1962, Algeria
47
Last year in Algiers, cut short by Claude's departure with the 3 children, in March 1962, in front of the risk of serious disturbances in Algiers, following independence and the "ceasefire"
Letter from Claude to Tandree
Algiers, late September 1961, Wednesday
...here it's always summer. But I'm happy, we've organized ourselves well. We bathe every day on the dike, from the blocks of cimen, and built by the Yacht Club in the open sea, and it's delicious (from noon to 1h1/2). The children have adapted well to the house, - and tomorrow the schoolboy comes back to class - to "the communal" - Martin has an extra tooth and walks almost alone, with caution it is true. Christophe a little sad and tired after angina, he grew up....
Letter from Claude to his parents
Algiers, Thursday 8(Fall 61?)
...There has just been 2 days off for the end of Ramadan and we took advantage of it to go to the beach (the children bathed) and today we go with the Durands in the big park of a family home at qq km from Algiers. This park is filled with slides, swings, etc., and Frédéric and Christophe have had a lot of fun while the parents were playing bridge. Martin, very in his mother's skirts has also ended up drifting. This little boy is very exclusive and very seccotine.. He reminds me a bit Angelique last year. But now he goes down and climbs the stairs alone to go play with his brothers, and he eats alone.
We're fine. Algiers is full of soldiers. Monday we had a plastic concert (OAS bombs against Arab businesses)One in front of our baker and two in a 100-metre radius. I think it was meant to dislodge Muslims from our mixed neighborhood. So our windows on the street side were blown. Fortunately, it is not cold at night and they will soon be repaired.
This did not prevent our Muslim baker from selling his bread the next two days..I told him a friendly word because he is a good man, and naturally if he reopens I would remain his client. But our grocer instead closed, and I think he left.
Apart from that, write us often, the mail must be quite irregular, the mail is not distributed anymore and we will search some centers (A day earlier, about ten Arab factors had been attacked and killed by the OAS, shot like rabbits at the corner!).
….
Letter from Claude to Tandree
Algiers, late December 1961; Tuesday
... I was just in the questioning points with the beautiful Sioux tent.. because the Good Market had shipped it without marking the real name of the sender.
Thank you, my dear Tandree, you couldn't have a better idea. The three boys are in the tent half a day; it's a real passion (even Martin!). Yves fixed his base on a wooden panel so that it is very stable.nd I'm not sure you're talking about this.
You really are filling up those boys – there was also the rabbit puzzle I had set aside for this day – you are still Aunt Gift.
Here it is fine. We went Sunday the night before Christmas in Chréa (1500m) and had snowed a lot 2 days before, unfortunately the snow had melted down almost completely. But it's splendid. It's near Blida in Atlas Tellien in a forest of cedars as I did nowhere. It was a very famous resort, built with small cottages very collets. (On Sunday there is a military convoy that allows the Algerians to climb safely, and the area is protected within a certain perimeter)
So Martin was even on the side, rising at 6:00 a.m., because the military convoy was leaving at 8:00 a.m. from Blida. It was cold up there and we had a good day, stinging even. We can walk in a fairly small area, but the essential is that good mountain air.
Where is your expedition to Egypt? I have seen in the newspaper that entry there was forbidden. If you don't go and the heart says, we invite for an expedition to the South for a week that we will do in January or February – if our project is still going, because everything depends on the exceptional circumstances that we can't exactly foresee.For the children I think our cousins Hausermann would come home for a week with their own children, and Ouda.
Yesterday we were with Yves exhausted by this Christmas party. The agaps, the toys of the children (we always have to show how things work, repair what we break, etc.) finally the children were all happy and the tree and the crèche superb.
Frédéric is on vacation and it feels good to him. He was a little nervous and story-maker. Should we see a sign of overwork?
Yves's fine, we gave up the water in December.
Christophe, your goddaughter, is very nice and very good boy. Always smiles, wakes up singing and goes to bed. There are many angers but without grudges.
Martin is very susceptible, but he seems to be coughing this winter. He's starting again today, it's true that it was cold in Chréa.
Letter from Claude to his parents
Algiers, Friday, 29 December 1961
...I hope you will tell us in detail your Christmas day. Here we were quite dead at night... but the kids were delighted and running from one to the other. Christophe's plane with its engine sounds is used for half the day. The puppets are very successful. Frédéric is the master of ceremonies and the other two brothers laughs very loudly. As for Martin he gladly takes over toys from everyone and is condescendingly busy with his Babar...
Today the weather was again mild and sunny. It is nice for children who are in the garden every morning (because it is completely sunny only until 3 h) and even in the afternoon.
... Even Martin now plays in the garden with the greatest who watch him.
... I get Frédéric to work every day because the sayings didn't work very well.nd
is a difficult class. Now it's better... singulars, plurals, verbs, chords, etc.
The kids are fine, they're beautiful, although Martin is easily feverish.
....We are waiting for De Gaulle's speech without indulgence and optimism...
Letter from Claude to his parents
Algiers 20 February 1962
...it's all right, I'm writing you from my sunny balcony. Yesterday we spent a wonderful day in Chréa. (2nd Over there with 1 meter of snow and a warm sun. Yves skied with my old skis (very bad) Frédéric dreams of skiing. It will take me to look at the old men I bought for a year later when we were 12. The track was black. We had a picnic.
This afternoon I'm doing a bridge in the Algerian circles. Tomorrow the good works. Wednesday I'll go with Christophe to the niece Miss Thuzzellier who kindly invited me – and at 5 am when leaving class, I'll bring Frédéric to a drawing class very on the page, where he has already been once and who has plunged into enthusiasm. We paint with paintings that come out of the tube, on very large paper against the wall – without pencil naturally. The sessions last 2 hours every Wednesday afternoon. School is fine. Yesterday he was delighted because his dad lent him his skis (not naturally fixed), and on a straight line he got out well without falling too much.
But Frédéric is a little man, with the demands and difficulties of a small man (and also a baby from time to time).
It seems to me that Martin is more happy than he was in the past months, but often he's a little bit of a black eye.
Here it's okay we listen regularly to the OAS pirate radio, it's very informative and wait for this peace not without worries...
Map of Claude in Grandma, av de Lamballe Paris
Ghardaia, January 1962..We are delighted with our little trip to the South. Yesterday we were in Hassi Rmel and this small oil town was very interesting. There is a good wind of sand and it rains (which must happen 3 times a year!) – we were frozen in Hassi Rmel, I didn't think we would find such a cold! Here we are sumptuously installed and we will probably stay there until Tuesday or Wednesday...
Letter from Claude to his parents
Algiers, January 1962Thursday
...reviews of this stay in the South. These vast expanses are very attractive. But we are surprised to find there quite a lot of nomads – often goats – that graze. And yet the vegetation is very sparse. There are biblical vegetation, terebin and jujubian, Armoise, alfa, etc. and many desert forms – Chebkra, daia,reg, gassi, etc... There is nothing secret for us. We went on the east edge of the Great Western Erg, El Goléa and Hasi Messaoud in the north of the Great Eastern Erg. But the miles are moving fast, because since there are tankers, the roads are like autostrada, and besides that the liter will be there 25 F a liter!
We went through a track just marked to go to Hassi Rmel. We had another good day of sand, and there were big piles of sand that would bar the road, and so that we didn't sensitise in it that was not convenient. We also had rain and there was rarity.
What is nice is that you walk freely in the d'oasis cities, and all the inhabitants are very friendly. Some d'oasis gardens have seemed beautiful (although some areas are poorly maintained). But some corners are luxurious, very clever irrigation systems and houses of tales of the Thousand and Ones Nights. But as everywhere else there is also a lot of craze.
We have passed to Ouargla, which is already an oasis "nigger" the populations have been there centuries ago in slavery of Sudan.
In Ghardaïa, the Mozabites and their 5 cities have been modernised by trading in Algiers and elsewhere, and there are many who have installed electricity to get water out of their wells. The oases of the past will no longer exist in their ancient appearance in a short time!
We were in a very nice hotel in Ghardaïa with a swimming pool and everything it took to feel on vacation. But it was cold. We are surprised to find a Sahara where it freezes and air is very dry. It was a bit of winter sports time.
...I received a letter from Ginou from France (from Nice), she has 3 of her boys (she is settled with her mother in an apartment) Of course she lives very difficult times (her husband had stayed in Algeria, involved in OAS affairs and wanted by the police)
The administrative papers of my return to France
the agreement of EGA for my departure to EDF with effect on 31 October 62
Reorganisation in EGA, due to the gradual departure of the managers
Allocation to EDF
Change of date to allow me to enter the School of Atomic Engineering in Saclay (CEA)
Letter from Vassal to Maurice Rougier on Algeria
