Manifesto of the 121st

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In France , the manifesto des 121 (Manifesto 121) is a manifesto that was released on September 6, 1960 with the title “Déclaration sur le droit à l'insoumission dans la guerre d'Algérie” (Declaration on the right to refuse service in the Algerian war ) appeared in the magazine Vérité-Liberté . 121 intellectuals, university members and artists had signed it. Some of them were dismissed from public and state employment, and 29 of them (including Michel Leiris ) were charged.
The magazine Les Temps Modernes , founded by Jean-Paul Sartre , printed two blank pages instead of the manifest that was forbidden by the censors , plus one to ask for more names of supporters, among others. a. René Leibowitz , François Truffaut , Tristan Tzara and Françoise Sagan , expanded the list. A group of American intellectuals (including Stanley Kuntz , Norman Mailer and Lewis Mumford ) published a letter of solidarity to the signatories.

Content of the manifest

In his own words, the manifesto tried to inform the French about the resistance movement against the Algerian war . The 121 criticized France's attitude towards the Algerian independence movement and insisted that the oppressed Algerian population only strive for their recognition “as an independent community”. Based on the finding of the collapse of the colonial empires, it highlighted the political role of the military and denounced militarism and torture that were "contrary to democratic institutions".

The manifesto ends with the words:

«Les soussignés, (…), déclarent:

  • Nous respectons et jugeons justifié le refus de prendre les armes contre le peuple algérien.
  • Nous respectons et jugeons justifiée la conduite des Français qui estiment de leur devoir d'apporter aide et protection aux Algériens opprimés au nom du peuple français.
  • La cause du peuple algérien, qui contribue de façon décisive à ruiner le système colonial, est la cause de tous les hommes libres. »

"The undersigned declare:

  • We respect the refusal to take up arms against the Algerian people and consider them justified.
  • We respect the behavior of the French, who consider it their duty to provide aid and protection to the Algerians oppressed on behalf of the French people, and we judge it to be justified.
  • The cause of the Algerian people, who contribute decisively to the destruction of the colonial system, is the cause of all free people. "

List of signatories

See also

Web links