The MLF Anthem , sometimes called the Women’s Anthem , Standing Women or Debout les femmes , is a song created collectively in March 1971 by feminist activists in Paris. It has become an emblem of the Women’s Liberation Movement (MLF) and more generally of French-speaking feminist struggles. The words are performed to the tune of the Marsh Song, a German song of the political prisoners of the Borgermoor concentration camp. Its refrain “Let us rise, slave women / And break our fetters / Stand up, stand up, stand up!” » is sometimes used as a slogan during demonstrations.
During one of the informal meetings of the MLF – in this case that of the preparation of the gathering of the March 28, 1971 at the Square of Issy-les-Moulineaux in memory and honour of the women of the Paris Commune – the ten people present co-wrote this text. Among others, Monique Wittig, Helene Rouch, Cathy Bernheim, Catherine Deudon, M.-J. Sinat, and Josee Contreras were said to have been present at this meeting.
It was Josée Contreras who suggested adopting for this song the tune of the Song of the Marshes (composed in August 1933 by Rudi Goguel, member of the Communist Party of Germany). She adds, in the interview conducted by Martine Storti for the Hall of Song: “I don’t believe that at that time any of us knew that we were hijacking a song (Le Chant des Marais ) which carried a tragic charge of history: composed in 1933 by anti-Nazi and Jewish political deportees in a German internment camp, this song was then widely broadcast by the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War, before spreading throughout the entire European concentration camp universe. Because, however oppressed we felt we were, it would not have occurred to us to identify with the anti-Nazi and Jewish resistance fighters, the defenders of the Spanish republic or the millions of victims of totalitarianism.
Initially, the song was not intended to become the anthem of a movement but only to be sung during the gathering of the March 28, 1971. But, immediately taken up during various feminist demonstrations, the Hymn of the MLF saw its words and its score (that of Chant des Marais ) published in an issue of Le Torchon brule in February 1972. Since then, this anthem has been traditionally sung in demonstrations on March 8th International Women’s Day , in French-speaking countries, but also in spontaneous or organized feminist movements, particularly unions.
The Encore Féministes association sings this anthem every year on 6th December, Place du Quebec in Paris, for the National Day of Commemoration and Action Against Violence Against Women which was established in reference to the Ecole Polytechnique massacre of Montreal in 1989. On the eve of the great march of November 24, 2018 at the call of the Collective #NousToutes , against violence against women, the anthem is taken up under the title Debout les femmes by 39 female artists led by the duo Brigitte; among the performers were Olivia Ruiz, La Grande Sophie, Jennifer Ayache, Elodie Frege, Agnes Jaoui and Barbara Carlotti.
The anthem experienced a new moment of popularity on the occasion of the 2019 Women’s Football World Cup in France, in June at Roazhon Park in Rennes, for the opening of the Chile-Sweden match . At the initiative of the city, a group of 600 people sang the Women’s Hymn under the direction of the Rennes company Dicilà. In 2021, the documentary Debour les femmes!, co-directed by Gilles Perret and Francois Ruffin, uses the MLF anthem in its title and the song is performed collectively in the last scene by the women that the directors followed. In 2023, French MP Sandrine Rousseau sings the anthem during a public session at the National Assembly.
