ij 7 TTT T tT? f tT fT OF PERSEPOLTS SONU Mw Mb ADDCREDITS ‘Translation of first part: Mattias Ripa ‘Translation of second part: Blake Ferris Supervision of translation: Marjane Satrapi and Carol Bernstein Lettering: Eve Deluze Additional hand lettering: Céline Merrien THANKS TO LAssociation David B. Jean-Christophe Menu Emile Bravo Christophe Blain Guillaume Dumora Fanny Dalle-Rive Nicolas Leroy Matthieu Wahiche Charlotte MiquelINTRODUCTION n the second millennium B.C., while the Elam nation was developing a civilization alongside Babylon, Indo-European invaders gave their name to the immense Iranian plateau where they settled. The word “Iran” was derived from “Ayryana Vaejo;” which means “the origin of the Aryans” These people were semi-nomads whose descendants were the Medes and the Persians. The Medes founded the first Iranian nation in the seventh century B.C.; it was later destroyed by Cyrus the Great. He established what became one of the largest empires of the ancient world, the Persian Empire, in the sixth century B.C. Iran was referred to as Persia — its Greek name — until 1935 when Reza Shah, the father of the last Shah of Iran, asked everyone to call the country Iran. Iran was rich. Because of its wealth and its geographic location, it invited attacks: From Alexander the Great, from its Arab neighbors to the west, from Turkish and Mongolian conquerors, Iran was often subject to foreign domination. Yet the Persian language and culture withstood these invasions. The invaders assimilated into this strong culture, and in some ways they became Iranians themselves. In the twentieth century, Iran entered a new phase. Reza Shah decid- ed to modernize and westernize the country, but meanwhile a fresh source of wealth was discovered: oil. And with the oil came another inva- sion. The West, particularly Great Britain, wielded a strong influence on the Iranian economy. During the Second World War, the British, Soviets, and Americans asked Reza Shah to ally himself with them against Germany. But Reza Shah, who sympathized with the Germans, declared Iran a neutral zone. So the Allies invaded and occupied Iran. Reza Shah was sent into exile and was succeeded by his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was known simply as the Shah.In 1951, Mohammed Mossadeq, then prime minister of Iran, national- ized the oil industry. In retaliation, Great Britain organized an embargo on all exports of oil from Iran. In 1953, the CIA, with the help of British intelligence, organized a coup against him. Mossadeq was overthrown and the Shah, who had earlier escaped from the country, returned to power. The Shah stayed on the throne until 1979, when he fled Iran to escape the Islamic revolution. Since then, this old and great civilization has been discussed mostly in connection with fundamentalism, fanaticism, and terrorism. As an Iranian who has lived more than half of my life in Iran, I know that this image is far from the truth. This is why writing Persepolis was so important to me. I believe that an entire nation should not be judged by the wrongdoings of a few extremists. I also don’t want those Iranians who lost their lives in prisons defending freedom, who died in the war against Iraq, who suf- fered under various repressive regimes, or who were forced to leave their families and flee their homeland to be forgotten. One can forgive but one should never forget. Marjane Satrapi Paris, September 2002PERSEPOLIS . y C4 = - x‘AND THIS IS A CLASG PHOTO. I'M SITTING ON THE FAR LEFT 50 YOU DON'T SEE ME. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: GOLNAZ, MAHSHID, MARINE, MINNA, THIS IS ME WHEN | WAS 10 YEARS OLD. THIS Was IN 4980, THEN CAME 4820: THE YEAR IT BECAME. QBLIGATORY TO WEAR THE VEIL AT SCHOOL."AND ALSO BECAUSE THE YEAR BEFORE, IN 1939,] | WHERE BOYS AND GIRLS WERE TOGETHER. WE WERE INA FRENCH NON-RELIGIOUS SCHOOL. ‘ND THEN SUDDENLY IN 4990.0 ALL BILINGUAL SCHOOLS [AUST BE CLOSED DOWN,| REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK ABOUT THE | | EWAS BORN WITH RELIGION. Vell. DEEP DOWN | WAS VERY RELIGIOUS BUT AS a FAMILY WE WERE VERY MODERN AND AVANT-GARDE | BECAUSE MY FATHER HAD A CADILLAC. AND, ABOVE ALL, BECAUSE MY GRANDMOTHER'S KNEES ALWAYS ACHED. COME HERE MARST HELP ME TO STAND UP, DONT WORRY. won ave any MRE PAN. VOUU SEE.UKE ALL MY PREDECESSORS THAD AY HOLY BOOK THE FIRST THREE RULES CAME FROM ZARATHUSTRA. HE WAS THE FIRST PROPHET IN MY COUNTRY BEFORE THE ARAB INVASION, YOU MUST BASE EVERYTHING ON GEFORE THE PERSIAN NEW YEAR, NOROUZ, ON MARCH 2457, THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING ONLY MY GRANDMOTHER KNEW ABOUT MY BOOK, RULE NUMBER SK: EVERY- BODY SHOULD HAVE A CAR, RULE NUMBER SEVEN: ALL MAID SHOUD RE WOME Eat OULD PER” ‘SEN SHOULD HAVE TO SUFFER. ys eur FELL mE How VOL ARR CG FOR. 4p PEOPLE NOT TO SUFF Ange eetEVERY NIGHT | HAD 4 BIG DISCUSSION WITH GOD. GOD, GINE ME SOMME MORE TIME, TAM NOT QUITE EADY YET. ELESTIAL LIGHT, YOU ARE Mt CHOICE, MY LAST = Pune HAHA! a, oN wn YOOR CHUD 15 DISTURBED. SHE WANTS TO BECOME A PROPHET.SA bh —_ aA a) oni i.O 14a = Mp SZ THE YEAR OF THE REVOLUTION | HAD TO TAKE ACTION, S01 PUT MY PROPHETIC DESTINY ASIDE FOR A WHILE. TODAY MY NAME IS CHE GUEVARA, ANP I WANT TO 8& TROTSKY. y an an WE DEMONGTRATED IN THE GARDEN OF OUR HOUSE. MN SS) L THE REVOLUTION 15 MSI ILS | “ra_A wee ten i THE WHEELS DON'T |“AFTER A LONG SLEEP OF 2500 YEARS, THE REVOLUTION HAS FINALLY AWAKENED THE PEOPLE.” FIRST OUR OWN EMPERORS. Ses.. S>. Se. S. Se>.. >. =. S*. Ses.. Ss. =, Sa B=. THEN THE ARAB INVASION FROM THE WEST,TO ENLIGHTEN ME. HEY BOUGHT B00) BUT MY FAVORITE WAS A COMIC 800K ENTITLED] MDIALEETIC MATERIALISM.” a2‘YOU MEAN THAT EVEN THOUGH OUCH! WHAT ARE YOU SEE THIS STONE IN MAY HAND “YOU DOING, KARL, YOU IT DOESN'T EXIST SINCE IT’S ONLY BROKE MY SKULL! IN YOUR IMAGINATION? Peng “is, oe ky Axuph CAROL Sra ena rsa ened sna) AR aa Sn eS PCa man ana DESPITE EVERYTHING, GOD CAME TO SEE ME FROM TIME TOT 50 VOU DON'T WANT TO BEA PROPHET ANYMORE? ET's TALK ABOUT ‘SOMETHING ELSE. 4q TERORROW THE WEATHER IS GONG TO BE NCE, ~ a 7 y yOu THR | LOOK LIKE MARX? /\ Yo SS] B t/ a) mT %FOR & REVOLUTION TO SUCCEED, THE ENTIRE POPULATION ss0ST SUPPCFee — ___—SOTHE WATER ae eae MY PARENTS DEMONSTRATED EVERY DAY, DOWN WITH THE KING! owe) aaa: at Dy ) THINGS STARTED TO DEGENERATE. ITHE ARMY SHOT AT THEM. Cy NESS yee > ar SS oe MARCHING AND THRO’ THEY HAP ACHES all OVE‘COME SIT ON MY LAP, TUL TRY TO EXPLAIN ‘AS FOR IME, | LOVE THE KING, HE WAS CHOSEN BY GoD. #) SELES Va QUR SCHOOLBDOK., THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY. L@ [ The TRUTH Is THAT 50 YEARS AGO THE FATHER OF THE SHAH, WHO WAS A SOLDIER, ORGANIZED a | curse TO OveRTHROW THE EMPEROR AND INSTALL A REPUBLIC. IF IT 1S G0b"S wilt, GOD 1S WITH US. WE WILL REACH THE CAPITAL 49 DANS, <> | AND EVEN IF @ HE ISN'T, WHat CaN STOP US? 49AT THE TIME THE REPUBL [rea ee eee eR a nt road eT ein cece veneer | IDEAL WAS POPULAR IN THE REGION BUT EVERYBODY INTERPRETED IT 'N [rea ee eee eR a nt road eT ein cece veneer | OWN wa) THE HINDUS AND THE MUSLIMS. MUST MAKE PEACE TO OVERTHROW THE BRITISH. Iso THE FATHER OF THE SHAH WANTED 0 BO THE SAME. BUT HE WASN'T EDUCATED LIKE GANDHI, WHO WAS A LAWYER... ATATURK IN TURKEY WE, THE TURKS, ARE SECULAR WESTERNERS, FOR PROOF, LOCK AT MY GREEN EYES = NOR WAS HE A LEADER OF MEN UKE ATATURK, WHO WAS A GENERAL A BLESSING FOR THE VERY INFLUENTIAL BRITISH WHO SOON LEARNED OF HIS PROTECTS. WHAT'S THAT Sou- DIER"S NAANE AGAIN? REZANWE SHOULD) 0 EET HOM, IpneDiareny! PERSIA 1S FUUL OF lL!WHEN YOU ARE EMPERCR, EMPEROR, MEP YOUR SECRETARY OF STATE. WILL SHINE THE/A FOR YOU, YOU Wikb HAVE EVERVTHING Power, SHOE SHINER. SNYTHING YOU WANT IN CASH! WANT TO CREATE ‘A REPUBLIC. THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS. ARE AGAINST IT AND THEY'RE RIGHT, A VAST COUNTRY LIKE YOURS NEEDS A HOLY SYMBOL, a Yoo Tost GINE OS THE THe REST. 2AUTHINK You ARE OLD ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND CERTAIN THINGS. YOU SHOULD KNOW... WHAT DO You en, THAT'S Nt THE QUESTION? Wee AD Ko Ly AL c 8GRANDPA WAS A YOUNG MAN AND THE FATHER OF THE SHAH CONFIS CATED EVERY- THING HE OWNED. ‘ND SINCE HIS ENTOURAGE WAS UNEDUCATED, YOUR GRANDPA WAS NAMED PRIME MINISTER. A OF TODAY YOU ARE iY PRIME MISTER DON'T FORGET THE THES IN THE BATHROOM. GO RIGHT AHEAD, DON'T LET ANY- THING STOP YOU. [He HAD STUDIED IN EUROPE. HE WAS & VERY CULTIVATED MAN, HE HAD EVEN READ MARK THE WORKERS! HOW GAN He BELIEVE THAT THE RABBLE CAN RULES. ‘ONCE HE WAS SIDETRACKED FROM His PRINCELY DESTINY, HE BEGAN TO MEET INTELLECTUALS. THE BOLSHEVIKS MAKE MIRACLES. THE EMPEROR OF PERSIA IS NOT REZA SHOM BUT THE KING OF ENGLAAD. He BEA COMMUNIST. WHEN | WAS PRINCE, $0, BERENS € ALL OF THIS SEEMED $0 DISTANT. IT DISGUSTS Mé THAT PEOPLE ARE CONDEMNED TO A BLEAK FUTURE BY THEIR SOCIAL CLASS. rT eee, LONG LIVE LENIN. THE PROBLEM OF OUR COUNTRY: ONLY A PRINCE CAN ALLOW HIMSELF TO HAVE & CONSCIENCE. wwTL EVERY TIME THERE WAS & KNOCK ON THE DOOR | THOUGHT TREMEMBER WHEN | THEY WERE COMING TO TAKE MY FATHER TO PRISON. WAS A SMALL GIRL. HELLO! IS YOUR MOTHER THERE? $T0P IT, HE IS TIRED. . o & 2HGiovyaPl THE POOR MAN!!! PRISON HAD DESTROYED His HEALTH. HE HAD RHEUMATISM, We CAN PLAY AFTER YOUR BATH IF YOU WANT TO, DO YOU WANT TO PLAY MONOPOLY? MY HANDS WERE WRINIKLED WHEN | CAME OUT, LIKE GRANDPA’S. THAT NIGHT | STAYED & VERY LONG TIME IN THE BATH, | WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO BE IM A CELL FILLED WITH WATER, 2sok at) a) ab Ui, GO AND LOOK IN THE) GUEST ROOM. THERE'S A SURPRISE FOR YOU. THE SHAH'S FATHER TOOK EVERYTHING WE OWNED. LIVED IN POVERTY. _ WHAT? YOU MEAN YoU Weke POOR TOO? (OH, YES. $0 POOR THAT WE HAD ONLY BREAD TO EAT. WAS 50 ASHAMED THAT | PRETENDED TO COOK, SG THAT THE NEIGHBORS WOULDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING, MMM! NOM 15 COOKING SOMETHING GooD! 26TO SURVIE | TOOK IN SEWING AND WITH LEFTOVER MATERIAL, | MADE CLOTHES FoR THE WHOLE FAMILY. WHY ISN'T GRANDPA. LOOK HOW WELL DRESSED eee / We ALL ARE IN THIS PHOTO. tERE? WAS HE Ve PRISON VES, THE FATHER OF THE SHadl Wes VERY TOUGH BUT HIS YOU KNOW, AMY CHILD, SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME, DYNASTIES HANE SUCCEEDED EACH OTHER BUT THE KINGS ALWAYS KEPT THEIR, PROMISES. THE SHAH KEPT NONE, | REMEMBER THE DAY HE WAS CROWNED. HE SAID: LAM THE LIGHT OF THE ARVANS. I WICL MAKE THIS COUNTRY THE MOST MODERN OF ALL TIME ‘OUR PEOPLE WILL REGAIN THEIR SPLENDOR, 2