Red letter day

Guy Môquet was a young communist who was shot by a firing squad on this day in 1941. President Sarkozy has quite the fondness for Guy Môquet, and in particular for his last letter to his family. Such is his fondness that he has made October 22 an official Guy Môquet day, on which teachers were to read the letter to their classes, as an example of how young people could make sacrifices for France.

So, as we raise a glass for the brave lad of 17 on this first Guy Môquet day, how is this new day of commemoration working out for Sarko? Not that well. Quite a number of teachers refused to have their students read the letter, mostly on the grounds that it is shockingly indecorous that the government should be ordering them to apotheosize a kind of war hero. There were other reasons for refusal, however - for example that Guy Môquet was a communist and not part of the real Résistance.

I'm not sure if any teachers refused on the grounds that the letter makes for maudlin reading: "Ma petite maman chérie, mon tout petit frère adoré, mon petit papa aimé..." ("My dear little mama, my adored little brother, my dear beloved papa...') Somehow I suspect the only effect on students will be to make "ma petite maman cherie" a running gag with them.

On my way to St. Denis today I passed through Guy Môquet station. The ads were gone in favor of large posters with Guy's face and the text of his letter.