Glow in the Dark Stamp Under UV Stamps - Update

Category - Sight  
Subcategory - Glow in the Dark Stamp Under UV Stamps 

Rearranging an earlier post

Switzerland 2011 50 years of Swiss National Anthem MS Glow in Dark under UV set of 4 Stamps

Issue date 05 May 2011 

Leonhard Widmer (1809–1867), a music publisher, journalist, lyrical poet and friend of Zwyssig from Zurich, had sent him patriotic lyrics and asked him to set them to music. Zwyssig chose the melody he had composed using the “Diligam te Domine” (I will love thee, O Lord) psalm text for a priest installation mass in 1835, when he was master of music at Wettingen Abbey. Adjustments were made to Widmer’s lyrics to fit them to the music during the autumn of 1841. Finally, on Monday, 22 November 1941, “on the eve of St. Cecilia’s Day”, Zwyssig rehearsed his “Swiss Psalm” with four citizens of Zug, in the parlour on the first floor of the St. Carl mansion with its view of the lake and town.

The Swiss Government rejected numerous initiatives between 1894 and 1953 to make this song Switzerland’s official anthem on the grounds that a national anthem should not be imposed by State decree but freely chosen through its regular use by a country’s citizens.

In 1961, the Federal Council therefore decided to provisionally adopt the “Swiss Psalm” as the official Swiss anthem because it was unmistakable and a homegrown creation. The “Swiss Psalm” was provisionally confirmed as the national anthem in 1965. The Federal Council finally declared the “Swiss Psalm” to be the national anthem on 1 April 1981, citing in support of its decision that the Psalm is a wholly Swiss, dignified and solemn song – qualities the majority of Swiss citizens want from a national anthem.

Special miniature sheet feature: under UV light, the first verse appears in Switzerland’s four national languages.

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Glow in the Dark Stamp Under UV Stamps 


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