the essential
On the occasion of the November 11 commemorations, return to Alexandre Arlin's podcast saluting the commitment to the Gers.
The November 11 commemorations which will take place on Monday throughout the department as throughout France are an opportunity to remember the price that soldiers and the civilian population paid during the Great War, hoped to be the “last of the last”.
However, it should not be the last to lead to the sacrifice of many lives on the altar of freedom. Young generations are invited to cultivate this memory using numerous supports. Alexandre Arlin, a child from Castelnau-sur-l'Auvignon, chose to offer a podcast to preserve the memory of his village and more broadly of the Resistance in the Gers.
“November 11 is much more than a date of commemoration: it is an invitation to remember the sacrifices and struggles for freedom. In an era where direct witnesses are rare, history becomes an essential pillar for transmitting the duty of memory. Preserving these stories means honoring those who fought for the future and reminding everyone of the importance of these events in our collective identity,” believes the author who therefore chose an episode of History linked to his village. .
“With the podcast “Memory of Castelnau-sur-l’Auvignon: From the constitution of a maquis to the battle of June 21”, which I produced on behalf of the association of high places of memory in Gers, I offer a dive into the history of this Gers village, scene of heroic resistance during the Second World War.”
To do this, Alexandre Arlin chose to divide his audio documentary into four episodes: the creation of the “Victoire” network by Jeanne Robert, a teacher who became leader of the local Resistance; the decisive role of George Reginald Starr, alias “Hilaire”, British agent of the SOE, in the organization of the maquis; the Armagnac and Castelnau Battalions, symbols of Gascon courage; and the battle of June 21, 1944, a landmark confrontation where 300 resistance fighters braved the German assault. “I produced this podcast on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the events in Castelnau-sur-l'Auvignon, on June 21. The facts are told by Alain Geay, General Lasserre and Véronique Aller, who retraces the lives of the protagonists and the events in Castelnau-sur-l'Auvignon during the Occupation. »
France
