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The Internationale
The Internationale (L'Internationale in French) is a famous socialist, communist, social-democratic and anarchist anthem and one of the most widely recognized songs in the world.
The Internationale became the anthem of international socialism. Its original French refrain is C'est la lutte finale/ Groupons-nous et demain/ L'Internationale/ Sera le genre humain. (Freely translated: "This is the final struggle/ Let us join together and tomorrow/ The Internationale/ Will be the human race.") The Internationale has been translated into many of the world's languages. Traditionally it is sung with the hand raised in a clenched fist salute. The Internationale is sung not only by communists but also (in many countries) by socialists or social democrats, as well as anarchists.
>==Original French lyrics and copyright controversy== The original French words were written in June 1871 by Eugène Pottier (1816–1887, later a member of the Paris Commune)<ref>The Guardian, Australia. The International.</ref> and were originally intended to be sung to the tune of La Marseillaise.<ref>David Walls, Sonoma State University. Billy Bragg's Revival of Aging Anthems: Radical Nostalgia or Activist Inspiration?.</ref> Pierre De Geyter (1848–1932) set the poem to music in 1888.<ref>The Guardian, Australia. The International.</ref> His melody was first publicly performed in July 1888<ref>The Guardian, Australia. The International.</ref> and became widely used soon after.
In an unsuccessful attempt to save Pierre De Geyter's job as a woodcarver, the 6,000 leaflets printed by Lille printer Bolboduc only mentioned the French version of his family name (Degeyter). In 1904, Pierre's brother Adolphe was induced by the Lille mayor Gustave Delory to claim copyright, so that the income of the song would continue to go to Delory's French Socialist Party. Pierre De Geyter lost the first copyright case in 1914, but after his brother committed suicide and left a note explaining the fraud, Pierre was declared the copyright owner by a court of appeal in 1922.<ref>The Guardian, Australia. The International.</ref>
Pierre De Geyter died in 1932. His music of the Internationale may be copyrighted in France until October 2017. The duration of copyright in France is 70 years following the end of the year when the author died, plus 6 years and 152 days to compensate for World War I, and 8 years and 120 days to compensate for World War II respectively.<ref>Arts. L123-1, L123-8, and L123-9 in Chapter III of Title II of Book I of the Intellectual Property Code of France and its French version.</ref> However, the applicability of the wartime copyright extensions is a matter of current litigation.<ref>See also commons:Commons:Licensing#Wartime copyright extensions for the list of some relevant French lawsuits with external links.</ref> In 2005, Le Chant du Monde, the corporation administering the authors' rights, asked Pierre Merejkowsky, the film director and an actor of Insurrection / résurrection, to pay €1,000 for whistling the song for seven seconds.<ref>(French) Le Monde and Zalea TV.</ref>
However, as the Internationale music was published before 1 July 1909 outside the United States of America, it is in the public domain in the USA.<ref>Peter B. Hirtle. Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States.</ref> Pierre De Geyter's music is also in the public domain in countries and areas whose copyright durations are authors' lifetime plus 75 years or less. As Eugène Pottier died in 1887, his original French lyrics are in the public domain. Gustave Delory once acquired the copyright of his lyrics through the songwriter G B Clement having bought it from Pottier's widow.<ref>The Guardian, Australia. The International.</ref>
| French lyrics | Literal English translation |
|---|---|
| First stanza | |
|
Debout, les damnés de la terre<br> Debout, les forçats de la faim<br> La raison tonne en son cratère<br> C'est l'éruption de la fin<br> Du passé faisons table rase<br> Foules, esclaves, debout, debout<br> Le monde va changer de base<br> Nous ne sommes rien, soyons tout<br> |: C'est la lutte finale<br> Groupons-nous, et demain<br> L'Internationale<br> Sera le genre humain :| |
Arise, wretched of the earth<br> Arise, convicts of hunger<br> Reason thunders in its volcano<br> This is the eruption of the end<br> Of the past let us wipe the slate clean<br> Masses, slaves, arise, arise<br> The world is about to change its foundation<br> We are nothing, let us be all<br> |: This is the final struggle<br> Let us gather together, and tomorrow<br> The Internationale<br> Will be the human race :| |
| Second stanza | |
|
Il n'est pas de sauveurs suprêmes<br> Ni Dieu, ni César, ni tribun<br> Producteurs, sauvons-nous nous-mêmes<br> Décrétons le salut commun<br> Pour que le voleur rende gorge<br> Pour tirer l'esprit du cachot<br> Soufflons nous-mêmes notre forge<br> Battons le fer quand il est chaud<br> |: C'est la lutte finale<br> Groupons-nous, et demain<br> L'Internationale<br> Sera le genre humain :| |
There are no supreme saviours<br> Neither God, nor Caesar, nor tribune.<br> Producers, let us save ourselves<br> Decree the common welfare<br> That the thief return his plunder,<br> That the spirit be pulled from its prison<br> Let us fan the forge ourselves<br> Strike the iron while it is hot<br> |: This is the final struggle<br> Let us stand together, and tomorrow<br> The Internationale<br> Will be the human race :| |
| Third stanza | |
|
L'état comprime et la loi triche<br> L'impôt saigne le malheureux<br> Nul devoir ne s'impose au riche<br> Le droit du pauvre est un mot creux<br> C'est assez, languir en tutelle<br> L'égalité veut d'autres lois<br> Pas de droits sans devoirs dit-elle<br> Egaux, pas de devoirs sans droits<br> |: C'est la lutte finale<br> Groupons-nous, et demain<br> L'Internationale<br> Sera le genre humain :| |
The state represses and the law cheats<br> The tax bleeds the unfortunate<br> No duty is imposed on the rich<br> 'Rights of the poor' is a hollow phrase<br> Enough languishing in custody<br> Equality wants other laws:<br> No rights without obligations, it says,<br> And as well, no obligations without rights<br> |: This is the final struggle<br> Let us stand together, and tomorrow<br> The Internationale<br> Will be the human race :| |
| Fourth stanza | |
|
Hideux dans leur apothéose<br> Les rois de la mine et du rail<br> Ont-ils jamais fait autre chose<br> Que dévaliser le travail<br> Dans les coffres-forts de la bande<br> Ce qu'il a créé s'est fondu<br> En décrétant qu'on le lui rende<br> Le peuple ne veut que son dû.<br> |: C'est la lutte finale<br> Groupons-nous, et demain<br> L'Internationale<br> Sera le genre humain :| |
Hideous in their self-glorification<br> Kings of the mine and rail<br> Have they ever done anything other<br> Than steal work?<br> Into the coffers of that lot,<br> What work creates has melted<br> In demanding that they give it back<br> The people wants only its due.<br> |: This is the final struggle<br> Let us stand together, and tomorrow<br> The Internationale<br> Will be the human race :| |
| Fifth stanza | |
|
Les rois nous saoulaient de fumées<br> Paix entre nous, guerre aux tyrans<br> Appliquons la grève aux armées<br> Crosse en l'air, et rompons les rangs<br> S'ils s'obstinent, ces cannibales<br> A faire de nous des héros<br> Ils sauront bientôt que nos balles<br> Sont pour nos propres généraux<br> |: C'est la lutte finale<br> Groupons-nous, et demain<br> L'Internationale<br> Sera le genre humain :| |
The kings make us drunk with their fumes,<br> Peace among ourselves, war to the tyrants!<br> Let the armies go on strike,<br> Guns in the air, and break ranks<br> If these cannibals insist<br> On making heroes of us,<br> Soon they will know our bullets<br> Are for our own generals<br> |: This is the final struggle<br> Let us stand together, and tomorrow<br> The Internationale<br> Will be the human race :| |
| Sixth stanza | |
|
Ouvriers, paysans, nous sommes<br> Le grand parti des travailleurs<br> La terre n'appartient qu'aux hommes<br> L'oisif ira loger ailleurs<br> Combien, de nos chairs se repaissent<br> Mais si les corbeaux, les vautours<br> Un de ces matins disparaissent<br> Le soleil brillera toujours.<br> |: C'est la lutte finale<br> Groupons-nous, et demain<br> L'Internationale<br> Sera le genre humain :| |
Labourers, peasants, we are<br> The great party of workers<br> The earth belongs only to men<br> The idle will go reside elsewhere<br> How much of our flesh they feed on,<br> But if the ravens and vultures<br> Disappear one of these days<br> The sun will always shine<br> |: This is the final struggle<br> Let us stand together, and tomorrow<br> The Internationale<br> Will be the human race :| |
Contents
English lyrics
The traditional British version of The Internationale is usually sung in three verses, while the American version, authored by Charles Hope Kerr with five verses, is usually sung in two.<ref>David Walls, Sonoma State University. Billy Bragg's Revival of Aging Anthems: Radical Nostalgia or Activist Inspiration?.</ref><ref>The Internationale in 82 languages</ref> The American version is sometimes sung with the phrase "the internationale", "the international soviet", or "the international union" in place of "the international working class". In English, the traditional workers' pronunciation is not an imitation of the French Template:IPA, but rather Template:IPA (rhyming with "alley" or "valley").
<!---->The English versions are known to be notoriously difficult to sing, as the lyrics may appear sometimes forced and unnatural. British musician Billy Bragg, after talking to the American folk singer and activist Pete Seeger, agreed that the old lyrics were "archaic and unsingable". Bragg composed revised verses for the song, based on the British version. The recording was released on his album The Internationale along with reworkings of other socialist songs. A full, six-stanza translation can be found on the Wikisource page on The Internationale.
| British/Irish Translation | Billy Bragg's Revision<ref>Billy Bragg: Albums: The Internationale</ref> | American version |
|---|---|---|
| First stanza | ||
|
Arise, ye workers from your slumber,<br> Arise, ye prisoners of want.<br> For reason in revolt now thunders,<br> and at last ends the age of cant!<br> Away with all your superstitions,<br> Servile masses, arise, arise!<br> We'll change henceforth the old tradition,<br> And spurn the dust to win the prize!<br> So comrades, come rally,<br> And the last fight let us face.<br> The Internationale,<br> Unites the human race.<br> So comrades, come rally,<br> And the last fight let us face.<br> The Internationale,<br> Unites the human race. |
Stand up, all victims of oppression,<br> For the tyrants fear your might!<br> Don't cling so hard to your possessions,<br> For you have nothing if you have no rights!<br> Let racist ignorance be ended,<br> For respect makes the empires fall!<br> Freedom is merely privilege extended,<br> Unless enjoyed by one and all.<br> So come brothers and sisters,<br> For the struggle carries on.<br> The Internationale,<br> Unites the world in song.<br> So comrades, come rally,<br> For this is the time and place!<br> The international ideal,<br> Unites the human race.<br> |
Arise, you prisoners of starvation!<br> Arise, you wretched of the earth!<br> For justice thunders condemnation:<br> A better world's in birth!<br> No more tradition's chains shall bind us,<br> Arise you slaves, no more in thrall!<br> The earth shall rise on new foundations:<br> We have been nought, we shall be all!<br> 'Tis the final conflict,<br> Let each stand in his place.<br> The international soviet<br> Shall be the human race<br> 'Tis the final conflict,<br> Let each stand in his place.<br> The international working class<br> Shall be the human race<br> |
| Second stanza | ||
|
No more deluded by reaction,<br> On tyrants only we'll make war!<br> The soldiers too will take strike action,<br> They'll break ranks and fight no more!<br> And if those cannibals keep trying,<br> To sacrifice us to their pride,<br> They soon shall hear the bullets flying,<br> We'll shoot the generals on our own side.<br> So comrades, come rally,<br> And the last fight let us face.<br> The Internationale,<br> Unites the human race.<br> So comrades, come rally,<br> And the last fight let us face.<br> The Internationale,<br> Unites the human race. |
Let no one build walls to divide us,<br> Walls of hatred nor walls of stone.<br> Come greet the dawn and stand beside us,<br> We'll live together or we'll die alone.<br> In our world poisoned by exploitation,<br> Those who have taken, now they must give!<br> And end the vanity of nations,<br> We've but one Earth on which to live.<br> So come brothers and sisters,<br> For the struggle carries on.<br> The Internationale,<br> Unites the world in song.<br> So comrades, come rally,<br> For this is the time and place!<br> The international ideal,<br> Unites the human race.<br> |
We want no condescending saviors<br> To rule us from their judgment hall,<br> We workers ask not for their favors<br> Let us consult for all:<br> To make the thief disgorge his booty<br> To free the spirit from its cell,<br> We must ourselves decide our duty,<br> We must decide, and do it well.<br> 'Tis the final conflict,<br> Let each stand in his place.<br> The international soviet<br> Shall be the human race<br> 'Tis the final conflict,<br> Let each stand in his place.<br> The international working class<br> Shall be the human race<br> |
| Third stanza | ||
|
No saviour from on high delivers,<br> No faith have we in prince or peer.<br> Our own right hand the chains must shiver,<br> Chains of hatred, greed and fear.<br> E'er the thieves will out with their booty,<br> And to all give a happier lot.<br> Each at his forge must do their duty,<br> And we'll strike the iron while it's hot.<br> So comrades, come rally,<br> And the last fight let us face.<br> The Internationale,<br> Unites the human race.<br> So comrades, come rally,<br> And the last fight let us face.<br> The Internationale,<br> Unites the human race. |
And so begins the final drama,<br> In the streets and in the fields.<br> We stand unbowed before their armour,<br> We defy their guns and shields!<br> When we fight, provoked by their aggression,<br> Let us be inspired by life and love.<br> For though they offer us concessions,<br> Change will not come from above!<br> So come brothers and sisters,<br> For the struggle carries on.<br> The Internationale,<br> Unites the world in song.<br> So comrades, come rally,<br> For this is the time and place!<br> The Internationale,<br> Unites the human race.<br> |
See also
- Anarchism and the arts for further details on expression of anarchist themes through art
References
External links
- The Internationale in 86 languages
- Downloadable recordings in more than 40 languages
- (Russian) Another large collection of downloadable recordings
- Communist propaganda clip with the Internationale as background music (Albanian and Russian)
- A documentary on the Internationale.
- Piano arrangements and orchestral MIDI file of The Internationale
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