"" ( cnr-Cyrl, Ој, свијетла мајска зоро, ; ) is the

national anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European ...

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

adopted in 2004. Before its adoption, it was a popular folk song with many variations of its text. The oldest version dates back to the second half of the 19th century.Црногорска химна настала је у Србији, да би из ње био избачен стих у ком се помиње српски род
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Lyrics

Many verses are repeated in order to follow the rhythmic composition. ;English translation :𝄆 O bright dawn of May blazes forth 𝄇 :𝄆 Our mother Montenegro 𝄇 :𝄆 We are the sons of your gravel 𝄇 :𝄆 And guardians of your candour 𝄇 :We love you, your craggy highlands :And your magnificent gorges :Which never came to experience :The chains of shameful slavery :𝄆 Our mother Montenegro 𝄇 :𝄆 O bright dawn of May blazes forth 𝄇 :𝄆 Our mother Montenegro 𝄇 :For the cause of our Lovćen :Our unity gives us wings :All proud and lauded shall we be :Our dear homeland beloved :Estuary of our waves :That surges into the two seas :𝄆 Shall bear voice into the ocean :That Montenegro is ageless 𝄇 :That Montenegro is ageless!

History

Original version from the 19th century

The following is the oldest known version of the anthem, known as "O Bright Dawn of Bravery, Oi!" (""). It was played in public for the first time in 1863 in the national theater in

Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...

. It was a component song of the "Battle of Grahovo or

blood feud A feud , also known in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, private war, or mob war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially family, families or clans. Feuds begin ...

in Montenegro" () heroic play in three parts. The play and the Montenegrin folk song was also played/sung in the National Theater again in 1870 and 1876.

World War II collaborationist version

In 1944,

Sekula Drljević Sekula Drljević ( sr-cyrl, Секула Дрљевић; 7 September 1884 – 10 November 1945) was a Montenegrin nationalism, Montenegrin nationalist, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav jurist, politician, orator, and theoretician. During Wo ...

, a Montenegrin fascist collaborator, rearranged the lyrics of the Montenegrin patriotic song "Oj, svijetla majska zoro" to celebrate the creation of the Montenegrin puppet regime that had been established in July 1941.

World War II partisan version

Popular song

The song survived until today under various names as a popular Montenegrin folk song under the name "O Bright Dawn of May" (""). This version of the song has been one of the several versions proposed in 1993 during the first discussion on the official state anthem, however, on which there was no consensus because of the disputed melodic value.

Controversies

As the

president of Montenegro The president of Montenegro () is the head of state of Montenegro. The current president is Jakov Milatović since 20 May 2023. The official residence of the president is the Blue Palace in Cetinje. The president is constitutionally limited to ...

Filip Vujanović Filip Vujanović (, ; born 1 September 1954) is a Montenegrins, Montenegrin politician who served as the 3rd president of the Republic of Montenegro (1992–2006), Republic of Montenegro under Serbia and Montenegro from 2003 to 2006, and the 1st ...

participated on several occasions public debates regarding the disputed parts of the national anthem, which was made official in 2004. On that occasion, the official text of the anthem also included two stanzas (third and fourth) sung by the Montenegrin fascist and war criminal Sekula Drljević. Controversy over the disputed parts of the anthem in the following years led to open divisions among the citizens of Montenegro, and Vujanović himself on various occasions publicly criticized the adoption of Drljevic's stanzas, from which he distanced himself, advocating changes to the official text of the anthem. Vujanović repeatedly pointed out that the adoption of Drljevic's verses was not acceptable because their creator was a fascist or Nazi, and on the same occasion he warned of the danger of strengthening extreme

Montenegrin nationalism Montenegrin nationalism is the nationalism that asserts that Montenegrins are a nation and promotes the cultural unity of Montenegrins. From the beginning of the 18th century, the population of Montenegro was torn between variants of Montenegrin ...

and

chauvinism Chauvinism ( ) is the unreasonable belief in the superiority or dominance of one's own group or people, who are seen as strong and virtuous, while others are considered weak, unworthy, or inferior. The ''Encyclopaedia Britannica'' describes it ...

References

External links

* A midi version of the anthem exists at the official websites of ** th
President of Montenegro
** th
Government of Montenegro

- A vocal version of the Anthem, featured in "Himnuszok" website.
''Oj, svijetla majska zoro'' - Audio of the Montenegro national anthem, with information and lyrics, from NationalAnthems.mearchive link
* Th
Songs
section of the Italian language website "NewMontenegro.eu" features two alternative versions of the anthem.

- The sheet music and lyrics are featured in the "nationalanthems.info" site. {{DEFAULTSORT:Oj, Svijetla Majska Zoro National anthems European anthems Anthems of Montenegro National symbols of Montenegro Compositions in D minor