Three towering columns stand before us. They are the Memorial National de la guerre d’Algerie. This monument remembers the Algerian War and the battles in Morocco and Tunisia from 1952 to 1962. It’s a sobering tribute to the 23000 soldiers and harkis who died fighting for France. It also remembers the many civilian victims.
President Jacques Chirac inaugurated the memorial on December 5 2002. This date is now a national day of remembrance. The memorial’s design is quite unique. Architect Gerard Collin-Thiebaut created three electronic displays. Each one is set within a six-meter-high concrete column. The columns are the colours of the French flag blue white and red.
The blue column displays the names of the soldiers and harkis. The names scroll continuously. The white column shows messages reminding us of the war. It also remembers those who disappeared after the ceasefire. The red column is interactive. Visitors can search for a specific name using a nearby terminal.
At the base of the columns a phrase is engraved in the ground. It reads In memory of the combatants who died for France during the Algerian War. It also honours members of the auxiliary forces killed after the ceasefire. Many of them remain unidentified. There is also a plaque dedicated to all civilian victims of the war. This includes those killed in massacres and other atrocities.
The Memorial National de la guerre d’Algerie isn’t just a monument. It’s a powerful reminder of a difficult chapter in French history. It encourages us to remember and reflect on the cost of war. The constantly scrolling names ensure that these sacrifices are never forgotten. It’s more than a monument it is a place of reflection and remembrance.