(; ) is the
national motto
This article lists state and national mottos for the world's nations. The mottos for some states lacking general international recognition, extinct states, non-sovereign nations, regions, and territories are listed, but their names are not bold ...
of
Luxembourg
Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...
.
Its respective translations in English, French, and German are: "''We want to remain what we are''", "''Nous voulons rester ce que nous sommes''", and "''Wir wollen bleiben, was wir sind''". This motto was born out of historical aspiration of the
Luxembourgish people to retain their
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States
* Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
identity and national sovereignty.
Origin and history
The phrase's origin can be traced back to ''De Feierwon'', a patriotic song written in 1859 to pay homage to the country's first international (cross-border) railway. Its chorus reads:
:Kommt hier aus Frankräich, Belgie, Preisen,
:Mir wellen iech ons Hémecht weisen,
:Frot dir no alle Säiten hin,
:Mir welle bleiwe wat mir sin.
In English, this reads:
:Come here from France, Belgium, Prussia,
:we want to show you our fatherland
:ask in all directions,
:We want to remain what we are.
References
National mottos
National symbols of Luxembourg
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