The Beginning of a Cultural Renaissance: An Ode to Joy

Freude, schöner Götterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum.

"Joy, beautiful spark of the gods, daughter from Elysium,
we, drunk with fire, step into your holy shrine,"

So starts the German "Poet of Freedom" Friedrich Schiller his hymn to humanity: „Ode to joy“, which Germany's composer Ludwig van Beethoven incorporated in his greatest and last symphony for orchestra and choir.

Both artists were fervent defenders of humanity, Schiller in writings, Beethoven in music, and this 9th symphony of Beethoven has become the international symbol of true freedom: of brotherly ennoblement of the soul, and of the famous unalienable rights of man such as Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, as enshrined in the anti-oligarchical Declaration of Independence of the then newly emancipated American colonies from their British oppressors in 1776.

Today, with the sweeping global destructive crisis hitting these artists' homeland Germany once again, their message is needed more than ever to release Germany’s and other countries’ populations from fear, despair, and indifference. It is in such times of existential crisis that people can be organized and inspired around profound and higher ideas to fight to reclaim their humanity, and their assurance of a brighter future for their posterity.

The international youth movement of Lyndon LaRouche is heading this fight, politically, scientifically and culturally, bringing these ideas to the people in the street and to the cowards in power. With the extraordinary music of Beethoven such ideas becomes irresistible to the creative mind, and through the past half year, LaRouche's youth movement in Germany have worked on the last movement of Beethoven's 9th symphony performing it at our political events, to make clear, that it is time, now, for a sweeping international creative renaissance, as if a continuous beautiful work of art, without boundaries.

(Benjamin Lylloff, youth leader in Germany, April 2010)

Joy, beautiful spark of the gods,
daughter from Elysium,
we, drunk with fire, step into
your holy shrine, Heavenly One.
Your magic binds together again
that which custom has rigidly divided:
all human beings become brothers
wherever your gentle wing is.
Be embraced, millions!
This kiss is for the whole world!
Brothers, over the starry canopy
there must be a loving Father dwelling.

Whoever has succeeded in the great attempt
to be a friend to a friend,
whoever has won a dear wife,
may he mix in his rejoicing!
Yes, whoever can call even only one soul
his on the round earth!
And whoever never could, let him leave
secretly, weeping, from this union.
Whatever inhabits the great Circle,
may it honor sympathy!
It [sympathy] leads to the stars,
where the Unknown is enthroned.

All beings drink Joy
at the breast of Nature;
all good [beings], all evil [ones]
follow her rosy trail.
She gave us kisses and grapes,
gave us] a friend, tested by death itself.
Delight was given even to the worm,
and the angel stands before God.
Are you falling down, Millions?
Do you perceive your Creator, World?
Seek him above the starry canopy!
He must be dwelling above the stars ...