"Farewell of Slavianka" (Russian: Прощание славянки, IPA:[prɐˈɕːænʲɪjesɫɐˈvʲankʲɪ])[a] is a Russian patriotic march, written by the composer Vasily Agapkin in honor of Slavic women accompanying their husbands in the First Balkan War.[1] The march was written and premiered in Tambov in the end of 1912. In the summer of 1915, it was released as a gramophone single in Kiev. Slavianka translates to 'Slavic woman'.
The melody gained popularity in Russia and adjoining countries during World War I, when the Russian soldiers left their homes and were accompanied by the music of the march. It was also performed during the parade of 7 November 1941 on the Red Square, after which soldiers went straight to fight in the Battle of Moscow as part of World War II.[2] This march was also used as an unofficial anthem of Admiral Kolchak's White Army.
Sources alleged that the song was banned prior to its use in the award-winning 1957 film The Cranes Are Flying, because of its lyrics about supposedly banned subjects. However, there are multiple documentations of the song being performed prior to this, many conducted by Agapkin himself. The earliest recorded publication of Farewell to Slavianka in the Soviet era was in 1929, and its earliest known performance by communist troops was in 1918.[3] Most famously, it was one of four marching tunes performed during the 1941 October Revolution Parade on the Red Square.[4] The song was originally published by Zimmerman Production Association around 1912.[5] The march was published in an official collection of music for Red Army orchestras,[6] and it was recorded in the early 1940s by a military orchestra under the conductor Ivan Petrov (1906–1975), but different lyrics were then used. Other lyrics are now usually sung by the Red Army Choir.
Subsequently, several composers have written lyrics for the music in various languages. During the Finnish Civil War the Red Guards adapted the song into Vapaa Venäjä, a working class marching song. During World War II in German-occupied Poland, an adapted "underground" version of the song, Rozszumiały się wierzby płaczące ("Weeping Willows Began to Hum"), became popular in the Polish resistance and was based on lyrics by Roman Ślęzak.[7]
In the 1990s, the liberal political party Yabloko lobbied unsuccessfully for the march to be adopted as the Russian national anthem.[8]
A Hebrew version was written in 1945 by the singer-songwriter Haim Hefer for the Palmach. In his version of the song, בין גבולות ("Between Borders"), Hefer coined the phrase אָנוּ פֹּה חוֹמַת מָגֵן (We are here a defensive wall), which was used by Israel Defense Forces to call Operation Defensive Shield (literally "Operation Defensive Wall") in 2002.[9]
"Farewell of Slavianka" first received official lyrics under the Soviet leadership that were appropriate for the time's political climate, but references to Russian culture, religion and patriotism were changed. The new version by A. Fedotov.
The first version under the Soviet Union (1941) did not mention the Battle of Berlin, unlike the later version (1967).
Этот марш не смолкал на перронах
когда враг заслонял горизонт.
С ним отцов наших в дымных вагонах
поезда увозили на фронт.
Он Москву отстоял в сорок первом,
в сорок пятом шагал на Берлин,
Он c солдатом прошёл до Победы
по дорогам нелёгких годин.
И если в поход
страна позовёт,
За край наш родной
мы все пойдём в священный бой!
Шумят в полях хлеба.
Шагает Отчизна моя
к высотам счастья,
сквозь все ненастья,
дорогой мира и труда.
Étot marsh ne smolkál na perrónakh
kogdá vrag zaslonyál gorizónt.
S nim otcóv náshikh v dýmnykh vagónakh
poyezdá uvozíli na front.
On Moskvú otstoyál v sórok pérvom,
v sórok pyátom shagál na Berlín,
On s soldátom proshyól do pobédy
po dorógam nelyógkikh godín.
I yésli v pokhód
straná pozovyót,
Za kray nash rodnóy
My vse poydyóm v svyashchénnyy boy!
Shumyát v polyákh khléba.
Shagáyet otchízna moyá
k vysótam schástia,
skvoz vse nenástia,
dorogóy míra i trudá.
This march was not silent on the platforms,
When the foe clouded the horizon.
With it, our fathers, in smoking railcars,
Were brought to the front by trains.
In '41 he preserved Moscow,
In '45 he marched on Berlin.
He accompanied the soldiers to victory,
Along the roads of tough years.
And if the country,
Calls us to campaign.
For our native land,
We'll all march to sacred war!
Wheat rustles in the fields,
My fatherland marches!
Toward the heights of joy,
Through all misfortunes,
On the path of peace and toil!
Another version of the lyrics was written by Vladimir Lazarev in 1984 and has gained the popularity since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 because of the slower tempo and the added human fragility factor.[12]
I
Встань за Веру, Русская Земля!
Много песен мы в сердце сложили,
Воспевая родные края
Беззаветно тебя мы любили,
Святорусская наша земля.
Высоко ты главу поднимала –
Словно солнце твой лик воссиял.
Но ты жертвою подлости стала –
Тех, кто предал тебя и продал!
Припев:
И снова в поход труба нас зовёт.
Мы все встанем в строй
И все пойдём в священный бой.
II
Встань за Веру, Русская земля!
Ждут победы России святые.
Отзовись, православная рать!
Где Илья твой и где твой Добрыня?
Сыновей кличет Родина-мать.
Под хоругви мы встанем все смело
Крёстным ходом с молитвой пойдём,
За Российское правое дело
Кровь мы русскую честно прольём.
Припев
III
Встань за Веру, Русская Земля!
Все мы – дети великой Державы,
Все мы помним заветы отцов
Ради Родины, Чести и Славы
Не жалей ни себя, ни врагов.
Встань, Россия, из рабского плена,
Дух победы зовёт: в бой, пора!
Подними боевые знамёна
Ради Веры, Любви и Добра!
Припев
I
Vstan za Véru, Rússkaya Zemlyá!
Mnógo pésen my v sérdce slozhíli,
Vospeváya rodnýe krayá
Bezzavétno tebyá my lyubíli,
Svyatorússkaya násha zemlyá.
Vysokó ty glavú podnimála –
Slóvno sólnce tvoy lik vossiyál.
No ty zhértvoyu pódlosti stála –
Tekh, kto prédal tebyá i prodál!
Pripév:
I snóva v pokhód trubá nas zovyót.
My vse vstánem v stroy
I vse poydyóm v svyashchénnyy boy.
II
Vstan za Véru, Rússkaya Zemlyá!
Zhdut pobédy Rossíi svyatýye.
Otzovís, pravoslávnaya rat!
Gde Iliá tvoy i gde tvoy Dobrýnya?
Synovéy klíchet Ródina-mat.
Pod khorúgvi my vstánem vse smélo
Kryóstnym khódom s molítvoy poydyóm,
Za Rossíyskoye právoye délo
Krov my rússkuyu chéstno prolióm.
Pripév
III
Vstan za Véru, Rússkaya Zemlyá!
Vse my – déti velíkoy derzhávy,
Vse my pómnim zavéty otcóv
Rádi Ródiny, Chésti i Slávy
Ne zhaléy ni sebyá, ni vragóv.
Vstan, Rossíya, iz rábskogo pléna,
Dukh pobédy zovyót: v boy, porá!
Podnimí boyevýe znamyóna
Rádi Véry, Lyubví i Dobrá!
Pripév
I
Arise for faith, o Russian land!
We composed many a song in our heart,
Glorifying the native land.
We loved thee no matter what,
Thou, our holy Russian land.
Thou hast raised high thy head,
Thy face shone like the sun.
But thou hast become a victim of betrayal –
by those who have thee cheated and sold!
Chorus:
And again in march trumpet calleth us.
We all stand in order
And go to the holy battle.
II
Arise for faith, o Russian Motherland!
The saints await Russia's victory.
Respond, o Orthodox host!
Where is thine Ilya, where is thy Dobrynya?
Mother Homeland summoneth her sons.
We'll stand together under the gonfalons.
And go, praying, as a procession,
For the right cause of Russia
We'll shed honestly Russian blood.
Chorus
III
Arise for faith, o Russian land!
We're all children of a great empire,
We all remember the commandments of our fathers:
For the Homeland, Honour, Glory,
Pity neither thyself nor thine enemy.
Arise, Russia, from thy prison of slavery,
Victory's spirit is called: time for battle!
Rise thy battle flags
For Faith, Love, and the Good.
The melody of "Farewell of Slavianka" was used for the regional anthem of Tambov Oblast, whose lyrics were written on 22 May 2002 by A. Mitrofanov.[14]
I
На просторах бескрайних и синих,
Где берёзы любуются Цной,
В самом сердце великой России
Ты раскинулся, край наш родной.
Полыхали зловеще зарницы,
Но в историю грозных веков
Ты вписал своей славы страницы,
Честь, свободу храня от оков.
Припев:
Тамбовский наш край,
В веках процветай!
Ты славен людьми,
Храни, Господь, тебя, храни!
II
И пусть летят года,
Ты с нами, наш край, навсегда.
Здесь родились мы,
И с этим краем
У нас на всех одна судьба.
Здесь родились мы,
И с этим краем
У нас на всех одна судьба.
Припев
III
С пульсом Родины шаг свой сверяя,
Край любимый наш смотрит вперёд,
Славу верных сынов умножая,
Твёрдой поступью к счастью идёт.
Пусть заметнее будут успехи,
Хорошеет любимый наш край,
На земле благодатной во веки
Цветом яблонь своих расцветай.
Припев
I
Na prostórakh beskráynikh i sínikh,
Gde beryózy lyubúyutsya Cnoy,
V sámom sérdce velíkoy Rossíi
Ty raskínulsya, kray nash rodnóy.
Polykháli zlovéshche zarnícy,
No v istóriyu gróznykh vekóv
Ty vpisál svoyéy slávy stranícy,
Chest, svobódu khranyá ot okóv.
Pripév:
Tambóvskiy nash kray,
V vekákh procvetáy!
Ty sláven lyudmí,
Khraní, Gospód, tebyá, khraní!
II
I pust letyát góda,
Ty s námi, nash kray, navsegdá.
Zdes rodilís my,
I s étim kráyem
U nas na vsekh odná sudbá.
Zdes rodilís my,
I s étim kráyem
U nas na vsekh odná sudbá.
Pripév
III
S púlsom Ródiny shag svoy sveryáya,
Kray lyubímyy nash smótrit vperyód,
Slávu vérnykh synóv umnozháya,
Tvyórdoy póstupiu k schástiu idyót.
Pust zamétneye búdut uspékhi,
Khoroshéyet lyubímyy nash kray,
Na zemlé blagodátnoy vo véki
Cvétom yáblon svoíkh rascvetáy.
Pripév
I
In endless blue expanses,
Where birches are admired by Tsna,
In the heart of great Russia
You are spread, our home region.
Heat-lightnings blaze ominously,
But in your history of horrid centuries
You've written the pages of your glory,
Keeping honour and freedom from shackles.
Chorus:
Our Tambov Region,
Prosper for centuries!
You're the glory by your folk,
May God bless and save you!
II
Let the years fly,
You are with us, our region, forever.
We were born there,
And with this region
We have one destiny.
We were born there,
And with this region
We have one destiny.
Chorus
III
Checking your step with the Motherland's pulse,
Our lovely region is looking forward,
Multiply the glory of your faithful sons,
Stepping firmly towards happiness.
Let success be more noticeable,
Our beloved region increases in beauty,
On a graceful land forever
Blossom with the colour of your apple trees.
The melody of the song is also used for the poem My Comrade in Death Throes. It was written in December 1944 by Ion Degen, a Second World War tank ace.[15][16]
^Official ceremonial repertoire for orchestras of the Red Army (Russian: Служебно-строевой репертуар для оркестров Красной Армии – Sluzhebno-stroevoy repertuar dlya orkestrov Krasnoy Armii), Moscow, Voenizdat, 1945. The editor of this collection was the great Russian march composer Semyon Aleksandrovich Chernetskiy (1881–1950), who was from 1925 to 1949 the Head of Military Music Service of the People's Commissariat of Defense, later Ministry of Armed Forces of the Soviet Union.
