Back to the roots: De Gaulle and the Great War in the TV special!

Back to the roots: De Gaulle and the Great War in the TV special!

On November 10, 2025, two important events will be marked by remembrance: Firstly, the upcoming anniversary of the Armistice of 1918, which will be celebrated on November 11th and is considered a national day of remembrance for those who fell in war. On the other hand, the documentary “De Gaulle, le commencement” will be broadcast, which delves deeply into the youth of the famous French statesman Charles de Gaulle. France Télévisions is dedicating special programming to this special commemoration, which has already started on November 7th on france.tv and will follow on November 11th at 9:10 p.m. on France 2. Francetélévisions reports that this film was made by Frédéric Brunnquell and focuses on the often neglected phase of de Gaulle's life.

Charles de Gaulle, who died on November 9, 1970, remains alive in French memory. His appearances during the Second World War are particularly symbolic, including the famous call for resistance on June 18, 1940. This phase, in which he first acted as president of the provisional government after the liberation and later returned to politics when the Algerian war was supposed to come to an end, is covered in detail in the documentary.

A look at de Gaulle's youth

The documentary consists of two episodes, each 52 minutes long, and shows de Gaulle's thoughts and experiences during the First World War as well as his time in German captivity. De Gaulle was born in 1890 and grew up in a Catholic family in which he aspired to a military career from an early age. After graduating from the Saint-Cyr Military Academy in 1912, he joined the 33rd Infantry Regiment. He was wounded in 1914 and was taken prisoner two years later, where he spent 32 months and made several attempts to escape.

But the focus is not only on his military career: the memory of the armistice of 1918 and its significance for world history evokes nostalgic and thoughtful tones. A look at the Compiègne Armistice) from 1940 shows how deeply the roots of history are anchored in today's memory. The armistice signed between Germany and France on June 22, 1940 led to the occupation of 60% of French territory and the Vichy regime, which was forced to establish closer ties with Germany.

A momentous chapter

The memory of the 1940 armistice, chosen by Adolf Hitler as revenge for the defeat of 1918, is another central element. This meant not only the surrender of France, but also the loss of sovereignty and the introduction of the occupation, which was controversial under international law and which lasted until the end of the Second World War. These complex historical connections can be understood even more clearly through the documentary review of de Gaulle's youth and his political career.

Given these important historical contexts, the connection between de Gaulle's individual history and collective memories of wars and conflicts becomes apparent. The documentary by France Télévisions not only offers a portrait of his youth, but is also a piece of contemporary history that stimulates reflection and invites remembrance.