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Gaudeamus igitur
Gaudeamus igitur

Gaudeamus igitur

iuvenes dum sumus!

Gaudeamus igitur

iuvenes dum sumus!

Post iucundam iuventutem,

post molestam senectutem

nos habebit humus,

nos habebit humus.

 

Lebt, so lang die Jugend schäumt,

freudigen Gefühlen!

Lebt, so lang die Jugend schäumt,

freudigen Gefühlen!

Nach der Jugend froher Hast,

nach des Alters trüber Last

ruhen wir im Kühlen,

ruhen wir im Kühlen.

Gaudeamus igitur

iuvenes dum sumus!

Gaudeamus igitur

iuvenes dum sumus!

Post iucundam iuventutem,

post molestam senectutem

nos habebit humus,

nos habebit humus.

 

Live, as long as youth prospers,

feeling merry!

Live, as long as youth prospers,

feeling merry!

After youth’s happy haste,

after ageing’s sad burden

we’ll rest in the cool,

we’ll rest in the cool.

In 1781, these lyrics were printed for the first time, and the melody originates from 1788. Nowadays, the song is spread world-wide, and the lyrics probably already developed during the Middle Ages in Bologna (Italy). In the 13th century, Latin (which is the original language of the first strophe, while the second strophe is a translation of the first) was the common language for students from different countries. Latin is also probably the reason why this song was preserved for so long as it was the elites’ (former) language. In Germany, pupils sometimes learn this song in Latin classes. Johannes Brahms (1833-1890) used this melody in his “Academic Festival Overture”.