As part of the 6th edition of the Pézenas des Idées festival, the association Les Amis de Pézenas and the City of Pézenas inaugurated a memorial plaque this Wednesday, September 30. The event, attended by about fifty people, recalls that in 1939, Pézenas welcomed over 200 Spanish Basque families fleeing the end of the civil war in their country.
The marble plaque bears the inscription: “In memory of the ‘Basque refuge,’ this place where, during the year 1939, the City of Pézenas welcomed over 200 Spanish Basque families fleeing their country at the end of the civil war.” The association Les Amis de Pézenas, by affixing these plaques, contributes to popular education by recalling key moments in local history.
Several descendants of these refugees, including the Vazquez family, were present. These families, who are now an integral part of Pézenas's history, attended the speeches held at the PDP gallery due to the rain. Marie-France Dessenoix (president of Les Amis de Pézenas), Nicole Vicente (president of the association Alegria), A. Latscha (head of the PDP gallery), and Mayor Armand Rivière spoke. The latter thanked the homeowners for allowing the plaque to be affixed to their facade and called for democratic vigilance.
This moment of remembrance aligns with the theme of the current edition of Pézenas des Idées, which links History and current events. The Mayor emphasized that Pézenas chose hospitality in 1939, a tradition that continues today with the reception of young migrants. He recalled that remembering these exiles is essential to prevent history from repeating itself.
To delve deeper, the exhibition “Des espagnols dans les camps” (Spaniards in the Camps) presents photographs by Paul Senn, documenting the Spanish Civil War, the Retirada, and internment camps. It is on display until October 21 at the Médiathèque Edmond Charlot.
