Few Romanians know that our country has had six national anthems throughout history. The idea of the need for a national anthem first appeared in the Romanian Principalities in 1840, in the context of a growing sense of national identity. 

The emergence of the idea of a national anthem

At that time, there was no official song symbolizing the unity and pride of the Romanian people, but the desire to have a distinct anthem began to take shape.

The notion of a state anthem was formally realized in 1862, during the reign of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, the first ruler of the United Principalities. That year, the authorities organized a public competition to select the most suitable song to be adopted as the national anthem. 

The competition offered a substantial prize for the time: 100 guilders. Participation was open to all composers eager to contribute to the country’s national symbol.

Selection of the first official anthem

The winner of the competition was the composer Eduard Hubsch, with his piece titled “March of Triumph and the Reception of the Flag and His Highness the Ruling Prince”. The melody had no lyrics and remained the national anthem in this instrumental form until 1881. Hubsch created a solemn, martial composition that reflected both respect for the ruler and the Romanian people's desire for unity.

Lyrics were added later as part of a cultural effort to refine the anthem. Poet Vasile Alecsandri wrote the text “Romanian Royal Anthem”, which was performed for the first time at the coronation of King Carol I in 1884. Later, the composer George Enescu adopted the melody and included it at the end of his work Poema Română, giving it a more pronounced artistic character.

The anthem at that time sounded approximately like this:

“Long live the King
 In peace and honor
 Loving his country
 And its protector.
 May the Lord be glorious
 Over us,
 May he be forever fortunate
 In war, in war.”

Transformations of the anthem during the communist period

After the monarchy was abolished and the communist regime was established, Romania’s state anthem was changed to reflect the ideology of the new government. In 1948, the anthem “Broken Chains” was published for the first time in the newspaper Flacăra, a propaganda poem set to music by composer Matei Socor. The text celebrated workers and their sacrifices, with lines such as:

“Broken chains remain behind,
 The worker always leads,
 Through struggles and sacrifices we climb a step,
 Master of destiny is the people.”

This anthem was replaced in 1953 with “We Praise You, Romania!”, featuring propagandistic lyrics written by Eugen Frunză and Dan Deșliu. In the 1952 version, Lenin was deified:

“We praise you, Romania, paternal land,
 Forever allied will be our people
 With the liberating Soviet people
 Leninism is our guide, strength, and inspiration.”

Anthems during Ceaușescu’s regime

Under Nicolae Ceaușescu, the national anthem underwent further changes. In 1975, Romania’s anthem became “On Our Flag is Written Union”, with music by Ciprian Porumbescu. Two years later, in 1977, it was replaced by “Three Colors I Know in the World”, with propagandistic lyrics celebrating national identity and loyalty to the regime:

“Three colors I know in the world
 Which I hold as a cherished treasure,
 Colors of an ancient renown
 Memories of a brave people.
 Red is the fire that burns through me,
 My heart full of longing
 For sacred liberty
 And love of the homeland.”

It is said that some of the verses of this anthem, used from 1975 to 1989, were written by Ceaușescu himself.

“Awaken thee, Romanian!” – the anthem of the revolution and the present

The 1989 Revolution brought Romanians a new anthem: “Deșteaptă-te, române!” (“Awaken thee, Romanian!”), originally titled “A Resounding Call”. The poem was written by Andrei Mureșanu, and the melody was composed by Anton Pann. 

The text was drafted and published during the 1848 Revolution and became a symbol of the fight for freedom and national unity.

Since 1848, “Deșteaptă-te, române!” has been sung at crucial moments in Romanian history: during the War of Independence in 1877, in the First and Second World Wars, and after the August 23, 1944 coup, when Romania broke away from the alliance with Nazi Germany.

The anthem was also sung spontaneously during civil uprisings, such as on November 15, 1987, at the Autocamioane factory in Brașov, and on December 22, 1989, when people took to the streets to win their freedom, at which point the song instantly became Romania’s official national anthem.

Characteristics and modern use

The current Romanian national anthem has 11 stanzas, but during official celebrations, generally stanzas 1, 2, 4, and 11 are performed. “Deșteaptă-te, române!” is recognized for its patriotic message, its call to unity and liberty, and its long-standing tradition as a symbol during critical moments in the nation’s history.

The history of Romania’s national anthem reflects the political, social, and cultural transformations of the country over nearly two centuries. From Eduard Hubsch’s first instrumental anthem, winner of a competition with a prize of 100 guilders, to the revolutionary and democratic anthem “Deșteaptă-te, române!”, the songs representing Romania have witnessed major historical events and changes.

Each anthem mirrored the spirit of its time, whether representing monarchy, communist ideology, or popular revolution. Today, “Deșteaptă-te, române!” remains not only a symbol of national unity but also a testament to the courage and desire for freedom of the Romanian people, linking the past with the present through a melody that has inspired generations.

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