The Sorbonne’s Quiet Assessment Of The French Occupation’s Crimes

Politicians and historians in France struggle to write the history of the “Algerian War”, and while the extreme right and its affiliated circles try to impose their logic that justifies France’s colonial crimes and works for its rehabilitation, neutral historians counter this trend by exposing the manoeuvres of the “dreamers of a French Algeria”.

In response to the honour received by one of the members of the terrorist Secret Army Organization (OAS), Pierre Sergent, who was criminally responsible for the liquidation of about 70 Algerian and French victims, the French Sorbonne University decided to organize meetings and forums on the 60th anniversary of Algerian independence, under the supervision of historians.

This activity aims to shed light on the reality of the French colonization of Algeria, and the crimes it committed, as well as the deviations of some politicians, led by the French President, Emmanuel Macron, who had questioned the existence of an Algerian nation before the French colonization of it in 1830, as stated in the preparatory document for this activity.

The organizers of this forum wrote that “60 years after the victory of the Algerian struggle for independence, it seems necessary for us to think about it together, to deal with it, without overlooking the violence and suffering that surrounded it but also seeking to understand how it can inspire us. For today’s and future struggles.”

Among the issues that the participants will consider, starting from the 1st of next December, is raising discussion about the movie “The Battle of Algeria”, which was banned from broadcasting in France until 2004, a movie produced in 1966 that focuses on the “Battle of Algeria”. This film accurately narrates the beginnings of the liberation revolution, from 1954 to 1957, especially the struggle for control of the capital between the National Liberation Front and the French occupation army, or what is known as the “paratroopers”.

The discussion is moderated by Gilles Manceron, a historian specializing in the French colonization of Algeria, especially the liberation revolution, and Michèle Audin, daughter of Maurice Audin, the French activist supporter of Algerian independence, who was kidnapped and tortured by paratroopers before they liquidated him in 1957.

This activity will also witness the organization of a round table on the memory of the French occupation of Algeria and the War of Independence, supervised by Paul Max Morin, professor of political science, and author of the book “Youth and War in Algeria”, youth from the descendants of activists for independence in Algeria, who are descended from pieds noirs, will participate in this activity with French of Algerian origin, on the 7th December.

In addition, Sorbonne University will witness the organization of a round table on the current struggles in Algeria and France, and the discussion will focus on the debate taking place in the two countries, regarding the controversial colonial past.

The French far-right is considered one of those who suffer the most from the independence of Algeria, and they consider this independence a resounding defeat for France and its army, and they consider General Charles de Gaulle a traitor because he lost their lost “paradise”, and therefore they did everything they could to honour the criminals of the terrorist secret army organization (OAS), and the defence of its elements, although their hands were soaked in the blood of the French as well as the Algerians, and they also consider the putschists against de Gaulle, refusing to negotiate with the Algerians, such as generals Raoul Salan, Edmond Jouhaud and André Zeller, as heroes, as they are the founders of the terrorist organization.