I'd rather die standing than live on my knees: Who are the cartoonists killed in the Paris attack?

The 12 people killed in the terrorist attack on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo included a prominent economist and some of France’s leading cartoonists. A look at some of the victims: Stephane Charbonnier, 47, known professionally as Charb, was chief editor of Charlie Hebdo, as well as one of its top cartoonists and a stout defender of its provocative approach. He was in charge when the paper’s offices were destroyed by a firebomb in 2011 after it had proposed inviting the Prophet Muhammad to be a guest editor. Charbonnier defiantly held up a copy of the paper as he stood amid debris. In an interview with The Associated Press, he suggested the attackers “are themselves unbelievers … idiots who betray their own religion.” [caption id=“attachment_2036177” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Charb. AP.[/caption] BBC reports Charbonnier as saying, “I don’t blame Muslims for not laughing at our drawings. I live under French law. I don’t live under Koranic law.” In 2012, the paper again provoked controversy by publishing crude caricatures of Muhammad. Charbonnier, who by that time was under police protection, defended the cartoons. “Muhammad isn’t sacred to me,” he said. “I don’t blame Muslims for not laughing at our drawings. I live under French law. I don’t live under Quranic law.” In an interview with Le Monde, one of France’s leading newspapers, he professed to be unafraid. According to  FranceTVInfo, Charbonnier was in the al-Qaeda’s most wanted list since last year. “I don’t have kids, no wife, no car, no credit,” he told Le Monde. “Maybe it’s a little pompous to say, but I’d rather die standing than live on my knees.” He had received several death threats in the past and was under police protection. The Independent reports, “Stéphane Charbonnier’s police bodyguard was murdered beside him, before killing another police officer as they fled the building.” BBC reports how Charbonnier’s last published work now seems scarily prophetic. “It was headlined “Still no attacks in France” and showed an Islamist militant with the speech bubbles: “Wait! We still have until the end of January to present our wishes” - a satirical play on new year wishes.”

Charb dans le Charlie Hebdo de la semaine. pic.twitter.com/jb2rcR5W8H

— Alexandre Hervaud / @alexhervaud.bsky.social (@AlexHervaud) January 7, 2015

  Jean Cabut, 76, widely known as Cabu, established himself as one of France’s best-known cartoonists over a career that spanned 60 years. He served in the French military during the Algerian war for independence in the late 1950s, and later drew cartoons for several publications. Among them was Hara-Kiri, a satirical magazine that emerged in the ’60s and was considered a forerunner of Charlie Hebdo. Hara-Kiri was banned in 1970 following the death of Charles de Gaulle. Buzzfeed reports that one of his illustrations got Hebdo sued by an Islamist organisation in 2006. New Statesman reported back then: “Charlie Hebdo is being sued for racism by the Paris Grand Mosque, the Union of Islamic Organisations of France (an association under the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Hani Ramadan and Yussuf al-Qaradawi) and the World Islamic League (a Saudi foundation which promotes Wahhabism). Their evidence includes three cartoons - Cabu’s, the Danish drawing showing the Prophet with a “turbomb” (a bomb in his turban), and another with a religious Muslim at heaven’s gates warning Islamist terrorists: “Stop, we’ve run out of virgins.” [caption id=“attachment_2036179” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Cabut. AP.[/caption] One of Cabut’s recurring characters was the Grande Duduche, a skinny, blond schoolboy bearing some resemblance to Cabut himself. The Telegraph writes about Cabut: “Conscripted into the French Army for two years during the war in Algeria, Cabu produced cartoons for the army magazine and also for Paris Match. But his experiences in Algeria turned him into a virulent anti-militarist and he remained a relentless campaigner for non-violence and critic of the French political establishment.” In HuffingtonPost, Anna Sinclair paid a moving tribute to her friend Cabut: “The shy, indignant, anxious one. Always eager to learn, always with the same haircut. Those great drawings that packed a punch. Never cruel, but always tickling at those in power, the army, and priests of all religions.” Cabut’s son, Mano Solo, a prominent singer and composer, died in 2010 at age 46. Bernard Maris, 68, gained prominence as both an economist and a journalist. He wrote a weekly column in Charlie Hebdo called “Uncle Bernard,” was a regular commentator on economics for the France Inter radio network, and taught economics at a branch of the University of Paris. He also was a member of the General Council of the Bank of France. “Bernard Maris was a man of heart, of culture and of great tolerance,” the bank’s president, Christian Noyer said in a statement. “We will miss him very much.” Georges Wolinski, 80, was another of Charlie Hebdo’s veteran cartoonists. His works had appeared in Hara-Kiri, Paris Match and numerous other publications. [caption id=“attachment_2036181” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Wolinski. AP.[/caption] He was born in Tunisia and moved to France as a schoolboy. By age 26, he was working for Hara-Kiri. He was awarded the Legion of Honor, France’s highest decoration, in 2005. Wolinski, reports Le Monde, never held religious rituals as important in his wife. Le Monde reports: Wolinski used to joke: “I want to be incinerated. I told my wife: you’ll throw my ashes in the toilet, this way I’ll be able to see your butt everyday. Cartoonist Bernard Verlhac, who drew under the name Tignous, was born in Paris in 1957 and published his first works in 1980. He was a member of a group of artists called Cartoonists for Peace and also belonged to the Press Judiciare, an association of French journalists covering the courts. He sent his last drawing — a self-portrait wishing Happy New Year — to the association the night before his death. It was posted on the group’s website Wednesday. With inputs from Associated Press