The Soldier of Koléa 1957–1959 107
to agree to his being placed at the disposal of Higher Education.
Once he was free of his military obligations, Derrida would have to
take up his post in the lycée at Le Mans.
As soon as they were informed, Althusser and Hyppolite tried to
get to the bottom of this ‘murky aff air’. In spite of their interventions
in high places, they rapidly realized that the situation had become
irreparable. On 6 October, Althusser said that he was ‘deeply sad-
dened’ at the way things had turned out, ‘for you mainly and also
for me, as I hoped you’d be right close to the École’.^31 For his part,
Genette, who for months had been trying to keep the headmaster
sweet, found the situation alarming: ‘Give me some news, even if it’s
vague or bad, since this continual uncertainty is starting to get me
down.’ But, in practical terms, the decision had been made. Derrida,
feeling somewhat bitter, downcast by the plots and power-plays in
which he had been entangled, now wanted to start at Le Mans as
soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the Algerian situation had reached a major turning-
point. On 16 September 1959, General de Gaulle gave a speech that
was broadcast on radio and television, in which he mentioned the
solution of ‘self-determination’ for the fi rst time, off ering a choice
between three formulas: ‘complete francisation’, ‘association’, and
‘secession’. Of course, ‘the shape of future consultation will need,
when the time is ripe, to be set out and fi xed. But the route has
been laid out. The decision has been taken.’^32 In the view of the new
electoral body, this amounted to independence: the supporters of
French Algeria felt betrayed.
The war still continued in Algeria itself, and Derrida was glad
that he had fi nally fi nished his military service. Not for a moment
did he imagine that his year in Le Mans would be one of the most
diffi cult in his life.