That clash of nationalism destroyed thousands of lives, thousands of families, also in the Basque Country. They died 6,000 Basques for defending France, thousands more for the loss of one arm, one leg or one face, and thousands of deserters and impassions.

The deceased have received the greatest honors, as a reminder, with their annual tributes. Dishonesty for deserters, injustices and their families. The owners of the names sculpted in the monuments gave life to the “homeland”, that is, to France. They have always been considered heroes, because the war was carried out by the soldiers in good faith and with a “nationalism”, in favour of France and against Germany, according to the official version that has triumphed in France. This version also has opposites. Some historians say that soldiers did not wage war willingly, but because they had no choice, because they were forced, because if they did not suffer harsh repression. In this way, those who made the war were the victims of the salicry, the arms race or the pride and the desire for power of state nations. And those who believed that they had left to a good degree were also victims, victims of the self-cleaning of past decades, because they had been led to believe that the “others” were animals, which had to be incinerated in the name of civilization or God.

Moreover, the Basques had been put in the head that, being French, fighting for France was fighting for themselves. We don't know how many were disgusted, nor what those who are supposed to be good at saying. Those who admitted to risking or losing their lives on the part of France because of the French were victims of manipulation, just as a member of a sect is manipulated. France used schools, the army, the press, etc. to turn thousands of French Basques who had nothing to do with France and who did not know French.

We do not know what the position of Euskal Herria would have been if it had been independent in 1914; perhaps it would not have entered that whirlwind, like other states that decided to stop neutrality. In this way, the lives of 6,000 people would be saved, thousands wounded, widowed and orphaned. And thousands of other people would not be considered as uncompromising games or deserters; and therefore they would not be “traitors”, unfortunate, condemned to exile or imprisoned.

The
Basques were
brought into the
head who were French, who fought for France…who fought for their heads, who were French and who agreed to risk or lose



their lives for France were victims of manipulation.

All these Basques are victims of the war, and even more so, victims of France. Everyone deserves a tribute, for being victims of the oppression of our people, not for being heroes in favour of France. France owes them great gratitude, as does its allies. And I apologize to the warriors, to those who refused war and to Euskal Herria for subjecting them and leading them to the massacre, when Euskal Herria and the Basques had nothing to do with that war.

A hundred years have passed with the official narrative of World War I. The aim of this narrative has been, throughout this time, to bring into value the unity of France and the fact that the Basques are French. Now, we have to write our narrative. Names sculpted in funeral monuments and their families have nothing to fear. They were victims of a tragedy. What should not be admitted is the “Morts pour la Patrie” that appears in these memories. They did not die for “France”: they died for “France”.

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