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Christophe Lafaye

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Christophe Lafaye

Born August 20, 1977 (age 49)

Christophe Lafaye, born August 20, 1977, is a French historian. A reserve officer in the engineering corps between 2010 and 2022, Christophe Lafaye completed his doctoral thesis on combat engineers in Afghanistan, under the supervision of Rémy Porte. It was published in 2016 by the CNRS. A doctor of history, he is an associate researcher at the University of Burgundy. His work also focuses on th…

Known For

Algeria, Special Weapons SectionsAlgeria, Special Weapons Sections · 2025
Algeria, Special Weapons Sections
★ 9.02025
MovieDocumentaryHistory
This documentary by director Claire Billet and historian Christophe Lafaye details the massive and systematic use of chemical weapons during the Algerian War. Algerian fighters and civilians, sheltering in caves, were gassed by "special weapons sections" of the French army. The gas identified on military documents is CN2D, whose widespread use forced insurgents to flee "treated" sites, at the risk of dying there. The method is reminiscent of the "enfumades" used by the French expeditionary force during the conquest of Algeria in the 19th century. Between 8,000 and 10,000 such operations are believed to have taken place on Algerian soil between 1956 and 1962. This historical aspect is little known due to the difficulty of accessing archives, many of which are still classified, raising questions about memory, historical truth, and justice.

Filmography

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Algeria, Special Weapons SectionsAlgeria, Special Weapons Sections · 2025
Algeria, Special Weapons Sections
★ 9.02025
MovieDocumentaryHistory
This documentary by director Claire Billet and historian Christophe Lafaye details the massive and systematic use of chemical weapons during the Algerian War. Algerian fighters and civilians, sheltering in caves, were gassed by "special weapons sections" of the French army. The gas identified on military documents is CN2D, whose widespread use forced insurgents to flee "treated" sites, at the risk of dying there. The method is reminiscent of the "enfumades" used by the French expeditionary force during the conquest of Algeria in the 19th century. Between 8,000 and 10,000 such operations are believed to have taken place on Algerian soil between 1956 and 1962. This historical aspect is little known due to the difficulty of accessing archives, many of which are still classified, raising questions about memory, historical truth, and justice.

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