Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Great Seduction | 20220221 | 20220404 (R4) 20241118 (R4) 20241119 (R4) |  Seventy years after the start of the Algerian War of Independence - and as a divided France struggles to repair its broken politics - Edward Stourton presents stories from a colonial past which still cast their shadow over the present. It's a very different colonial story from our own - even more brutal, more complex and more secret. In the first of five programmes, Edward tells the surprising story of how an ugly bug - a tiny insect called phylloxera - created the climate for the Algerian War. The insect all but wiped out the French wine industry and caused huge numbers of French people to move to Algeria. The French were initially seduced by the sun, sea and light of Algeria, exoticism captured in Albert Camus' famous novel, 'The Outsider'. But the love affair quickly turned sour.... Sound design: Peregrine Andrews Producers: Adele Armstrong and Ellie House Editor: Richard Vadon Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman MUSIC 'Nostra Algeria', from 'Freedom Fighters of Algeria' Killing an Arab', The Cure Gnossienne No 1', Erik Satie Stories from France's troubled history with Algeria and why they still matter today. How a wine bug that devastated France may have led to the Algerian War of Independence. Sixty years after the Algerian War of Independence - and as France prepares to elect a new President - Edward Stourton presents stories from a colonial past which still cast their shadow over the present. It's a very different colonial story from our own - even more brutal, more complex and more secret. |
| 02 | Intimate Violence | 20220222 | 20220405 (R4) 20241119 (R4) 20241120 (R4) | Sixty years after the Algerian War of Independence - and as France prepares to elect a new president - Edward Stourton presents tales from a colonial past which still cast a shadow over the present. In the second of five programmes, Edward tells two stories at the heart of the Algerian War. First the intriguing story of a knife abandoned in a house in Algiers on a night in March 1957. It was allegedly left behind by French paratroopers after the father of the household was tortured and killed. The man's son kept it hidden in the family's sideboard until, many years later, it became a vital piece of evidence in a court case. And he talks to the 'Milk Bar Bomber', immortalized in the film 'The Battle of Algiers'. Zorah Drif, was twenty when she walked into a cafe in the Algerian capital with a bomb in a beach bag. She planted her bomb and left. The explosion killed three people and injured dozens more. It made the National Liberation Front or FLN a model for insurgent groups throughout the world. At 87, she's still unrepentant. Sound design: Peregrine Andrews Producers: Adele Armstrong and Ellie House Editor: Richard Vadon REFERENCES The Battle of Algiers' film, 1966. Jacques Carbonnel reading from 'Papa, qu'as-tu fait en Alg退rie?' by Rapha뀀lle Branche. Stories from France's troubled history with Algeria and why they still matter today. Seventy years after the Algerian War of Independence began - and as a divided France struggles to repair its broken politics - Edward Stourton presents tales from a colonial past which still cast a shadow over the present. Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman A strange story from the Casbah in Algiers... of a murder, a knife and a family secret. |
| 03 | Operation Resurrection | 20220223 | 20220406 (R4) 20241120 (R4) 20241121 (R4) | Sixty years after the Algerian War of Independence - and as France prepares to elect a new President - Edward Stourton presents tales from a colonial past which still cast a shadow over the present. In this programme, Edward tells the story of how the Algerian War came home to Paris. On 17th October 1961, Algerians living in Paris held a demonstration against a police order to keep them off the streets at night. Tens of thousands of protestors flooded into Paris. The police were very nervous....there had been many attacks on them in recent months. Their response was merciless and what resulted is now regarded as a massacre. Protestors were beaten, shot and bodies were dumped in the River Seine. And we hear the story of how General de Gaulle, France's wartime leader, came back to power in 1958. He was seen as a 'saviour' by both sides but by the end of the war he was regarded as public enemy number 1. There were repeated attempts to assassinate him, the most serious immortalized in the film, 'The Day of the Jackal'. He did, of course, dodge the bullets....and survived. Sound design: Peregrine Andrews Producers: Adele Armstrong and Ellie House Editor: Richard Vadon REFERENCES M退dine - `17 Octobre`. `Algeria Hails de Gaulle 1958` British Pathe. `Je vous ai compris`. From `Another War, Another Peace 1940-60` BBC2. De Gaulle 1961 speech. BBC Radio Digital Archive. Stories from France's troubled history with Algeria and why they still matter today. Seventy years after the Algerian War of Independence began - and as a divided France struggles to repair its broken politics - Edward Stourton presents tales from a colonial past which still cast a shadow over the present. Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman The story of how the Algerian War of Independence came to France. |
| 04 | The Suitcase Or The Coffin | 20220224 | 20220407 (R4) 20241121 (R4) 20241122 (R4) | President de Gaulle signed the Evian Accords with the Algerian Independence Movement, the FLN, sixty years ago next month. Edward Stourton tells the story of how France greeted tens of thousands of French and Algerians who, virtually overnight, felt they had no choice but to leave Algeria. They feared for their future, and even for their lives. But the idea that many of them were simply 'coming back' to their homeland was far from the truth. Sound design: Peregrine Andrews Producers: Adele Armstrong and Ellie House Editor: Richard Vadon REFERENCES Ceasefire in Algeria announced by de Gaulle 1962` British Pathe. `In a Savage War of Peace` Alastair Horne. Stories from France's troubled history with Algeria and why they still matter today.
This is the story of how, at the end of the war, France greeted the tens of thousands of French and Algerians who, virtually overnight, felt they had no choice but to leave Algeria. They feared for their future, and even for their lives. But the idea that many of them were simply 'coming back' to their homeland was far from the truth. Sound design: Peregrine Andrews Producers: Adele Armstrong and Ellie House Editor: Richard Vadon Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman REFERENCES Ceasefire in Algeria announced by de Gaulle 1962 ? British Pathe. “In a Savage War of Peace ? Alastair Horne. Stories from France's troubled history with Algeria and why they still matter today. The story of how France greeted tens of thousands of French and Algerians driven into exile after the Algerian War of Independence. President de Gaulle signed the Evian Accords with the Algerian Independence Movement, the FLN, sixty years ago next month. Edward Stourton tells the story of how France greeted tens of thousands of French and Algerians who, virtually overnight, felt they had no choice but to leave Algeria. They feared for their future, and even for their lives. |
| 05 | The Black Box of History | 20220225 | " | |
| 05 | The Black Box Of History | 20220225 | 20220408 (R4) 20241122 (R4) 20241123 (R4) | President Macron wants to leave his mark on Franco-Algerian relations. Sixty years after the Algerian War of Independence - and as France prepares to elect a new President - Edward Stourton concludes his series of stories from a colonial past which still cast a shadow over the present. In this programme, Edward reveals how the wounds left by the Algerian War remain very close to the surface. Benjamin Stora, the historian charged with producing a report on the war and its legacy for the French government, says the enormity of the challenge is clear....but, after sixty years, the process has finally begun. Zorah Drif, who planted a bomb in Algiers at the age of 20 and who was immortalized in the film 'The Battle of Algiers' tells us that one of the last great joys of her life is seeing young people determined to carry on the struggle. Now 87, she remains unrepentant. But Algeria's leading novelist, Kamel Daoud, says the country's constant reliving of the past is a curse, not a blessing and says keeping the old wounds so raw is catastrophic. Sound design: Peregrine Andrews Producers: Ellie House and Adele Armstrong Editor: Richard Vadon REFERENCES Paul Aussaresses - 'Last Word', Radio 4. M退dine - `Grand Paris`. Stories from France's troubled history with Algeria and why they still matter today.
In the final programme of the series, Edward reveals how the wounds left by the Algerian War remain very close to the surface. Benjamin Stora, the historian charged with producing a report on the war and its legacy for the French government, says the enormity of the challenge is clear.. Zorah Drif, who planted a bomb in Algiers at the age of 20 and who was immortalized in the film 'The Battle of Algiers' tells us that one of the last great joys of her life is seeing young people determined to carry on the struggle. 87 years old when we spoke to her, she remained unrepentant. But Algeria's leading novelist, Kamel Daoud, says the country's constant reliving of the past is a curse, not a blessing and says keeping the old wounds so raw is catastrophic. Sound design: Peregrine Andrews Producers: Ellie House and Adele Armstrong Editor: Richard Vadon Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman REFERENCES Paul Aussaresses - 'Last Word', Radio 4. Médine - “Grand Paris ?. Stories from France's troubled history with Algeria and why they still matter today. The story of how France is trying to heal the wounds left by the Algerian War of Independence. President Macron wants to leave his mark on Franco-Algerian relations. Sixty years after the Algerian War of Independence - and as France prepares to elect a new President - Edward Stourton concludes his series of stories from a colonial past which still cast a shadow over the present. In this programme, Edward reveals how the wounds left by the Algerian War remain very close to the surface. Benjamin Stora, the historian charged with producing a report on the war and its legacy for the French government, says the enormity of the challenge is clear....but, after sixty years, the process has finally begun. Zorah Drif, who planted a bomb in Algiers at the age of 20 and who was immortalized in the film 'The Battle of Algiers' tells us that one of the last great joys of her life is seeing young people determined to carry on the struggle. Now 87, she remains unrepentant. |