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'''The Internationale''' ('''L'Internationale''' in French) is a famous socialist, anarchist, communist, and social democratic anthem and one of the most widely recognized songs in the world.
The ''Internationale'' became the anthem of international socialism. Its refrain: ''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 most of the world's languages. Traditionally it is sung with the hand raised in a clenched fist salute. In English, the traditional workers' pronunciation is not an imitation of the French , but rather (rhyming with "alley" or "valley"). ''The Internationale'' is sung not only by communists but also (in many countries) by socialists or social democrats. It was also a rallying song of the students and workers at the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.
The original French words were written in 1870 by Eugène Pottier (1816–1887, later a member of the Paris Commune) and were originally intended to be sung to the tune of ''La Marseillaise''. Pierre Degeyter (1848–1932) set the poem to music in 1888 and his melody became widely used soon after.
The Russian version was initially translated by Aron Kots (Arkady Yakovlevich Kots) in 1902 and printed in London in ''Zhizn'', a Russian émigré magazine. The first Russian version consisted of three stanzas (as opposed to six stanzas in the original French lyrics) and the refrain. Later it was expanded and reworded. In 1944 the Soviet Union adopted the ''Hymn of the Soviet Union'' as its national anthem. Prior to that time, the Internationale served as the principal musical expression of allegiance to the ideals of the October Revolution and the Soviet Union. (The ''Internationale'' continued to be recognized as the official song of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.)
In Kerala State of India the song was translated in the 1950s by the legendary actor and social activist Premji for the united Communist Party of India. In the 1980s, more translations appeared, done by Sachidanandan, Mokeri Ramachandran and an unknown translator. The first two were sung by the activists of Janakeeya Samskarikavedi, an organisation connected with CPI(ML), and the third one was for the activists of Students Federation of India or SFI, the student organisation associated with CPI(M).
In George Orwell's ''Animal Farm'', it is parodied by ''Beasts of England''. In the movie ''Air Force One'' it is sung by Russian prisoners as the radical General Ivan Radek is released from prison. In the movie ''Reds'', the song accompanies the October Revolution montage right before the intermission break.

Contents

Copyright status

Original French lyrics

Russian lyrics

English lyrics

Chinese lyrics

See also

References

External links

Copyright status

The music of the ''Internationale'' may be copyrighted in France until 2014. While the duration of copyright in France is 70 years following the death of the author, it was extended for about 5 years and 8.5 years to compensate for the First World War and the Second World War respectively; however, whether these clauses apply is a matter of current litigation.^[1] In 2005, a movie producer was asked to pay €1000 for the use of the song by the corporation administering the authors' rights.^[2]
However, as the Internationale music was published in the late 19th century (before 1 July 1909) outside the U.S., it is in the public domain in the U.S.^[3]
The original French lyrics are in the public domain as their author Eugène Pottier died in 1887. Translated lyrics may or may not be copyrighted depending on when and where they are made.

Original French lyrics

French lyrics	Literal English translation
First stanza
Debout, les damnés de la terre Debout, les forçats de la faim La raison tonne en son cratère C'est l'éruption de la fin Du passé faisons table rase Foules, esclaves, debout, debout Le monde va changer de base Nous ne sommes rien, soyons tout  |: C'est la lutte finale   Groupons-nous, et demain   L'Internationale   Sera le genre humain :|	Arise, the damned of the earth, Arise, prisoners of hunger, Reason thunders in its crater, It is the eruption of the end! Let's make a blank slate of the past, Crowds, slaves, arise, arise! The world is going to change from its base, We are nothing, let's be everything!  |: This is the final struggle   Let us gather, and tomorrow   The Internationale   Will be mankind! :|
Second stanza
Il n'est pas de sauveurs suprêmes Ni Dieu, ni César, ni tribun Producteurs, sauvons-nous nous-mêmes Décrétons le salut commun Pour que le voleur rende gorge Pour tirer l'esprit du cachot Soufflons nous-mêmes notre forge Battons le fer quand il est chaud  |: C'est la lutte finale   Groupons-nous, et demain   L'Internationale   Sera le genre humain :|	There are no supreme saviours, Neither God, nor Caesar, nor tribune. Producers, let's save ourselves! Let's decree a common defense So that the thief returns his plunder, To pull the mind from the prison cell Let us blow upon our furnace ourselves, Strike the iron while it is hot!  |: It is the final struggle   Let us gather, and tomorrow   The Internationale   Will be mankind! :|
Third stanza
L'état comprime et la loi triche L'impôt saigne le malheureux Nul devoir ne s'impose au riche Le droit du pauvre est un mot creux C'est assez, languir en tutelle L'égalité veut d'autres lois Pas de droits sans devoirs dit-elle Egaux, pas de devoirs sans droits  |: C'est la lutte finale   Groupons-nous, et demain   L'Internationale   Sera le genre humain :|	The state represses and the law cheats, The taxes bleed the unfortunate No responsibility is imposed on the rich The rights of the poor is a hollow phrase Enough of languishing in custody, Equality needs other laws! No rights without duty, it says, Equally, no duties without rights.  |: It is the final struggle   Let us gather, and tomorrow   The Internationale   Will be mankind! :|
Fourth stanza
Hideux dans leur apothéose Les rois de la mine et du rail Ont-ils jamais fait autre chose Que dévaliser le travail Dans les coffres-forts de la bande Ce qu'il a créé s'est fondu En décrétant qu'on le lui rende Le peuple ne veut que son dû.  |: C'est la lutte finale   Groupons-nous, et demain   L'Internationale   Sera le genre humain :|	Hideous, in their glory, The kings of the mines and rail. Never have they done anything else, But steal from others' work. In the safes of this group What we created is melted together! In decreeing that they give it back The people want nothing but their due.  |: It is the final struggle   Let us gather, and tomorrow   The Internationale   Will be mankind! :|
Fifth stanza
Les rois nous saoulaient de fumées Paix entre nous, guerre aux tyrans Appliquons la grève aux armées Crosse en l'air, et rompons les rangs S'ils s'obstinent, ces cannibales A faire de nous des héros Ils sauront bientôt que nos balles Sont pour nos propres généraux  |: C'est la lutte finale   Groupons-nous, et demain   L'Internationale   Sera le genre humain :|	The kings intoxicate us with their fumes, Peace among ourselves, war to the tyrants! Let us declare strikes in the armies, Guns in the air, break their ranks! If they insist, those cannibals, On making heroes of us, They will soon know that our bullets, Are for our own generals.  |: It is the final struggle   Let us gather, and tomorrow   The Internationale   Will be mankind! :|
Sixth stanza
Ouvriers, paysans, nous sommes Le grand parti des travailleurs La terre n'appartient qu'aux hommes L'oisif ira loger ailleurs Combien, de nos chairs se repaissent Mais si les corbeaux, les vautours Un de ces matins disparaissent Le soleil brillera toujours.  |: C'est la lutte finale   Groupons-nous, et demain   L'Internationale   Sera le genre humain :|	Labourers, peasants, we are The great party of workers The earth belongs only to humans The idle are going to live elsewhere How much they feast on our flesh But if the ravens and vultures Disappear one of these days The sun will shine forever  |: It is the final struggle   Let us gather, and tomorrow   The Internationale   Will be mankind! :|

Russian lyrics

Russian translation	Roman transliteration	Literal English translation
First stanza
Вставай, проклятьем заклеймённый, Весь мир голодных и рабов! Кипит наш разум возмущённый И в смертный бой вести готов. Весь мир насилья мы разрушим До основанья, а затем Мы наш, мы новый мир построим, — Кто был ничем, тот станет всем. Припев:  |: Это есть наш последний   И решительный бой.   С Интернационалом   Воспрянет род людской! :|	Vstavay, proklyat'yem zakleymënnyy Vyes' mir golodnykh i rabov Kipit nash razum vozmushchennyy I v smyertnyy boy vyesti gotov. Ves' mir nasil'ya my razrushim Do osnovan'ya, a zatyem My nash my novyy mir postroim, Kto byl nichem, tot stanet vsem! Pripjev:  |: Èto yest' nash poslyedniy   I reshityel'nyy boy.   S Internatsionalom   Vospryanet rod lyudskoy. :|	Arise, those who are branded with a curse All the starving people and the slaves of the world Our indignant minds boil and they are ready to fight to the death. We shall destroy the world of violence to its foundations, and then we shall build a new world. Those that were nothing shall become everything! CHORUS: |: This is our final    and decisive battle.    With the Internationale    the human race will leap up. :|
Second stanza
Никто не даст нам избавленья: Ни бог, ни царь и ни герой. Добьёмся мы освобожденья Своею собственной рукой. Чтоб свергнуть гнёт рукой умелой, Отвоевать своё добро, — Вздувайте горн и куйте смело, Пока железо горячо!  |: Это есть наш последний   И решительный бой.   С Интернационалом   Воспрянет род людской! :|	Nikto ne dast nam izbavlyen'ya Ni bog, ni tsar' i ni geroy Dob'ëmsya my osvobozhden'ya Svoyeyu sobstvennoy rukoy. Chtob svyergnut' gnet rukoy umyeloy, Otvoyevat' svoe dobro – Vzduvayte gorn i kuytye smyelo, Poka zhelezo goryacho!  |: Èto yest' nash poslyedniy   I reshityel'nyy boy.   S Internatsionalom   Vospryanet rod lyudskoy. :|	Nobody will send us deliverance. Not God, nor Tsar, nor a hero. We shall be liberated by our own hands. To overthrow oppression, skilled hands take back all that is good – Blow up the furnace and strike boldly while the iron is hot!  |: This is our final    and decisive battle.    With the Internationale    the human race will leap up. :|
Third stanza
Лишь мы, работники всемирной Великой армии труда, Владеть землёй имеем право, Но паразиты — никогда! И если гром великий грянет Над сворой псов и палачей, — Для нас всё так же солнце станет Сиять огнём своих лучей.  |: Это есть наш последний   И решительный бой.   С Интернационалом   Воспрянет род людской! :|	Lish' my, rabotniki vsyemirnoy Velikoy armii truda, Vladyet' zemley imyeyem pravo, No parazity – nikogda! I yesli grom vyelikiy gryanyet Nad svoroy psov i palachyey, – Dlya nas vsë tak zhye solnitsye stanyet Siyat' ognëm svoikh lushyey.  |: Èto yest' nash poslyedniy   I reshityel'nyy boy.   S Internatsionalom   Vospryanet rod lyudskoy. :|	Only we, all workers of the world Great army of the labourers, To own the world we have the right, But parasites, never! And if great thunder bursts Over its dogs and hangmen, For all of us the sun shines To become the fire of its rays.  |: This is our final    and decisive battle.    With the Internationale    the human race will leap up. :|

English lyrics

The traditional British version of The Internationale is usually sung in 3 verses, while the American version, authored by Charles Hope Kerr, is sung in two.[1] 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".
The English versions are known to be notoriously difficult to sing, as the lyrics are 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. A full, 6-stanza translation can be found on the Wikisource page on .

British/Irish Translation	Billy Bragg's Revision	American version
First stanza
Arise, ye workers from your slumber, Arise, ye prisoners of want. For reason in revolt now thunders, and at last ends the age of cant! Away with all your superstitions, Servile masses, arise, arise! We'll change henceforth the old tradition, And spurn the dust to win the prize!   So comrades, come rally,   And the last fight let us face.   The Internationale,   Unites the human race.   So comrades, come rally,   And the last fight let us face.   The Internationale,   Unites the human race.	Stand up, all victims of oppression, For the tyrants fear your might! Don't cling so hard to your possessions, For you have nothing if you have no rights! Let racist ignorance be ended, For respect makes the empires fall! Freedom is merely privilege extended, Unless enjoyed by one and all.   So come brothers and sisters,   For the struggle carries on.   The Internationale,   Unites the world in song.   So comrades, come rally,   For this is the time and place!   The international ideal,   Unites the human race.	Arise, you prisoners of starvation! Arise, you wretched of the earth! For justice thunders condemnation: A better world's in birth! No more tradition's chains shall bind us, Arise you slaves, no more in thrall! The earth shall rise on new foundations: We have been nought, we shall be all!   'Tis the final conflict,   Let each stand in his place.   The international soviet   Shall be the human race   'Tis the final conflict,   Let each stand in his place.   The international working class   Shall be the human race
Second stanza
No more deluded by reaction, On tyrants only we'll make war! The soldiers too will take strike action, They'll break ranks and fight no more! And if those cannibals keep trying, To sacrifice us to their pride, They soon shall hear the bullets flying, We'll shoot the generals on our own side.   So comrades, come rally,   And the last fight let us face.   The Internationale,   Unites the human race.   So comrades, come rally,   And the last fight let us face.   The Internationale,   Unites the human race.	Let no one build walls to divide us, Walls of hatred nor walls of stone. Come greet the dawn and stand beside us, We'll live together or we'll die alone. In our world poisoned by exploitation, Those who have taken, now they must give! And end the vanity of nations, We've but one Earth on which to live.   So come brothers and sisters,   For the struggle carries on.   The Internationale,   Unites the world in song.   So comrades, come rally,   For this is the time and place!   The international ideal,   Unites the human race.	We want no condescending saviors To rule us from their judgment hall, We workers ask not for their favors Let us consult for all: To make the thief disgorge his booty To free the spirit from its cell, We must ourselves decide our duty, We must decide, and do it well.   'Tis the final conflict,   Let each stand in his place.   The international soviet   Shall be the human race   'Tis the final conflict,   Let each stand in his place.   The international working class   Shall be the human race
Third stanza
No saviour from on high delivers, No faith have we in prince or peer. Our own right hand the chains must shiver, Chains of hatred, greed and fear. E'er the thieves will out with their booty, And to all give a happier lot. Each at his forge must do their duty, And we'll strike the iron while it's hot.   So comrades, come rally,   And the last fight let us face.   The Internationale,   Unites the human race.   So comrades, come rally,   And the last fight let us face.   The Internationale,   Unites the human race.	And so begins the final drama, In the streets and in the fields. We stand unbowed before their armour, We defy their guns and shields! When we fight, provoked by their aggression, Let us be inspired by life and love. For though they offer us concessions, Change will not come from above!   So come brothers and sisters,   For the struggle carries on.   The Internationale,   Unites the world in song.   So comrades, come rally,   For this is the time and place!   The international ideal,   Unites the human race.

A Techno version of the anthem has been recorded by Maxx Klaxon under the title ''Internationale 2000'', with original lyrics making references to television and soldiers in mutiny. [2] (Complete MP3 from Maxx Klaxon's website)

Chinese lyrics

The Internationale is titled as Guójìgē (), literally the International Song.
The most common and official Chinese version is the ''de facto'' anthem of the Communist Party of China. It was translated from the Russian version by Qu Qiubai (), a leader of the Communist Party of China in the late 1920s. His translation has transliterated the Internationale as Yīngtènàxióngnài'ěr () when singing the phrase in Standard Mandarin. As he was killed by the Kuomintang in 1935, his Chinese translation is in the public domain wherever the duration of copyright is an author's lifetime plus no more than 70 years, including Chinese-speaking China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan (lifetime plus 50 years in these places), and Singapore (lifetime plus 70 years). The meaning of the Chinese lyrics translated from the Russian ones is somewhat different from the roughly corresponding French ones. See below for the lyrics and their literal English translations.
The third, fourth, and fifth French stanzas are not normally sung in Chinese. Chinese translator Shen Baoji (, 1908-2002) has made a complete Chinese translation, published in 1957, of all six French stanzas,^[4] but it is not as singable or official as Qu Qiubai's translation from Russian. Shen's translation has transliterated the Internationale as Yīngdāi'ěrnàxī'àonà'ěr () in the stanzas, different from Qu's transliteration. As the grants individuals copyright for their lifetime plus 50 years, Shen's translation is expected to remain copyrighted there until the end of 2052, unlike Qu's version.
The song was a rallying anthem of the demonstrators at the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, and was repeatedly sung both while marching to the Square and within the Square.

...many hundreds of people (not only students) appeared on the street. They ran after the trucks and shouted protest slogans. A few stones were thrown. The soldiers opened fire with live ammunition. The crowd threw themselves on the ground, but quickly followed the convoy again. The more shots were fired, the more the crowd got determined and outraged. Suddenly they started singing the Internationale; they armed themselves with stones and threw them towards the soldiers. There were also a few Molotov cocktails and the last truck was set on fire.^[5]

Traditional Chinese	Simplified Chinese	Pinyin	Literal English translation
First stanza
起來，饑寒交迫的奴隸， 起來，全世界受苦的人！ 滿腔的熱血已經沸騰， 要為真理而鬥爭！ 舊世界打個落花流水， 奴隸們起來起來！ 不要說我們一無所有， 我們要做天下的主人！  |: 這是最後的鬥爭，   團結起來到明天，   英特納雄耐爾   就一定要實現。 :|	起来，饥寒交迫的奴隶， 起来，全世界受苦的人！ 满腔的热血已经沸腾， 要为真理而斗争！ 旧世界打个落花流水， 奴隶们起来起来！ 不要说我们一无所有， 我们要做天下的主人！  |: 这是最后的斗争，   团结起来到明天，   英特纳雄耐尔   就一定要实现。 :|	Qǐlái, jīhánjiāopò de núlì, Qǐlái, quánshìjiè shòukǔ de rén! Mǎnqiāng de rèxuè yǐjīng fèiténg, Yào wèi zhēnlǐ ér dòuzhēng! Jiù shìjiè dǎ gè luòhuāliúshuǐ, Núlìmen, qǐlái!, qǐlái! Bú yào shuō wǒmen yìwúsuǒyǒu, Wǒmen yào zuò tiānxià de zhǔrén.  |: Zhè shì zuìhòu de dòuzhēng,   Tuánjié qǐlái, dào míngtiān,   Yīngtènàxióngnài'ěr   Jiù yídìng yào shíxiàn. :|	Arise, slaves afflicted by hunger and cold, Arise, suffering people all over the world! The blood which fills my chest has boiled over, We must struggle for truth! The old world shall be destroyed like fallen petals and splashed water, Arise, slaves, arise! Do not say that we have nothing, We shall be the masters of the world!  |: This is the final struggle,   Unite together towards tomorrow,   The Internationale   Shall certainly be realised. :|
Second stanza
從來就沒有什麼救世主， 也不靠神仙皇帝。 要創造人類的幸福， 全靠我們自己！ 我們要奪回勞動果實， 讓思想衝破牢籠。 快把那爐火燒得通紅， 趁熱打鐵才能成功！  |: 這是最後的鬥爭，   團結起來到明天，   英特納雄耐爾   就一定要實現。 :|	从来就没有什么救世主， 也不靠神仙皇帝。 要创造人类的幸福， 全靠我们自己！ 我们要夺回劳动果实， 让思想冲破牢笼。 快把那炉火烧得通红， 趁热打铁才能成功！  |: 这是最后的斗争，   团结起来到明天，   英特纳雄耐尔   就一定要实现。 :|	Cónglái jiù méiyǒu shénme jiùshìzhǔ, Yě bú kào shénxiān huángdì. Yào chuàngzào rénlèi de xìngfú, Quán kào wǒmen zìjǐ. Wǒmen yào duóhuí láodòng guǒshí, Ràng sīxiǎng chōngpò láolóng. Kuài bǎ nà lúhuǒ shāo de tōnghóng, Chènrèdǎtiě cái néng chénggōng.  |: Zhè shì zuìhòu de dòuzhēng,   Tuánjié qǐlái, dào míngtiān,   Yīngtènàxióngnài'ěr   Jiù yídìng yào shíxiàn. :|	There has never been any saviour of the world, Nor deities, nor emperors on which to depend. To create Mankind's happiness We must entirely depend on ourselves! We shall retake the fruits of our labour, And let the mind burst free from its prison cell. Let the flames in the furnace burn red-hot, For only when the iron is hot will we succeed in forging it!  |: This is the final struggle,   Unite together towards tomorrow,   The Internationale   Shall definitely be realised. :|
Third stanza
是誰創造了人類世界？ 是我們勞動群眾。 一切歸勞動者所有， 哪能容得寄生蟲！ 最可恨那些毒蛇猛獸， 吃盡了我們的血肉。 一旦把他們消滅乾淨， 鮮紅的太陽照遍全球！  |: 這是最後的鬥爭，   團結起來到明天，   英特納雄耐爾   就一定要實現。 :|	是谁创造了人类世界？ 是我们劳动群众。 一切归劳动者所有， 哪能容得寄生虫！ 最可恨那些毒蛇猛兽， 吃尽了我们的血肉。 一旦把他们消灭干净， 鲜红的太阳照遍全球！  |: 这是最后的斗争，   团结起来到明天，   英特纳雄耐尔   就一定要实现。 :|	Shì shéi chuàngzào liǎo rénlèi shìjiè? Shì wǒmen láodòng qúnzhòng. Yíqiè guī láodòngzhě suǒyǒu, Nǎnéng róngde jìshēngchóng! Zuì kěhèn nàxiē dúshéměngshòu, Chījìn liǎo wǒmen de xuèròu. Yídàn bǎ tāmen xiāomiè gānjìng, Xiānhóng de tàiyáng zhào biàn quánqiú.  |: Zhè shì zuìhòu de dòuzhēng,   Tuánjié qǐlái, dào míngtiān,   Yīngtènàxióngnài'ěr   Jiù yídìng yào shíxiàn. :|	Who is it that created the world of humankind? It is us, the masses. Everything is for workers, How can parasites be accommodated! We hate those poisonous snakes and savage beasts the most, Eating up our flesh and blood. Once they are entirely destroyed, The red sun will shine all over the globe!  |: This is the final struggle,   Unite together towards tomorrow,   The Internationale   Shall definitely be realised. :|

In addition to the Mandarin version, the Internationale also has Cantonese [3] and Taiwanese [4] versions, occasionally used in Hong Kong and Taiwan, but the word "Internationale" is not translated in either version. In the Mandarin version, the word "Internationale" is transliterated into Chinese characters but without a definite article as Chinese language does not normally use it as English does.

See also

★ ''The Internationale'', an album by Billy Bragg featuring Bragg's rewritten lyrics to the song.

References

1. Chapter III of Title II of Book I of the Intellectual Property Code of France and its French version.
2. See Report.
3. Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States
4. The inside story of the alteration of the Internationale translations in Chinese
5. ''Amnesty International'', 30 August, 1989. ''Preliminary Findings on Killings of Unarmed Civilians, Arbitrary Arrests and Summary Executions Since 3 June 1989'', p.19

External links

★ ''The Internationale'' in 82 languages

★ Downloadable recordings in more than 30 languages

★ Another large collection Another large collection of downloadable recordings

★ Communist propaganda clip with the Internationale as background music (Albanian and Russian)

★ The link to a documentary on one of the world's most beloved songs.