DotW #10 - Adam Oehlenschläger

Adam Oehlenschläger, 1779-1850

Adam Oehlenschläger was a Danish poet and playwright. In 1819 he wrote the lyrics for today's Danish National Anthem, "Der er et Yndigt Land".

Oehlenschläger was born in Vesterbro to a Schleswig father who was an organist and later the keeper of the royal palace in Frederiksberg and a mother that the Wiki page describes as "German by extraction". That sounds fairly ominous. The mother probably didn't enjoy it that much as she suffered from depression throughout most of her adult life and died before Oehlenschläger became - as Esaias Tegn crowned him - the "Nordic Poet-king". This was an era where poets from feuding countries could praise one another to bring the countries closer together. 

Anyway, Oehlenschläger grew up with no formal schooling until he was twelve - he was taught to read and write, but that was about it. At around the time he was twelve, Adam was strolling around Frederiksberg Have staring dreamily at the canals and "attracted the notice" of fellow poet Edvard Storm. Ah the days when a 42 year old man could talk poetry and Scandinavian mythology with a 12 year old he just happened to meet in the public gardens.

Oehlenschläger tried his hand at acting, but was mostly a failure. After the First Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 he set his focus on poetry and new romanticism. Not this kind of new romanticism. 

His plays and other writings drew Danes back to the poetry and religion of their Nordic ancestors, and reinvigorated romantic / nostalgic feelings about those forebearers.

He wrote the lyrics to "Der er et Yndigt Land", today the National Anthem of Denmark.

Der er et yndigt land,
det står med brede bøge
nær salten østerstrand
Det bugter sig i bakke, dal,
det hedder gamle Danmark
og det er Frejas sal

Der sad i fordums tid
de harniskklædte kæmper,
udhvilede fra strid
Så drog de frem til fjenders mén,
nu hvile deres bene
bag højens bautasten

Det land endnu er skønt,
thi blå sig søen bælter,
og løvet står så grønt
Og ædle kvinder, skønne mø'r
og mænd og raske svende
bebo de danskes øer

Hil drot og fædreland!
Hil hver en danneborger,
som virker, hvad han kan!
Vort gamle Danmark skal bestå,
så længe bøgen spejler
sin top i bølgen blå

Roughly / metrically translated...

There is a lovely land
with spreading, shadybeeches
Near salty eastern beach
Its hills and valleys gently fall,
its ancient name is Denmark,
And it is Freya's hall

There in the ancient days
sat armoured Vikings rested
Between their bloody frays
Then they went forth the foe to face,
now found in stone-set barrows,
Their final resting place

This land is still as fair,
the sea is blue around it,
And peace is cherished there
Strong men and noble women still
uphold their country's honour
With faithfulness and skill

This is today's shortened version - the orignal had twelve verses. At football matches and what not, the song is further shortened.

Der er et yndigt land,
det står med brede bøge
nær salten østerstrand
Det bugter sig i bakke, dal,
det hedder gamle Danmark
og det er Frejas sal 

Vort gamle Danmark skal bestå,
så længe bøgen spejler
sin top i bølgen blå

Edit: whoops, that was just instrumental!