It is 2003, and Nicolas Barthe has just entered his 22nd year of life when he decides to join the air force. A graduate of the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis and Sciences Po Paris, Nicolas becomes Lieutenant Barthe, the future combat section leader in the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment. A path not necessarily foreseen for this young former sports educator and association leader in the student community of Nice and the French Riviera.
Can one still give their life for their country? It is one of the first questions the author asks in a world he describes with emotion and sincerity. Living far from his family and loved ones in perilous and sometimes very dangerous conditions is a choice to make that Nicolas Barthe embraced with his share of convictions but also fears and doubts.
There are few works that recount everyday life at the heart of the army, especially during a conflict, and it is with the involvement of journalist Alexandre Kauffmann that Lieutenant Barthe offers a gripping narrative of truth.
Nicolas Barthe will be at the Fnac in Nice, avenue Jean Mรฉdecin, on Saturday, May 21 at 5 PM, followed by the Nice Book Festival on June 18 and 19, 2011.
Nice Premium: Nicolas Barthe, why and how did the idea for the book Engagรฉ come about?
Nicolas Barthe: Since a young age, I have loved writing. My travel diaries transformed into march journals following my military commitment. Being able to testify about what I experience with my comrades to the civilian world and future recruits was my driving force. I wanted to offer people the opportunity to form an opinion on the military profession. I share my exhilarating moments as well as my periods of doubt.
NP: You start your account with a letter to your mother. Why this choice?
NB: The choice of serving one’s country through arms has consequences on those around you. The feeling of pride battles with fear. For mothers, I think seeing their son leave for hostile territories is very difficult. Enlisting and leaving loved ones is a choice that can seem selfish. I attempt to explain this in the book.
NP: How did you bridge the gap from Sciences Po to the army?
NB: To become an officer within the Army, I had to physically prepare during my Master’s year. With my degree in hand, I subscribed to a one-year contract in 2003, followed by an eight-year contract. In 2008, I successfully passed the internal exam to become a career officer. It is very challenging to join the army, and there is competition among candidates.
NP: What memories will forever be etched in your memory after your last conflict?
NB: The atrocity, the violence that some are capable of unleashing. The traps on the roads, the very hard battles.
NP: How was your project received by your hierarchy?
NB: They were very skeptical at first, but eventually trusted me and gave me free rein.
NP: Did you encounter any difficulties in bringing it to fruition?
NB: This project came to fruition thanks to writer-reporter Alexandre KAUFFMANN. Alone, I would have never been able to explain my military experience to the civilian world. He joined a mission and found himself amidst the fighting. He succeeded in making me reveal buried words that are the source of my reasons for enlistment.
NP: Nice seems very present in you and your writings…?
NB: With a father who raised me with love for our city, I can only pay tribute to my hometown. When we are far away, we realize how lucky we are to live in Nice. Alongside my comrades from the French Riviera, we would meet and our discussions brought us moments of happiness in that conflict-ridden country.
NP: What are your current projects within the army and as a writer?
NB: I am leaving for Gabon at the end of October for four months. I will be there as a pre-positioned force ready to evacuate French citizens from any African country. Since my student travels, I have been writing my travel journals; I will therefore continue… on the other side of the Mediterranean.
NP: Lastly, anything else to add?
NB: I am always available and ready to answer any questions from the people of Nice. I will be on Saturday, May 21 at 5:00 PM at the Fnac, avenue Jean Mรฉdecin, then at the Nice Book Festival on June 18 and 19.
