Hakkapeliittain marssi ("March of the Hakkapeliittas") or Finska Rytteriets Marsch in Swedish ("March of the Finnish Cavalry"), also known as Suomalaisen ratsuväen marssi 30-vuotisessa sodassa or Finska rytteriets marsch i trettioåriga kriget ("March of the Finnish cavalry in 30 years war") is one of the Finnish and Swedish cavalry's battle marches and one of the oldest currently played. It originates from the times of Thirty Years' War when Finnish cavalrymen were known as hakkapeliitta and it became popular with military bands. It was given lyrics (in Swedish) in 1872 by Zacharias Topelius and is commonly known as the "March of the Finnish Cavalry during the Thirty Years War". The Prussian army officially adopted it for use in 1891; it is now a standard of the German marching band repertoire.
The march is the official regimental march of the Swedish 19th infantry regiment, I 19.
The Finnish composer Uuno Klami developed a free orchestral version of this theme under the title "Suomalaisen ratsuväen marssi" ("March of the Finnish Cavalry" op. 28) in 1939. The Finnish poet Eino Leino published another "Hakkapeliittain Marssi" as part of a collection by the name of Tähtitarha ("Garden of stars") in 1912.
Names of the song in different languages:
Alternative lyrics
Ja ratsuamme Nevan vuossa juotettihinse uljaasti ui yli Leipz-Erikin!Se kalpamme Reinin rannalle toija Tonavasta Keisarin maljan se joi!Yli rovion tuhkan kun karautammetuli kipunoi kavioista ratsujemme!Ja missä nämä säilämme säihkyy ja lyösiel vapaus on kallistunut ja väistyköön!Vi vattnade i Nevans bad vår frustande hästhan sam över Weichseln så glad som till fest,han bar över Rhen vårt hämnande stål,han drack utur Donau kejsarens skål.Och rida vi fram öfver slätter och däld,så springa ur hofvarna gnistor af eld,så haglar vårt hugg som ett hammarslag,så ljusnar för världen en framtids dag.Var tröst, du som suckar i mörker och band!Vi komma, vi komma, vi lösa din hand.Där pustar ej träl i vår frostiga nord;friborne vi rida i fält för Guds ord.Vid Breitenfeld vi togo Pappenheim i vår famn;vi skrefvo på Kronenbergs brynja vårt namn;vi svedde grått skägg för Tilly vid Lech;vi blödde med kungsblod vid Lützens häck.Och rida vi långt från vårt nordliga spår,till glödande druvor och blödande sår,så smattra trumpeterna segerbud.Hugg in, tappra led! Fram! Med oss är Gud.We watered our snorting horse in the Neva's bath;he swam across the Vistula as happy as to a feast,he carried our avenging steel over the Rhine,he drank the emperor's toast from the Danube.And if we ride forth over ash and gravel,from the hoofs spring sparks of light,each cut like the blow of a hammer descendsand for the world a future day dawns.Take heart, you who dwell in darkness and chains!We’re coming, we’re coming, we will free your hand.Slaves do not sigh in our frosty North;freeborn we ride into the field for God’s word.At Breitenfeld we took Pappenheim into our arms;we wrote on Kronenberg’s armour our name;we burnt Tilly’s beard grey at Lech;we bled with our King’s blood at Lützen’s hedge.And if we ride far from our northern track,to glowing grapes and bleeding wounds,then the trumpets call the message of our victory.Cut them down, brave ranks! Forward! With us is God.Poetic English translation
Source: [1]
At the river Neva our mounts did draw their first bloodlike in a wedding march they went across the Vistula floodOur swords they did bring to the Rhineland's coastand by the Danube they raised up the Emperor's toast!