"Ajax-mars" (English: Ajax march) is the official club song of Dutch association football club AFC Ajax since 1918. [1]
Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax, also known as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam, or simply Ajax, is a Dutch professional football club based in Amsterdam, that plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Historically, Ajax has been the most successful club in the Netherlands, with 34 Eredivisie titles and 19 KNVB Cups. It has continuously played in the Eredivisie, since the league's inception in 1956 and, along with Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven, it is one of the country's "big three" clubs that have dominated that competition.
The song was first heard on the 31 March 1918 when Ajax clinched their first ever division championship in a 4-1 win over Sparta Rotterdam. Sparta had won consecutive championships the previous three seasons with Bok de Korver, but when Ajax starlets Jan de Natris and Wim Gupffert scored three goals in three minutes, the crowd at Het Houten Stadion were jumping and chanting what would become the blueprint for this song. The words to the song were then written by Dirk Knegt, and it was composed by Emile Painparé. It was performed at the stadium by an orchestra during the championship celebration.
Sparta Rotterdam is a Dutch professional football club based in Rotterdam. Established on 1 April 1888, Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands.
Johannes Marius ("Bok") de Korver was a football player from the Netherlands, who twice won a bronze medal with the Netherlands national football team at the Summer Olympics: in 1908 (London) and in 1912 (Stockholm).
Het Houten Stadion is a former stadium of AFC Ajax which served as the team's home stadium from 1907 to 1934.
On 9 June 1918 Ajax then won the National championship without losing a single match. In the version of 1918 the word 'heil' was in the lyrics in place of the word 'hup', the word was however replaced in 1963 due to its association with the Nazi occupation and the Third Reich. The oldest known recording of the song is from 1919 performed by the Odeon Orchestra, followed in 1932 an instrumental version by the orchestra of Jack Presburg on Ultraphon, later also released on Telefunken. In 1950 Max van Praag recorded the song with the Accordiola Orchestra. The last recording is from 1963 by Fred Wiegman and the City Theater Orchestra. [2] [3] [4]
Despite being neutral, the Netherlands in World War II was invaded by Nazi Germany on 10 May 1940, under orders of Adolf Hitler. On 15 May 1940, one day after the bombing of Rotterdam, the Dutch forces surrendered. The Dutch government and the royal family saved themselves by going to London. Princess Juliana and her children moved on to Canada for additional safety.
Nazi Germany is the common English name for Germany between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party (NSDAP) controlled the country through a dictatorship. Under Hitler's rule, Germany was transformed into a totalitarian state where nearly all aspects of life were controlled by the government. The official name of the state was Deutsches Reich until 1943 and Großdeutsches Reich from 1943 to 1945. Nazi Germany is also known as the Third Reich, meaning "Third Realm" or "Third Empire", the first two being the Holy Roman Empire (800–1806) and the German Empire (1871–1918). The Nazi regime ended after the Allies defeated Germany in May 1945, ending World War II in Europe.
Fred Wiegman was a Dutch actor and singer most known for his role in the 1961 production of 'de Schele'. He wrote and published many Levenslied songs, amongst others one of the most well-known renditions of the 'Ajax-mars', the official song of Dutch association football club AFC Ajax. He was married to Ria Verda, a famous Dutch singer and actress.
