Algeria-University Library Burned in 1962

Culminating act of the 1954-1962 Algerian War of Independence

June 7, 1965 Algeria stamp commemorating the burning of the library.

On 7 June 1962 – just a month ahead of the Algerian independence referendum – the Organisation Armée Secrète (OAS), the movement of colonists opposing Algerian independence, set fire to the University of Algiers library building destroying hundred of thousands of books.¹

The June 7th 1962 Algiers’ University fire will stand as one the last and most heinous crimes France perpetrated during its 132 years of colonization of Algeria. On this day, and after the ceasefire was signed between the F.L.N. (Front de Liberation National) and the French government on March 19th 1962; the O.A.S. (Organisation de l’Arŵée Secrete) set fire to the library burning over 250 000 items in its bid to practice the ͞”burned land” politics. …Valuable material was removed in a very troubled time. It is proved through the different documents that the library housed very valuable material (incunabula and manuscripts ) that were not found after the fire. ²

First day cover by Egypt on June 7, 1965.

The burning of the library was seen as a symbol of the rightness of Algerian independence and resulted in a number of Muslim countries issuing postage stamps commemorating the tragic event. These included Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen. ³

1. Burning of the Library of the University of Algiers. Library History Buff.

2. Hachani, Samir. The June 7th 1962 Algiers University’s Library Arson.

3. Eberhart, George M. “Biblio-Philately: Libraries and Librarians on World Postage Stamps.” American Libraries, vol. 13, no. 6, 1982, pp. 382–386.