Copyright © 2000 by Hugo S. Cunningham
Original Soviet text was not copyrighted

File added 001216
last modified 021004

Anthem of the Soviet Union (original 1943 version)

The Russian lyrics appeared in
E. Belova and L. Todd,English: A Textbook of the English Language for the 7th Grade in 7-year and Secondary Schools (third edition)State Textbook and Pedagogical Publishers of the Ministry of Education of the RSFSR, Moscow, 1951; p. 66.

Ob"yasnenie latinskoj azbuki vospolzuemoj zdes'

The English translation to the right is literal. A poetic English version, suitable for singing, is given below.

Gimn Sovetskogo Soyuza Anthem of the Soviet Union
Compozitor-- Aleksandr Vasil'evich Aleksandrov (1883-1946) Music by Alexander Vasil'evich Alexandrov (1883-1946)
Slova -- Sergej Vladimirovich Mixalkov (1913- ) Words by Sergei Vladimirovich Mikhalkov (1913- )
----------
1. 1.
Soyuz nerushimyj respublik svobodnyx An unbreakable Union of free republics
Splotila naveki velikaya Rus'. Great Russia has welded forever;
Da zdravstvuet sozdannyj volej narodov, Created by will of the peoples, long live
Edinyj, moguchij Sovetskij Soyuz! The united, mighty Soviet Union!
Xor: Refrain:
    Slav'sya, Otechestvo nashe svobodnoe,
    Be renowned, our free Fatherland,
    Druzhby narodov nadėzhnyj oplot!
    Reliable bulwark of the friendship of peoples!
    Znamya sovetskoe, znamya svobodnoe
    Soviet flag, free flag,
    Pust' ot pobedy k pobede vedėt!
    Let it lead from victory to victory!
...
2. 2.
Skvoz' grozy siyalo nam solnce svobody, Through tempests shined on us the sun of freedom,
I Lenin velikij nam put' ozaril. And the great Lenin lit us the way.
Nas vyrastil Stalin -- na vernost' narodu, Stalin brought us up -- on loyalty to the people,
Na trud i na podvigi nas vdoxnovil. He inspired us to labor and to heroism.
(Xor) (Refrain)
...
3. 3.
My armiyu nashu rastili v srazhen'yax, We developed our army in battles,
Zaxvatchikov podlyx s dorogi smetėm! We will sweep the vile aggressors from the way!
My v bitvax reshaem sud'bu pokolenij, In battles we settle the fate of generations,
My k slave Otchiznu svoyu povedėm! We will lead our Fatherland to glory!
(Xor) (Chorus)

The following English version, appearing in Todd and Belova p. 67, can be sung. It gave up the accuracy of literal translation to preserve meter and rhyme.
The translator's name did not appear in the source document.

1.
Unbreakable Union of freeborn republics
Great Russia has welded forever to stand;
Created in struggle by will of the peoples,
United and mighty, our Soviet land!

Chorus:

...

2.
Through tempests the sunrays of freedom have cheered us,
Along the new path where great Lenin did lead.
Be true to the people, thus Stalin has reared us,
Inspired us to labour and valorous deed!

(Refrain)

3.
Our army grew up in the heat of grim battle,
Barbarian invaders we'll swiftly strike down.
In combat the fate of the future we'll settle,
Our country we'll lead to eternal renown!

(Refrain)

After the Great Leader and Teacher's death (1953), there was a move by some traitors (eg Khrushchov) to remove His name from the second stanza. Also, as peaceful achievements of socialist contruction eclipsed some of the urgent memories of the Great Patriotic War, the third stanza was also replaced. Eventually, in 1977, the version below was settled on. The only changes are in the third stanza, and the third line of the second stanza.

Changes in the Russian text below were taken from
Edited by T.M Cartledge and W.L. reed, Martin Shaw and Henry Coleman, National Anthems of the World 5th Edition, Blandford Press, Dorset (UK), 1978; p. 463.

Gimn Sovetskogo Soyuza Anthem of the Soviet Union
Compozitor-- Aleksandr Vasil'evich Aleksandrov (1883-1946) Music by Alexander Vasil'evich Alexandrov (1883-1946)
Slova -- Sergej Vladimirovich Mixalkov (1913- ) Words by Mikhalkov (1913- ) and El-Registan (1924- )
----------
1. 1.
Soyuz nerushimyj respublik svobodnyx An unbreakable Union of free republics
Splotila naveki velikaya Rus'. Great Russia has welded forever;
Da zdravstvuet sozdannyj volej narodov, Created by will of the peoples, long live
Edinyj, moguchij Sovetskij Soyuz! The united, mighty Soviet Union!
Xor: Refrain:
    Slav'sya, Otechestvo nashe svobodnoe,
    Be renowned, our free Fatherland,
    Druzhby narodov nadėzhnyj oplot!
    Reliable bulwark of the friendship of peoples!
    Znamya sovetskoe, znamya svobodnoe
    Soviet flag, free flag,
    Pust' ot pobedy k pobede vedėt!
    Let it lead from victory to victory!
...
2. 2.
Skvoz' grozy siyalo nam solnce svobody, Through tempests shined on us the sun of freedom,
I Lenin velikij nam put' ozaril. And the great Lenin lit us the way.
Na pravoe delo on podnyal narody, He raised the peoples in a just cause,
Na trud i na podvigi nas vdoxnovil. He inspired us to labor and to heroism.
(Xor) (Refrain)
...
3. 3.
V pobede bessmertnyx idej kommunizma In the victory of the immortal ideas of Communism
My vidim gryadushchie nashej strany, We see the future of our country,
I krasnomu znameni slavnoj Otchizny And to the red banner of the glorious fatherland
My budem vsegda bezzavetno verny! We will always be unreservedly true!
(Xor) (Chorus)

Return to table of contents for 7th-Grade Soviet textbook.

Go to to CSU charter page.