They are Algerian or French. In , when the Algerian War of Independence broke out, they were barely out of their teens. It was a time of post-war decolonisation around the world.
But France did not see things that way. Home to more than a million Europeans and some 9 million Algerians , Algeria was the only colony of the French colonial empire settled by Europeans and, as a French department, was considered part of France. It was also a land rich in oil and gas. In , the French government of Guy Mollet decided to send in the army to maintain order in the occupied land.
In total, 1. Their military service lasted at least 18 months, sometimes 28 or even Many found the experience traumatic. For decades, what they had lived through was a taboo topic, even within their own families. They told us about colonialism, the horror of conflict, torture and fear, but also their desire for healing.
Sixty years after that war without a name, they have dug deep into their memories and told us their stories. His parents were farmers. When he was called up for military service, he was working in a food factory. He arrived in Algeria in July as part of the health service. After returning to France in , he specialised in business management and moved to Paris.
On his retirement, he devoted himself entirely to painting, becoming an accomplished artist and producing more than paintings of the Breton countryside. I was sent to Vincennes, in the Paris suburbs, for my training. I had four months to learn how to handle weapons, then how to apply medical dressings and injections as part of the health service.
