Friday October 18, Diego Soler met the public at the Galerie des Halles to present his work entitled Their history, memory… my habit. The vaulted room was a bit small to accommodate the many guests and visitors. The author wanted an evening enlivened by moments of poetry, texts and songs that he had chosen himself and whose interpretation he shared with certain guests. Diego Soler is the current director of the La Farigoule nursing home. Doctor in sociology and experienced sportsman, he regularly trains in triathlon. Thanks to a notebook found from the period of his youth, where he spoke with his grandmother who told him about her experience as a Spanish republican who arrived in France during the Retirada of 1939, he decided to share his testimonies and the reflections that he’s getting some today. This story traces the harsh reality of Francoism, uprooting, resilience, courage and solidarity. This return to history pushed Diego to apply for Spanish nationality. “When I explained my approach and my motivation to the Spanish consul, he was very moved. The person told me that I had a duty to transmit more than a duty to remember”confides the author who continues: “It’s symbolic, but I’m taking back the nationality that was taken away from my ancestors.” The evening was very convivial in a setting with warm lights, recalling the atmosphere of evenings by the fire, the moment when the elders passed on their knowledge and experiences to the young. Dedications and a friendly drink closed the evening.
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