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The National Anthem of the Soviet Union (or Hymn, Гимн Советского Союза, ''Gimn Sovetskogo Soyuza'') replaced ''The Internationale'' as the national anthem on March 15, 1944. The lyrics were written by Sergey Mikhalkov (1913-2009) in collaboration with G. El-Registan (1899-1945) and the music was composed by Alexander Alexandrov (1883-1946). It was believed that Soviet soldiers would respond more to an anthem that was dedicated only to the Soviet Union rather than to a worldwide movement. The song was originally written as the Anthem of the Bolshevik Party with lyrics in the Alexandrine meter by Vasily Lebedev-Kumach in 1939.

Stalin was originally mentioned in the lyrics; however, after his death in 1953 and the process of Destalinization, the lyrics referring to Stalin were unacceptable. From that time until 1977, the anthem was played without lyrics. Revised lyrics without the references to Stalin and World War II were approved in 1977.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia adopted a new national anthem. In 2000, the old Soviet national anthem was re-adopted, with Mikhalkov writing new lyrics to represent Russia's new non-communist nature. See National Anthem of Russia.

Also, the same music was used for a proposal of the anthem of the State Union of Russia and Belarus entitled Derzhavny Soyuz Narodov (Union of Sovereign Nations). Although never officially adopted, the lyrics of that piece were not tied to any specific nationality, and could be adopted for a broader union. However, there appears to be no plans to utilize that piece in any official role.

Below are the Russian and the English versions of the lyrics; both can be sung to the music. The anthem also had official versions in the languages of every Soviet republic and in several other Soviet languages.

1977 version

Lyrics

IPA transcription

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Literal translation

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1944 version

The 1944 text had three different refrains following three different stanzas; in each refrain, the second line was consequently modified with references to friendship, then happiness and finally the glory. In 1977, these refrains were replaced by a uniform refrain following all stanzas.

Official lyrics of 1944 version

Other English versions

Translated by Paul Robeson:

(flag/light relates to slightly different versions)

Another version:

''Note: These versions of the Anthem are a poetic interpretation of the Russian lyrics rather than a word-by-word translation.'

Anthem of the Bolshevik Party

Official version

Гимн партии большевиков

National anthems of Russia and the Soviet Union

Media

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