Karelian heraldist told how Marshak wrote anthem for Karelia

In the 40s and early 50s, there was a turn in Soviet symbolism from internationalism to emphasizing the national characteristics of different republics. This can be seen in the return of epaulettes and in colored stripes on the flags of the Union republics. Along with this was the new anthem of the USSR in 1943. In his preparation, Voroshilov noted: “The existing anthem “Internationale”, written by the French, in its content does not correspond to modernity, and for us is now obsolete.” Then the anthem was translated into the languages of the Union republics. The Finnish text was written by Armas Eikia, Chairman of the Union of Karelian Writers. One national anthem was not limited to.

On February 16, 1945, a letter was sent from the Secretary of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Karelo-Finnish SSR to Eikiy A.M., with an order for the text of the anthem of the Karelo-Finnish SSR, stating that, according to the decision of the relevant bodies, each union republic is allowed to have the national anthem in the national language. As well as the conclusions of the commission on what should be reflected in this poetic work. The poet wrote the text, and Alexei Ivanovich Titov translated it into Russian.

A competition for music was announced among composers of the Karelo-Finnish SSR. 8 hymns were recognized as worthy: Abram Holland, Reuben Parchment, Helmer Sinisalo, Karl Rautio, Natalia Levy, Leonid Vishkarev, Lauri Jousinen, Leopold Teplitsky. According to the results of the competition, the first place with four votes against three was taken by Reuben Parchment. The second is Karl Rautio, the third is Abram Holland. Reuben Parchment in those years was the Karelian composer No. 1. There is an assumption that this is due to his victory in the competition. And in 1948, he was removed from his post, which was reflected in the anthem. The manuscript of the project of the anthem of Parchment is stored in the National Library of Karelia. But the records, unfortunately, do not seem to have survived.

The version of the anthem of Carl Rautio is the only one that became available to the general public. In 1951, in the musical appendix to the magazine Soviet Music, Karl Rautio’s work “My Karelo-Finnish Land” was published. It is the same anthem that he submitted to the competition, but in a slightly different arrangement of instruments. The publication was duplicated in Petrozavodsk in a separate edition. The anthem was publicly performed, for example, in Moscow, in October 1951, at the week of Karelo-Finnish music and dance, Kantele began his program. In the film magazine "According to the Karelo-Finnish SSR" 1953 No. 9 there is a plot as composer Karl Rautio and conductor Leopold Yakovlevich Teplitsky rehearse with the symphony orchestra the song "My Karelo-Finnish Land". That's why she was heard in Karelia, too. In 1954, the song "My Karelo-Finnish Land" performed by Kantele ensemble under the direction of Lev Kosinsky was released on the all-Union recording studio, on the record 78 turns. Note that this version of the song has changed the Russian text. The authors of the new translation were Samuel Yakovlevich Marshak and Andrei Pavlovich Globa. The text was very different, it even mentions the Soviet coat of arms.

My Karelo-Finnish land

The Labor Republic is our land,

The glorious northern land of a free people,

Illuminates lakes, forests and fields

The blazing light of your sky.

Our family is the entire Soviet people,

Our Union lives by unity and friendship.

The Soviet Union is our stronghold

Karelia leads to glory and happiness!

Lenin and Stalin raised us in the struggle,

They showed us the way through the storm and the storm.

Shine hammer and sickle on the Soviet coat of arms.

With a close brotherly family, we make our happiness.

Our family is the entire Soviet people,

Our Union lives by unity and friendship.

The Soviet Union is our stronghold

Karelia leads to glory and happiness!

We never threaten the borders of strangers,

But we fearlessly keep the Fatherland as a apple.

We're skiing, we're shooting a bullet,

If the enemy invades the home border.

Our family is the entire Soviet people,

Our Union lives by unity and friendship.

The Soviet Union is our stronghold

Karelia leads to glory and happiness!