Mazurek Dabrowskiego: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Mazurek Dąbrowskiego (Dąbrowski's Mazurka) is the Polish national anthem written by Józef Wybicki in 1797.

At first called the 'Song of the Polish Legions in Italy' (Pieśń Legionów Polskich we Włoszech), it also has the informal name Jeszcze Polska nie zginęła, from its first line, which is sometimes erroneously taken to be the Polish state motto.

The Yugoslav anthem Hej Sloveni is set to the same melody.

Original text (Polish)

Jeszcze Polska nie zginęła,
Kiedy my żyjemy.
Co nam obca przemoc wzięła,
Szablą odbierzemy.

Marsz, marsz, Dąbrowski,
Z ziemi włoskiej do Polski,
Za twoim przewodem
Złączym się z narodem.

Przejdziem Wisłę, przejdziem Wartę,
Będziem Polakami,
Dał nam przykład Bonaparte,
Jak zwyciężać mamy.

Marsz, marsz, Dąbrowski...

Jak Czarniecki do Poznania
Po szwedzkim zaborze,
Dla ojczyzny ratowania
Wrócim się przez morze.

Marsz, marsz, Dąbrowski...

Już tam ojciec do swej Basi
Mówi zapłakany:
"Słuchaj jeno, pono nasi
Biją w tarabany."

Marsz, marsz, Dąbrowski...

Poland has not yet perished,
as long as we live.
Whatever foreign force took from us,
we'll retake by sabre.

March, March, Dabrowski,
from Italian land to Poland.
Under your lead,
we'll unite with the nation.

We'll cross Vistula,
We'll cross Warta,
We'll be Polish people.
Bonaparte showed us an example
how we should win.

March, March, Dabrowski...

Like Czarnecki to Poznan,
after Swedish occupation,
To save fatherland,
we'll return across the sea.

March, March, Dabrowski...

And over there, a father tells his Basia,
crying:
"Listen, it sounds like ours
are drumming military drums."

March, March, Dabrowski...

Subtleties of meaning and historical context

(See also Partitioned Poland (1795-1914)#The Napoleonic Period)

Poland has not yet perished as long as we live - i.e. Poland is not just a country, but something constituted by all Polish people (Poland had been split up and divided between its neighbours in the 25 years preceding the writing of these verses - cf. Partitions of Poland). While this doesn't seem a strange idea nowadays, it was quite an unusual one at the time of writing.

sabre - the traditional weapon of the Polish cavalry, still used in the Napoleonic era.

Dabrowski - one of the leaders of the Polish Legions, he was not, however, the author of this anthem!

Czarnecki - one of the leaders of the Polish war against Swedish occupation.

across the sea - after the liberation of Poland, Czarnecki fought in Denmark.

Italian land, Bonaparte - the Polish Legions were created by Napoleon Bonaparte in Italy. The Legionists believed that they would ultimately fight for the independence of Poland, which remained occupied at that time.

Basia - a popular Polish name (a diminutive of Barbara).