Description :
This programme from Radio País is part of the European Tramontana Network (Réseau Tramontana / Tramontana Network), a project co-funded by the European Union that seeks to preserve oral traditions, local languages and the cultural memory of European mountain communities. In this episode, the testimony of Peire Pessemessa, a Provençal speaker and writer, offers a personal account of his life, his relationship with authority, and his experiences during the major historical events that marked twentieth-century Provence.
The interview begins with Peire recalling his brief experience in the military. After only four months of service, he managed to leave the army after pretending to suffer from epilepsy, an episode that he describes with humour and irony, reflecting his lifelong refusal to submit easily to authority. He also speaks about his youth, his involvement in theatre and his travels, showing how creativity and performance became important elements of his identity and his way of expressing himself.
The conversation then turns to the period of the Second World War and the German occupation. Born in 1931, Peire remembers the presence of German troops in his school, the growth of resistance groups in the region and the tensions that followed liberation, including the purges and the risk of civil conflict. He also recalls the importance of languages during this period, explaining how German and later English replaced other foreign languages in education. His testimony highlights the connection between personal memory, historical events and the survival of Provençal cultural heritage.