Warszawianka (1831)

"Warszawianka 1831 roku", "La Varsovienne" ("The Varsovian 1831") is a Polish patriotic song written by Casimir François Delavigne with music by Karol Kurpiński. The song was written in support of the November Uprising of 1830–1831. The French poet Casimir Delavigne was fascinated and inspired by the news of the uprising making its way to Paris and wrote the words, which were translated into Polish by the historian, journalist, and poet Karol Sienkiewicz (great-uncle of novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz). It contains several stylistic allusions to "La Marseillaise" in the lyrics e.g. Aux armes, citoyens (in "La Varsovienne": Polonais, à la baïonnette). The song was performed for the first time on 5 April 1831 at the National Theatre in Warsaw and immediately started to enjoy great popularity. The song is sometimes confused with a later Polish revolutionary song of the same name (often referred to in Polish as "Warszawianka 1905 roku" or ‘the Varsovienne of 1905’, sometimes known in English as "Whirlwinds of Danger"), which had its music used for the 1936 Spanish anarchist song "To the Barricades". It is today the official march past of the Polish Armed Forces. In 1918, after the regaining of independence by Poland, it was considered among the candidates for the country's national anthem. French Il s'est levé, voici le jour sanglant; Qu'il soit pour nous le jour de délivrance! Dans son essor, voyez notre aigle blanc Les yeux fixés sur l'arc-en-ciel de France Au soleil de juillet, dont l'éclat fut si beau, Il a repris son vol, il fend les airs, il crie: "Pour ma noble patrie, Liberté, ton soleil ou la nuit du tombeau!" Refrain: Polonais, à la baïonnette! C'est le cri par nous adopté; Qu'en roulant le tambour répète: À la baïonnette! Vive la liberté! Guerre! À cheval, cosaques des déserts! Sabrons, dit-il, la Pologne rebelle: Point de Balkans, ses champs nous sont ouverts; C'est le galop qu'il faut passer sur elle.