je ta krásná země, země česká domov můj, země česká domov můj!	[ɡdɛ ˈdo.mof muːj \| ɡdɛ ˈdo.mof muːj \|] [ˈvo.da ˈɦu.t͡ʃiː po ˈlu.t͡ʃɪ.naːx \|] [ˈbo.rɪ ˈʃu.miː po ˈska.lɪ.naːx \|] [ˈf‿sa.ɟɛ skviː sɛ ˈja.ra kvjɛt \|] [ˈzɛm.skiː raːj to na ˈpoɦ.lɛt ǁ] [a to jɛ ta ˈkraːs.naː ˈzɛm.ɲɛ \|] [ˈzɛm.ɲɛ ˈt͡ʃɛs.kaː ˈdo.mof muːj \|] [ˈzɛm.ɲɛ ˈt͡ʃɛs.kaː ˈdo.mof muːj ǁ]	Where my home is, where my home is, Water roars across the meadows, Pinewoods rustle among rocks, The orchard is glorious with spring blossom, Paradise on earth it is to see. And this is that beautiful land, The Czech land, my home, The Czech land, my home!	Where is my home, where is my home, Streams are rushing through the meadows, Midst the rocks sigh fragrant pine groves, Orchards decked in spring's array, Scenes of Paradise portray. And this land of wondrous beauty, Is the Czech land, home of mine, Is the Czech land, home of mine!

(Lyrics according to Appendix 6 of Czech Act No. 3/1993 Coll., as adapted by Act No. 154/1998 Coll.)

Other translation

German translation (used 1918–1938 and 1939–1945)

Wo ist mein Heim, mein Vaterland,

Wo durch Wiesen Bäche brausen,

Wo auf Felsen Wälder sausen,

Wo ein Eden uns entzückt,

Wenn der Lenz die Fluren schmückt:

Dieses Land, so schön vor allen,

Böhmen ist mein Heimatland.

Another German translation

Wo ist meine Heimat?

Das Wasser braust auf den Wiesen,

Wälder rauschen auf den Felsen,

Im Garten strahlt des Frühlings Blüte,

es ist das irdische Paradies für’s Auge!

Und das ist das schöne Land,

Böhmerland, meine Heimat!

Poetic English translation

This version was translated by famous Czech poet and Americanophile Josef Václav Sládek (1845-1912):

Where is my home, where is my home?

Over leas are waters streaming,

On the hills blue forests dreaming,

Flowery worlds, Spring‘s happy skies,

Like an earthly Paradise;

There‘s the land so full of beauty,

Czechia, my fatherland!

Where is my home, where is my home?

Where God self to man had spoken:

Gentle be, but never broken,

Ever cheerful, hopeful, strong,

Bravely thwarting any wrong:

There‘s the land of manly honor,

Czechia, my fatherland!

Hungarian translation (used 1920–1938)

Hol van honom, hol a hazám,

Hol patak zúg a hegyháton,

Csörgedez a rónaságon.

Üde virág a kertben,

Mint egy földi édenben.

Ez az istenáldotta föld,

Cseh föld a hazám,

Cseh föld a hazám.

Another Hungarian translation

Hol van hazám,

hol van hazám?

Víz hömpölyög a réteken,

fenyőerdők zúgnak a sziklákon,

a kertben tavaszi virág díszeleg,

földi paradicsomnak tűnik!

Ez az a gyönyörű föld

a cseh föld, a hazám,

a cseh föld, a hazám.