“A street named after a musician?” You might ask. Rue Degeyter in Paris is named after a man whose music resonated in the hearts of many workers and revolutionaries. Standing before you, this unassuming street, which stretches out peacefully today, bears the name of Pierre Degeyter, a Belgian composer who wrote one of the most iconic anthems in socialist history – The Internationale.
Born in Ghent, Belgium, in 1848, Pierre Degeyter was a weaver by trade, but his love for music blossomed early. From a young age, he would often entertain those around him with his musical talent. As a young man, he joined La Lyre des Travailleurs, a worker’s choir in Lille, France. It was through this choir that he found himself immersed in the social and political turmoil of the 19th century.
In 1888, Degeyter’s life, and the course of revolutionary music, changed forever. He was gifted a book of poems by Eugene Pottier, a fellow socialist, and one poem in particular caught his eye: Internationale. It resonated deeply with Degeyter, expressing the struggles and aspirations of the working class. Inspired, he set the words to music that very night.
Within a few days, Degeyter’s composition was already being sung by the workers around him. The Internationale quickly gained traction, becoming an anthem for the working class across Europe. It was even used during the Russian Revolution of 1917.
Although the song was met with resistance from the French government at the time, it soon became a symbol of hope and solidarity among the working class. Today, Rue Degeyter in Paris serves as a silent reminder of Pierre Degeyter’s legacy, a legacy that transcended his humble beginnings and continues to inspire generations of workers around the world. It is a quiet street, perhaps, but its namesake’s music continues to resonate, loud and clear, as a call for justice and equality.