Many have heard this emotional appeal in Spanish, but not everyone knows what “No pasaran!” means, and, of course, they do not remember the author and the situation in which he appeared. "But Pasaran!" translates as "They shall not pass!" from Spanish.
Initially, this phrase was perceived as a statement about the tough unwavering upholding of the territorial borders of their country, political positions and indestructible ideals. Authorship is attributed to famous personalities of the early 20th century - a French general and a Spanish communist.
France: Robert Georges Nivelle
The French version of the phrase was uttered by General of Division Robert Georges Nivel during the First World War (1914-1918). He was the commander of the Verdun sector of the Western Front, and later - the commander-in-chief of the entire French army. These words were spoken by him on the Western Front during the Battle of Verdun.
The Verdun operation was the largest and bloodiest battle in the history of the First World War. All the material and human forces of the opponents were used to the maximum. Both the French and the German army fought not for life, but for death. This military tactic was later called"war of attrition", when constant attacks de-energize the enemy, and the one who has large reserves wins. In such conditions, the emotional and moral support of the soldiers and officers who were in the active combat zone for many months in a row was very important. And the phrase, which became winged, supported the morale of the French soldiers, who bravely defended their native land from the German invaders. The slogan was actively used by state political propaganda and after the end of the war on military posters and emblems, in patriotic songs.
Spain: Dolores Ibarruri Gomez
How do you translate "But pasaran!"? The popular expression entered the Russian language after it was pronounced by the active public figure Dolores Ibarruri Gomez during the Spanish Civil War between Republicans and Nationalists (1936-1939). Dolores Ibarruri Gomez (party nickname - Passionaria) is an activist of the Spanish and international communist movement, an active participant in the republican movement during the Spanish Civil War.
In July 1936, Passionaria appeared on the radio and in her fiery speech called on the Spanish people to unite and resist the military rebels rushing to power under the leadership of General Francisco Franco. Then she uttered this war cry: "They will not pass!"
And the outbreak of the civil war actually passed under this significant exclamation. It is believed that after the appearance and spread of this loud phrase, the Republicans came up withits continuation: "Pasaremos!", which means "We will pass!".
For three years, the people's war between the Republicans and the Francoist nationalists continued, killing more than 500,000 Spaniards. Before its end, after the fall of Madrid, Francisco Franco answered Dolores Ibarruri and all the defeated Republicans: "Hemos pasado!", which translates as "We have passed!". Franco's fascist dictatorship was established in Spain for many years. But the expression "But pasaran!" and a raised hand with a tightly clenched fist have since become iconic symbols of the global anti-fascist and liberation movement.
After the defeat in the Civil War, Dolores Ibarruri Gomez emigrated to the USSR, where she actively participated in the foreign opposition to Franco's dictatorship. She managed to return to her homeland only in 1975 after the death of the dictator and the beginning of political changes in Spain.
The meaning of the phrase in the modern world
Political slogans often pass into everyday language in the same verbal form. But at the same time, they radically change their meaning, completely losing their ideological overtones. Usually the phrase becomes playful or ironic.
What does the expression "But pasaran!" mean? in modern world? Having lost its political basis, now this popular expression speaks of the readiness to actively counteract one's opponents, competitors, enemies, and implies an irresistible desire to become a winner. Sometimes, in a joking manner, they say this when they want to support a person on the way out of some simple orridiculous situation.
Use of expression in popular culture
The slogan has been used many times in the lyrics of contemporary artists. But unfortunately, most often the authors did not have a complete understanding of what "No pasaran!" means. or they endowed this expression with a meaning known only to themselves. For example, rock musician Gleb Samoilov once sang a song called "No pasaran", and the fashionable rap group "AK-47" together with the singer Noggano performed another song, but with the same name.
Unlike Russian musicians, the Soviet writer Nikolai Shpanov understood perfectly well what "No pasaran!" means. His action-packed novel “Arsonists. "But pasaran!" is a vivid example of anti-fascist military-historical prose, which tells about the time before the start of World War II.
Misconception about the origin of the phrase
What does "But pasaran!" mean? for today's students? If they do not study Spanish, then probably the authorship and the historical situation that preceded the appearance of the expression are usually completely unknown to them. Yes, and middle-aged people who have long graduated from school often mistakenly associate the origin of this slogan with the life and activity of the Cuban revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara (1928-1967). Apparently, the European slogan is associated with the language spoken by the Cuban politician. Thus, historical accuracy is distorted, giving rise to myths and conjectures.
