Venceremos

Venceremos ("We shall prevail") was the hymn of Chile's Unidad Popular party, the grassroots socialist opposition party of Salvador Allende. While the original lyrics were written by Claudio Iturra, with music by Sergio Ortega, the song is considered a standard, and, thus, several versions exist, two of which are included below.

The first of the alternative versions included below was written by Chilean folksinger Victor Jara, for use in the electoral campaign of Salvador Allende's Unidad Popular. As such, it is a much less abstract and metaphorical song than the original version, and directly calls for the election of Allende and the Unidad Popular.

The other alternative version is a Turkish translation and adaptation of the original by the Turkish political/musical group Grup Yorum. It maintains much of the abstract, metaphorical quality of the original version, but does include some direct references both to Unidad Popular and the Pinochet junta that ousted the lawful government of Allende in 1973 and ushered in a reign of terror that spanned almost two decades.

Original version

Desde el hondo crisol de la patria
se levanta el clamor popular.
Ya se anuncia la nueva alborada,
todo Chile comienza a cantar.

From the deep crucible of the homeland
The people's voices rise up.
The new day comes over the horizon.
All Chile breaks out in song.

Recordando al soldado valiente,
cuyo ejemplo lo hiciera inmortal,
enfrentemos primero a la muerte,
traicionar a la patria jamás.

In remembrance of the courageous soldier
Whose example has made him immortal
First, we confront death,
Our country we'll never betray.

Venceremos, venceremos,
mil cadenas habrá que romper,
venceremos, venceremos,
la miseria sabremos vencer.

We shall prevail, we shall prevail
A thousand chains we'll have to break,
We shall prevail, we shall prevail
We know how to overcome misery¹

Campesinos, soldados, mineros,
la mujer de la patria también,
estudiantes, empleados y obreros,
cumpliremos con nuestro deber.
Sembraremos las tierras de gloria,
socialista será el porvenir.
Todos juntos seremos la historia,
a cumplir, a cumplir, a cumplir.

Peasants, soldiers, miners,
And the women of our country, as well,
Students, workers, white-collar and blue,
We will do our duty.
We'll sow the land with glory.
Socialism will be our future.
All together, we will be history's completion.

Venceremos, venceremos,
mil cadenas habrá que romper,
venceremos, venceremos,
la miseria sabremos vencer.

We shall prevail, we shall prevail
A thousand chains we'll have to break,
We shall prevail, we shall prevail
We know how to overcome misery

Electoral Campaign Version (lyrics by Victor Jara, recorded by Quilapayún)

Aquí va todo el pueblo de Chile
Aquí va la Unidad Popular
Campesino, estudiante, y obrero
Compañeros de nuestro cantar

Here comes all the people of Chile
Here comes Unidad Popular
Peasant, student, worker
All our comrades join us in song.

Consabiente de nuestra bandera
La mujer ya se ha unido al clamor
La Unidad Popular vencedora
Será tumba del yanqui opresor

Underneath our banner
The women have joined in our call
Victory for the Unidad Popular
Will be the defeat of the Yankee oppressor

Venceremos, venceremos
Con Allende en septiembre a vencer
Venceremos, venceremos
La Unidad Popular al poder.

We shall prevail, we shall prevail
With Allende in September we'll prevail
We shall prevail, we shall prevail
Power to the Unidad Popular

Con la fuerza que surge del pueblo,
Una patria mejor hay que hacer,
A golpear todos juntos y unidos,
Al poder, al poder, al poder

With the power that comes from the people
We must make a better homeland
Together and united we must strike
At power, at power, at power.

Si la justa victoria de Allende
La derecha quisiera ignorar
Todo el pueblo resuelto y valiente
Como un hombre se levantará.

If the Right wants to ignore
Allende's just victory,
All the people, resolute and courageous
Will rise up as one.

Turkish Version (Grup Yorum)

Yırtıyor fırtına sessizliği
Ufuktan bir güneş doğuyor
Gecekondulardan geliyor halk
Tüm şili şarkılar söylüyor

The silence is broken by a storm.
On the horizon the sun's coming up.
The people come out of their shanties,
All Chile breaks out in song.

Venseremos, venseremos!
Kıralım zincirlerimizi.
Venseremos, venseremos!
Zulme ve yoksulluğa paydos.

We shall prevail, we shall prevail!
We must break away our chains.
We shall prevail, we shall prevail.
Put and end to deprivation and oppression.

Şili'de halk bugün savaşıyor
Cesaret ve halkın gücüyle.
Kahrolsun halkın katili cunta
Yaşasın "Unitad [sic] Popular"!

The people are struggling in Chile,
With all of their courage and strength,
Damn the murderous junta
Long live the Unidad Popular

Venseremos, venseremos!
Kıralım zincirlerimizi.
Venseremos, venseremos!
Zulme ve yoksulluğa paydos.

We shall prevail, we shall prevail!
We must break away our chains.
We shall prevail, we shall prevail.
Put and end to deprivation and oppression.

Geçmişe ağlamak fayda vermez,
Gelecek, mutlak sosyalizmin,
Yarını bugünden kuracaksın
O senin tarihin olacak.

Crying for the past is in vain
The future surely belongs to socialism
You shall build your tomorrow today
That will be your legacy

Venseremos, venseremos!
Kıralım zincirlerimizi.
Venseremos, venseremos!
Zulme ve yoksulluğa paydos!

We shall prevail, we shall prevail!
We must break away our chains.
We shall prevail, we shall prevail.
Put an end to deprivation and oppression.

German Version (Hans Georg Albig)

1. Als dem Leib der geschundenen Heimat
sich die Klage des Volkes entrang,
warf die Sonne sich über die Berge
und ganz Chile brach auf im Gesang.

Mit dem Mute des kühnen Soldaten,
der unsterblich blieb, fiel er auch früh,
stellen wir uns dem Tod selbst entgegen,
denn die Heimat verraten wir nie.

When the outcry of the people
Fought its way out of the bosom of the defiled homeland
The sun came up over the mountains,
And all of Chile broke out in song.

With the courage of the fearless soldier,
Immortal, tho' young he did die,
We confront death itself,
For our homeland we'll never betray.

|: Venceremos, Venceremos!
Schlagt das Volk aus den Ketten, schlagt los!
Venceremos, Venceremos!
Aus dem Elend befreit sind wir groß. :|

Venceremos, venceremos!
Break the chains of the people, come on!
Venceremos, venceremos
Free from misery, greatness is ours.

2. Wir sind Arbeiter, Bauern, Soldaten,
für das Vaterland stehn auch die Frau'n.
Wir sind Bergleute oder studieren,
unsre Heimat kann fest auf uns baun.

Sozialistisch wird unsere Zukunft,
die Geschichte kommt endlich voran,
nützt die Saat der chilenischen Erde,
jedermann, jedermann, jedermann.

We are workers, peasants, and soldiers,
Women, too, stand for the fatherland.
We are miners or we are students,
Our homeland can count on us.

Socialism shall be our future,
History has finally progressed,
Now the harvest of all Chile's fields serves
Everyone, everyone, everyone.