Poland National Anthem — Mazurek Dąbrowskiego

The anthem was written at Poland's darkest hour: in 1795 the country had been partitioned out of existence by Russia, Prussia and Austria. Its opening — "Jeszcze Polska nie zginęła, kiedy my żyjemy" ("Poland has not yet perished, so long as we live") — is a refusal to accept that the nation is dead while its people endure.

The chorus calls on General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski to march "from the Italian land to Poland", reflecting the hope of the Polish Legions, formed in Italy under Napoleon, that they would return home and restore the state. It is above all a hymn of survival and unbreakable national hope.

Józef Wybicki wrote the words in Reggio Emilia, Italy, in July 1797, for the Polish Legions fighting alongside Napoleon's armies under General Dąbrowski. Set to an anonymous folk mazurka, the "Song of the Polish Legions in Italy" spread among Poles at home and in exile as a symbol of the struggle for independence. After Poland regained statehood following the First World War, it was formally adopted as the national anthem in 1927.

Through 123 years of partition, "Jeszcze Polska nie zginęła" was a rallying cry that kept the idea of Poland alive. Its influence spread far beyond Poland: it inspired the Pan-Slavic anthem "Hey, Slavs" and echoes in other Slavic anthems. A mazurka — a lively Polish folk dance in triple time — it remains a proud emblem of national resilience.

The "Mazurek Dąbrowskiego" is the national anthem of Poland, among the most stirring of all national anthems. The words were written by Józef Wybicki in 1797; the melody is a traditional mazurka.

Originally the "Song of the Polish Legions in Italy", it became the official national anthem in 1927. Both words and music are in the public domain.