Propaganda poster by Maurice Neumont
"They shall not pass" (French: "Ils ne passeront pas/On ne passe pas"; Spanish: "¡No pasarán!"; Catalan: "No passaran!"; German: "Sie werden nicht durchkommen!"; Romanian: "Pe aici nu se trece!") is a propaganda slogan used to express determination to defend a position against an enemy. It was most famously used during the Battle of Verdun in World War I by French General Robert Nivelle (although some have attributed it to his commander, Philippe Pétain). It appears on propaganda posters, such as that by Maurice Neumont after the Second Battle of the Marne, which was later adopted on uniform badges by units manning the Maginot Line. Later during the war, it also was used by Romanian soldiers during the Battle of Mărăşeşti.
It was again used in the Siege of Madrid during the Spanish Civil War by Dolores Ibárruri Gómez in her famous "No Pasarán" speech on 18 July 1936. "¡No pasarán!" became an international communist slogan (used by the British far-left during the October 1936 Battle of Cable Street, for example), and is still used in this context in some political circles. It was often accompanied by the word pasaremos (we will pass). Their opponent's, General Francisco Franco, response to this slogan was "Hemos pasado" ("We have passed") said after his forces had reconquered Madrid.
The phrase has been used as recently as December 2002 by Colonel Emmanuel Maurin, commanding a French Foreign Legion unit in Côte d'Ivoire.
In last quarter of 2009, it has been used in the political propaganda of Estonia by Estonian Centre Party.
Literary use
Vittorio Giardino's Max Friedman series has a two-part book series titled No Pasaran! The story is set in Spain during the Spanish Civil War.
Gandalf in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Fellowship of the Ring" from "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy famously declares, "You Shall Not Pass!" when he blocks the pursuing Balrog. (Note, J.R.R. Tolkien was a World War I veteran).
Emil Renard in Max Brooks's "World War Z" uttered over his radio the final words, "On ne passe pas!" while fighting zombies, as told by his brother Andre Renard to the narrator.
See also
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- Order No. 227 (Stalin's "Not one step back" order)
- Molon labe
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