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Independence & Modern Algeria
Krim Belkacem
War of Independence
RevolutionariesWar of Independence (1954–1962)Kabylie
“He carried the maquis from the mountains to the negotiating table.”
Historical significance
He is remembered as a key Soummam leader and as the principal Algerian signatory of the Évian Accords that recognized independence.
Signed Evian — a reminder that armed struggle had to learn diplomacy to finish what it started.
Their story
Long before November 1954, Krim Belkacem was already a wanted man in the mountains of Kabylie. As one of the historic chiefs of the FLN, he combined the toughness of a maquis fighter with the patience of a negotiator, and ended up signing the agreements that closed 132 years of colonization.
Did you know?
He spent years in the maquis without ever sleeping in the same place two nights in a row.