Louis Lecoin in video
Impressing. It is the word which comes
to mind when one discovers Louis Lecoin with the screen.
Impressing by the force of its remarks antimilitarists, the quiet
statement of its anarchism which contrast so much with its weak
aspect and malingre. P' tit Louis, such as it affectionately was called,
measured only one meter 51... But its convictions had the force
to raise mountains. Born on September 30, 1888 in Berry,
Lecoin exerted very young person various small trades before
becoming corrector of printing works, and trade unionist with the C.g.t.
Antimilitarist, yes. Non-violent... not really
But these are the writings which will carry out it many times
in prison. After Blanqui, Lecoin is the militant policy which
spent the most year behind the bars. Not less
than 14 years... And for reasons as criminal as to have distributed
a leaflet calling to " immediate Peace " to
the beginning of the second world war, for example. Lecoin will not démordra any
therefore, and will not hesitate to say, vis-a-vis
the camera, that it is not so much the prison which made it suffer
that the treason of his/her many friends, antimilitarists becoming patriotards
and goes hold war keen... Against the war, but also against
all the injustices, Lecoin fought to save Sacco and Vanzetti
of death, against the extradition of Ascaso, Durruti and Jover, etc.
This enthralling documentary
was carried out in the Sixties, a few years
only after Lecoin obtained the creation of the statute
of conscientious objector, after three weeks of hunger strike
.. (it was 74 years old!).
It calls on a whole crowd
of militants, fellow travellers, or simple admirateurs of Lecoin. It is
with happiness that one will find George Brassens speaking about the anarchistic
Federation, the pacifist Robert Jospin (of which the ideas do not have unfortunately
fades on his/her son!), but also German Tillion, Morvan
Lebesque, Pierre Martin or Henri Jeanson... like Yves Montand,
ensuring the comment in voice off
Documented well, largely letting
the speakers be expressed freely in front of the camera, this documentary
is carried out, gone up well well and very pleasant
to look at. It is completed by a return of Lecoin in the village
of its childhood, finding with overflowing his former buddies... A few
sentimental grandiloquentes minutes and, a little useless. How if
the realizers of the time had wanted to finish on a pastoral
table, in order to attenuate the remarks far too libertarian
heard before!
This video cassette is sold
120 francs with the bookshop of the libertarian World, with the book
of Louis Lecoin " the course of a life ", also enthralling.
Cathy Ytak
Louis Lecoin. Documentary of Jean Desvilles
and Jacques darribehaude
Films of the World libertaire/UPF. 64
minutes. Black and white.