euskalkultura.eus

In 1945 a unit of Basque soldiers, the Gernika Battalion, participated in the Battle of Pointe de Grave in Aquitaine, as part of the campaign to liberate France from the Nazi occupation.  Last Saturday, on the 70th anniversary of the battle, a tribute was made to the Basque soldiers who lost their lives in the confrontation.  The Bordeaux Basque Club was also present, along with a delegation from the Basque Government led by the Lehendakari.  

Bordeaux, France.  A large Basque delegation, led by Lehendakari Iñigo Urkullu, participated in a tribute last Saturday to the Basque soldiers, members of the Gernika Battalion, who fought in the Battle of Pointe de Grave that took place in 1945, one of the last of World War II.

The Gernika Battalion, created by the Basque Government in exile led by Lehendakari Jose Antonio Aguirre helped the allied forces during the liberation of France from the Nazi occupation. During the battle of Pointe de Grave five Basques died near the Medoc front – Juan José Jausoro Sasia, Felix Iglesias Mina, Antton Lizarralde Garamendi, Anton Mugica Arrizabalaga and Prudencio Orbiz Uranga – who were honored at the event with others who died there.

The battles on the Medoc front to dislodge the Nazis were very difficult and throughout the war, the Gernika Battalion was highly honored, being saluted militarily with an Ikurriña from De Gaulle in person.

Among those was Francisco Perez Luzarreta, the only survivor of the group that formed that battalion.  David Mugica, Bordeaux Basque club president, had the opportunity to speak with him accompanied by Amaia Ordoki, daughter of Kepa Ordoki, Commander of the Gernika Battalion.

Lehendakari Urkullu said he is very “proud” of the Basque contribution to the fight against the “tyranny” of Hitler and Franco and recalled the necessity of public policy and Memory that “would shed light” on the violations of human rights and the suffering that wars cause.  Afterwards, accompanied by Alain Rousset, the president of Aquitaine, he planted a sapling of the Tree of Gernika.

.The Euskal Etxea in Bordeaux published an album of the tribute on its Facebook page where you can also see various videos.