Autumn 1960 in Algiers
43
Letter from Claude to Tandree
Algiers, October 1960
....Yves is having a jaundice right now, he's been sick for a good week and the worst of all is over. (I was sick for more than 3 weeks and got out very tired and forced to follow a strict diet for several years)
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Letter from Claude to his parents
Algiers, November 1960
...there's poor Catherine. (Rougier, in Grenoble, widow of Raphaël Rougier) It's a very painful end.
Yves is getting better and better, and in a week he will probably be back in work. He still has a little yellow eyes, but he's already taken on weight. I give him 4 real small meals a day with the least possible fat (milk, cream, etc.). He took advantage of this rest to read and work, listen to his TSF. In the background, I think, time hasn't been too long.
The affairs in Algeria are not going well. L-algérien makes the colonists angry, and disturbs the officials. Why spend billions for an Algeria that will not be French. Thus Saigot, the director of Public Works and others resigned. Pending the dam is stopped following a fellagha raid in the city of grouping workers who caused some deaths. They strike and formed themselves as self-defense group. But the army is well criticized in Kabylia – as effective as it was in Orania, so ineffective it is there, and even helps to detach Muslims from France as it is tracassist.
Frédéric is on vacation. This poor chicken... If you saw the application of this boy, there's something to be tender about, and the seriousness with which he cares about school. By what, I hardly dare write, because nothing is more ridiculous than the parents who boast about their children, he is ranked 1ir On 34. Her Mademoiselle is a very well-loved (40-year-old) woman and I like her for boys, but the priest in charge of their religious life is a very good old man but very old for my taste (in his terms and way of designing religion). What makes me happy is that having seen the books of the school (history) of the little Tutenuit, I was appalled by the vulgarity and mediocre spirit of this book, it is really a shame for public education.
But in Frédéric's school there is no gymnastics or singing! It's a little harsh, we only do serious reading, writing, calculation, religion.
Christophe is beautiful. I had him brushed by a hairdresser, he moaned like an unhappy man, but he became a big and strong child when I compared him to other children. He is always very easy and discovers life as a surprise. What delights him most is to walk in Vespa 400 (Claudi's new car)
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Letter from Claude to Tandree
Algiers, early December 1960
...I have received the beautiful packages for the children. I have carefully hidden them, and thank you, you have done madness as usual; I will tell you what the children thought of them. (Tandrea always spoiled the kids at Christmas, Easter and birthdays)
The small revolution is over (I think these are blackfoot demonstrations in the centre of Algiers, in autumn 60)Here in our neighborhood, all this has gone very far; but it's very sad, and it's not done to bring the French and Muslims together. 95% of the French here are ultras and they will end up doing their own misfortune....
Letter from Claude to his parents
Algiers, April61
...Frédéric took over the class this morning without training, he had a few "holes" after his stay in France for a month and it had a little affected him. I had him work a little during the Easter holidays and I hope he will be quite good.
Christophe is all tanned, he starts repeating the words fairly well.
Martin has made me a little mad since I returned from France, with a chronic diarrhoeal state without great gravity. Meanwhile he pierced 5 teeth – a few days ago it took an acute turn which fortunately did not last 48 hours.
We bathed last Sunday, the sea was fresh but delicious anyway. It seems to me that I enjoy this year of the Algerian spring....
....Frédéric is making the Christmas Guignol walk with Martin laughing at the brilliance....
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Letter from Claude to his parents
Algiers, 4 May 61
...time is going to be very fast, in 1 month 1⁄2 we may be in France. Martin is still my favorite one, he's had 2 bad days a few days ago, with a molar that was piercing; refusing to drink and eat, vomiting, diarrhea – he was very sad and not yet recovered. At this moment I am in the garden with him, I have found a small corner in the greenery with a cemented alley; it is very convenient for Martin who can't eat gravel. Martin starts sitting alone, but he isn't ready to walk yet.
It's been a hot day: 32° today. Kids still like the beach. Last Sunday we went into a delicious little wood, and from there we won the sea (it was supposed to be at the Club des Pins, a private club that still exists for the rich Algerians of Independence) We were with the Durands...
Letter from Claude to his parents
Algiers, Wednesday 7 June61
...we are all healthy and the atmosphere in Algiers is very relaxed compared to a month or two. Yesterday I went to a dinner with Yves at St Georges, the chic hotel d'Alger, by an entrepreneur with the Durands and another entrepreneur...... I ate raw smoked salmon and I enjoyed... and foie gras escalopes.
Children are always a little absorbent and I am happy to plant them there from time to time at home.
I had to have Frédéric work with the operations in the last few days, because he confused everything, additions, subtractions, multiplications and divisions, now that there are deductions.
Martin is beautiful, I almost can't believe it.
The Tutenit are going to go for Sens next week. Their political opinions are increasingly grotesque
(they were ultra-Algeria French...)
Extract
Towards the end of the year 61, a reception was organized at the dam, to celebrate the watering, with giant méchouito all workers at the site.
Claude was invited and we went there by plane, landing on the runway built in the protected area of the yard
(details)
View of the plane that made us cross the Babors massif, with its cedars
Erraguene, around 30 Dec. 60
On a trip with Yves for 2 days at the "barrage". It's a very interesting visit. We arrived there by plane. Kabylia from 1000m is covered in snow, we flew down and it was splendid. Here we see the "Babors". J-a accompanied Yves to the factory, the dam, the gallery – at a point of access between the sea and Erraguène, and all this was very new to me...
Claude's card to my parents
Erraguene, around 30 Dec. 60
….The dam is now in water.. and it rains a lot, so has the level climbed 1 m in 24 hours and it will be full within a few months...
My appointment to the upstairs Djen, that is the main dam