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Appreciate Amazing Austria - Country #4

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I lost my mind & couldn't be happier! Plan was 6 days-17 countries; ended up 15 countries. Auto trek began in Pula, Croatia Sat. Sept 22, just after Ireland TravBuddy Get-Together. 1st day: Croatia, Italy, Slovenia (overnight in Ljubljana) 2nd: Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland (overnight in Krakow) 3rd: Ukraine, Romania (overnight in Transylvania) 4th: Bulgaria, Macedonia (overnight in Skopje) 5th: Serbia, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia (overnight in Split) 6th: Back to Pula

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Appreciate Amazing Austria - Country #4

September 23, 2007

I think I'm going to like Austria

Appreciate Amazing Austria

Edelweiss

Edelweiss is a tiny white fragile flower found high in the Alpine hills of Europe. In the culture of Alpine people, the flower had become a symbol of the love and devotion of a man for a woman.

By reason of deep love, a young man would earnestly endanger himself to collect Edelweiss from the crags and ledges of the mountains. If successful, he would place the flower in the lapel of his jacket, and return to town. To return to town with Edelweiss flower in one's jacket was a sign to all of a love stricken man.

On a mission to present his fragile Edelweiss flower (before it wilted) to his young lady was a sure sign of his bravery and devotion, and often a testimony of his desire to enter into a lifetime of marriage.

View of Schlossberg from Graz

Women were known to be smitten and overcome with emotion upon receiving the little flower of the Alps from a man filled with love.

The song, Edelweiss, is not Austrian or German. It was written and composed by two Americans: Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (words). However, Hammerstein did have a German heritage. In the film version, Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) sings an emotional version of "Edelweiss," which has contributed to the false idea that it is the Austrian national anthem.

Ironically, the song is relatively unknown in Austria, as is the classic film, The Sound of Music. Although Salzburg, Austria makes a good living by exploiting the film, the city's tourist customers for The Sound of Music tours usually include very few Austrians or Germans. The English lyrics below are the original Hammerstein version, not a translation of the German. Unfortunately, the author of this German version is unknown.

Edelweiss

Music: Richard Rodgers
Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein
Musical: "The Sound of Music"

Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me.

Graz & Kunsthaus from Schlossberg

Small and white, clean and bright
You look happy to meet me.

Blossom of snow, may you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever.
Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever.

Edelweiß

Musik: Richard Rodgers
Text: Oscar Hammerstein
Deutsch: Unbekannt

Edelweiß, Edelweiß
Du grüßt mich jeden Morgen.
Sehe ich dich, freue ich mich
Und vergess' meine Sorgen.

Schmücke das Heimatland, schön und weiß

Blühest wie die Sterne.
Edelweiß, Edelweiß
Ach, ich hab dich so gerne.