As Europe honors its triumph over fascism, Algeria mourns thousands killed in colonial-era crackdowns on pro-independence demonstrators
As much of Europe commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the defeat of fascism, Algeria is reflecting on a far more somber memory. On the same day in 1945 when Europe celebrated liberation, French colonial authorities unleashed brutal violence on pro-independence demonstrators in Algeria—massacres that Algerians say marked the true beginning of their struggle for freedom.
Across the northeastern cities of Sétif, Guelma, and Kherrata, Algerians gathered this week to honor the memory of thousands who were killed in what is widely seen as one of the darkest chapters of French colonial history. The official ceremonies, attended by veterans, government officials, and civil society groups, featured marches, memorial services, and historical exhibitions under the national slogan: “A people without memory is a people without a future.”
In a message to the nation, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune described the May 8, 1945 massacres as both a national tragedy and a turning point in Algeria’s long path to independence.
“The blood of our martyrs is the seed of our freedom,” Tebboune said. “It was on this day that the Algerian people realized that dignity could not be begged—it had to be taken.”
A Turning Point in Colonial History
The events of May 8, 1945, unfolded as Europe celebrated Nazi Germany’s surrender. In Algeria, thousands of people—many of them veterans or relatives of those who had fought for France during the war—took to the streets waving Algerian flags and demanding the freedom they believed they had earned through sacrifice.
An estimated 500,000 tirailleurs—light infantry soldiers from North and West Africa, including over 100,000 from Algeria—had served in the French army during World War II. Some volunteered, others were forcibly conscripted. Many hoped their contribution would lead to civil rights, greater autonomy, or eventual independence.
Instead, their peaceful demonstrations were met with gunfire from colonial police. In Sétif, a young scout named Bouzid Saâl was among the first killed when police opened fire. Clashes quickly escalated into widespread violence. Riots broke out, and more than 100 Europeans were killed in retaliatory attacks.
France responded with overwhelming military force. Over the following days and weeks, the colonial army launched a full-scale campaign involving aerial bombardments, naval shelling, and mass arrests. Villages were burned. Civilians were executed. The death toll remains deeply contested: French authorities historically estimated around 3,000 Algerians were killed, while Algerian sources claim the number exceeded 45,000.
A Painful Memory, Still Unresolved
Despite years of diplomatic engagement, France has never issued a formal apology for the massacres. President Emmanuel Macron has taken steps toward reconciliation, acknowledging in 2020 that colonialism was a “crime against humanity” and initiating a joint “dossier de mémoire” with Algeria in 2022 to investigate historical grievances.
But progress has stalled amid strained bilateral relations, particularly around immigration policies and France’s balancing of its alliances with Algeria and its regional rival Morocco.
Daho Djerbal, a prominent Algerian historian who has extensively studied the May 1945 massacres, says the events marked a definitive shift in Algerian consciousness.
“It was the moment when Algerians began to understand that independence was the only path forward,” Djerbal said. “The demonstrations were peaceful. There was no declaration of war. Yet, France used artillery, aircraft, and even the navy against its own colonial subjects. That was not law enforcement—it was mass murder.”
According to Djerbal, France’s reluctance to acknowledge the events as crimes against humanity continues to hinder healing between the two nations.
“The lack of a full and official apology from France is a wound that remains open,” he added.
French Lawmakers Attend Memorial, But Silence from Macron
In a symbolic gesture, a delegation of around 30 French lawmakers from centrist and left-leaning parties arrived in Algiers on Wednesday to participate in the commemoration ceremonies. They laid wreaths at memorials and met with Algerian officials, including war veterans and historians.
However, no high-level French government official attended the events, and President Macron has so far remained silent on the anniversary.
The absence of a formal statement from the Élysée Palace has sparked criticism in Algeria and among human rights advocates in France, who argue that full recognition of colonial-era atrocities is essential to establishing genuine postcolonial relations.
“This is not just Algeria’s history—it is France’s too,” said Fatima Ait Benhaddou, a Paris-based activist of Algerian descent. “Without acknowledgment, there can be no reconciliation.”
Legacy of Resistance and Reconciliation
The May 8 massacres have become an integral part of Algeria’s national identity. They are seen not only as a moment of collective trauma but also as the genesis of the independence movement that culminated in the country’s liberation from French rule in 1962 after a brutal eight-year war.
Each year, survivors and their descendants gather to share testimonies and pass down stories of resistance to younger generations. For many, the commemorations are a reminder that the cost of freedom was high—and that historical justice remains elusive.
Tebboune’s administration has made memory politics a key part of its diplomatic strategy with France, insisting that meaningful cooperation requires addressing the legacy of colonial violence. But without a formal apology or reparative gestures from Paris, Algerian officials say progress will remain limited.
“This is not about reopening old wounds,” said War Veterans Minister Laid Rebiga at the Sétif ceremony. “It is about recognizing the truth and building a future where justice, dignity, and historical accountability go hand in hand.”
As Europe celebrates the end of fascism, Algeria’s remembrance of May 8, 1945, serves as a sobering reminder that for many colonized nations, victory in Europe did not mean freedom at home. For Algeria, that freedom came 17 years and countless lives later.
