National Anthems of the World

Lyrics, history and anecdotes

🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina

The national anthem of Bosnia & Herzegovina is called: « Državna himna Bosne i Hercegovine ».

Continent: Europe

Bordering Countries:
🇭🇷 Croatia
🇲🇪 Montenegro
🇷🇸 Serbia

History of « Državna himna Bosne i Hercegovine »

« Državna himna Bosne i Hercegovine » (The National Anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina) is the national anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The anthem is unique in that it currently has no official lyrics, reflecting the country’s complex ethnic and political landscape.

Key Dates and People

  • 1998: The music for the anthem was composed by Dušan Šestić, a Bosnian Serb composer, and was officially adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  • 2009: An attempt was made to introduce official lyrics written by Dušan Šestić and Benjamin Isović, but the proposal was not adopted, leaving the anthem without official lyrics.

Anecdotes

  • No Official Lyrics: The anthem is one of the few in the world that is purely instrumental. This decision was made to avoid favoring any of the country’s three main ethnic groups (Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs) and to promote unity.
  • Composer’s Background: Dušan Šestić, the composer of the anthem, is also known for composing the anthem of the Republika Srpska, one of the two entities within Bosnia and Herzegovina. His involvement in both anthems highlights the complex inter-ethnic relationships within the country.
  • Unity and Neutrality: The lack of lyrics is seen as a way to maintain neutrality and unity in a country with a history of ethnic conflict. The instrumental nature of the anthem allows all citizens to feel represented without linguistic or ethnic bias.

Lyrics Excerpt

Since « Državna himna Bosne i Hercegovine » has no official lyrics, there are no words to translate. 

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