| This tourist route was adopted to safeguard and illustrate the historical memory. The locals of Guelma suffered a heavy toll during the colonial period. Possibly one of the most important of these was the harrowing massacres of May 8th 1945, when local citizens marched out from here and elsewhere in Setif and Kherrata to voice their joy over the end of the War and to remind France and the Allies of the promises made to the Algerians whose children had been part of that victory. Unfortunately, French colonialism, repressed these peaceful protests in the most barbaric way possible. At least 45,000 people were killed, including 25,000 in the province of Guelma alone, in the 11 localities where these protests took place. These events have remained engraved in the collective memory of the inhabitants of the province. |
