Switzerland
"Vaterlandslied"

Words by: Johann Rudolf Wyss (German)
Music by: unknown
In use to: 1961

Switzerland's first anthem, used for official political and military occasions as a de facto national anthem, had the same melody as that of the British anthem, which was a popular melody for European state anthems in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (such as Prussia, Germany, and, to this day Liechtenstein, which is also a neighbour and close ally of Switzerland.)

The anthem is also known by its first line in each of Switzerland's official languages: in German "Rufst Du mein Vaterland" ("When you call, my fatherland"), in French: "O Monts indépendants", in Italian: "Ci chiami o patria", in Romansh: "E clomas, tger paeis". The author of the German lyrics was also the editor of the novel "The Swiss Family Robinson", which was written by his father.

It was decided to replace this anthem, which led to a few embarassing situations since it is also more often recognized as the anthem of another nation, in 1961 with a Swiss creation.

See also: Switzerland.