Rota Polish Patriotic Song Guide (Class 6-8)
Learn to perform Rota, the famous Polish patriotic song by Maria Konopnicka. Includes full text, pronunciation stress guide, sheet music details, and ceremony etiquette.
- Runs
- 3:00 · Sustain a steady, march-like hymnal tempo. Slow down slightly on the final oath phrase in each chorus.
- Lines
- 24 in 4 stanzas
- Sung in
- G MINOR · 84 bpm
- The room
- 3 things to do
- Stand at attention (na baczność) with arms straight at your sides during the singing.
- Maintain complete silence and solemn decorum.
- Do not clap at the end of the anthem during official school ceremonies.
Good morning teachers and fellow students. Today I will present Rota, a solemn Polish patriotic song written in 1908 by Maria Konopnicka with music composed in 1910 by Feliks Nowowiejski.
Nie rzucim ziemi, skąd nasz ród,nie RZU-cim ZIE-mi | skąd NASZ RÓD
Nie damy pogrześć mowy!nie DA-my PO-grześć MO-wy
Polski my naród, polski lud,POL-ski MY NA-ród | POL-ski LUD
Królewski szczep Piastowy.kró-LEW-ski SZCZEP pias-TO-wy
Nie damy, by nas zniemczył wróg.nie DA-my | BY NAS ZNIEM-czył WRÓG
Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!TAK NAM do-PO-móż BÓG
Do krwi ostatniej kropli z żyłdo KRWI os-TAT-niej KROP-li Z ŻYŁ
Bronić będziem Ducha,BRO-nić BĘ-dziem DU-cha
Aż się rozpadnie w proch i w pyłAŻ SIĘ roz-PAD-nie W PROCH I W PYŁ
Krzyżacka zawierucha.krzy-ŻAC-ka ZA-wie-RU-cha
Twierdzą nam będzie każdy próg,TWIER-dzą NAM BĘ-dzie KAŻ-dy PRÓG
Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!TAK NAM do-PO-móż BÓG
Nie będzie Niemiec pluł nam w twarz,nie BĘ-dzie NIE-miec PLUŁ NAM W TWARZ
Ni dzieci nam germanił,NI DZIE-ci NAM ger-MA-nił
Orężny wstanie hufiec nasz,o-RĘŻ-ny WS-ta-nie HU-fiec NASZ
Duch będzie nam hetmanił.DUCH BĘ-dzie NAM het-MA-nił
Pójdziem, gdy zabrzmi złoty róg,PÓJ-dziem | GDY ZA-brzmi ZŁO-ty RÓG
Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!TAK NAM do-PO-móż BÓG
Nie damy pogrześć wiary,nie DA-my PO-grześć WIA-ry
Nie damy zgnębić mowy,nie DA-my ZGNĘ-bić MO-wy
Polski my naród, polski lud,POL-ski MY NA-ród | POL-ski LUD
Polski ród, Piastowy.POL-ski RÓD | pias-TO-wy
Nie damy, by nas zniemczył wróg.nie DA-my | BY NAS ZNIEM-czył WRÓG
Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!TAK NAM do-PO-móż BÓG
Then: Thank you for your attention during this morning ceremony.
The note, the beat, the breath
Find G below middle C on pitch pipe or piano to start the opening phrase
Tap the beat with a foot before the first note. The lamp blinks on it.
Take a deep breath before each line and hold phrased pauses marked by bars
The text, as written
Nie rzucim ziemi, skąd nasz ród,
Nie damy pogrześć mowy!
Polski my naród, polski lud,
Królewski szczep Piastowy.
Nie damy, by nas zniemczył wróg.
Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!
Nie damy pogrzebac mowy!
Polski my narod, polski lud,
Krolewski szczep Piastowy.
Nie damy, by nas zniemczyl wrog.
Tak nam dopomoz Bog!
The words, and a question or two
Lineage, ancestry, or family origin.
Language or native tongue.
Tribe or genealogical branch.
Fortress or stronghold.
So the hall hears every line
Worth knowing
- Rota (The Oath) is a famous Polish patriotic song written by Maria Konopnicka in 1908 and set to music by Feliks Nowowiejski in 1910.
- The song was written to protest against forced Germanization policies in the Prussian partition of Poland.
- It premiered publicly on July 15, 1910, in Kraków during the unveiling of the Grunwald Monument.
- After Poland regained independence in 1918, Rota was considered as a candidate for the national anthem before Mazurek Dąbrowskiego was officialized in 1927.
- The piece consists of four main verses, each followed by the two-line solemn chorus 'Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!' (So help us God!).
- During formal school ceremonies, students stand at attention (na baczność) and show complete solemnity without clapping at the end.
Where it is sung, and why
When you stand to sing Rota at a Polish school ceremony, you are performing one of the most powerful oaths of national identity ever written. Maria Konopnicka wrote the lyrics in 1908 as a solemn protest against forced Germanization policies, and Feliks Nowowiejski composed its famous music in 1910. This guide gives you everything you need to lead or join the singing with true dignity and vocal confidence.
Use the guide below to master each verse, learn where to place vocal stress on the Polish text, and practice your pauses. Pay close attention to the musical key and ceremonial etiquette so you can perform with total accuracy in front of your school assembly.
About this piece
- Lyrics were written by Maria Konopnicka in 1908 and set to music by Feliks Nowowiejski in 1910.
- The song was created to defend Polish land, language, and cultural identity against forced assimilation.
- It was first performed publicly on July 15, 1910, in Kraków at the unveiling of the Grunwald Monument.
- After Poland regained independence in 1918, Rota was considered as a candidate for the national anthem.
- The text consists of four verses, each ending with the solemn oath chorus, "Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!" (So help us God!).
How it is done
- In Polish school ceremonies, stand strictly at attention (na baczność) with arms at your sides, remain fully silent, and never clap after the song ends.