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A tribute to the two workers who died 57 years ago, on June 11, 1968 at the Sochaux factory, took place on Wednesday June 11, 2025, in Montbéliard (Doubs). On that day, the CRS pulled real bullets in the factory. Two people will be killed: Pierre Beylot and Henri Blanchet. The witnesses of the time are no longer very numerous, but one of them agreed to tell his memories.
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June 11, 1968, around 4 am, Incidents break out in front of the Peugeot Sochaux factory (Doubs). The occupation of the factory, which then had 25,000 employees, had started on May 20. Some remember it. This is the case of Jean Cadet, 89 years old.
The former Peugeot technician has kept everything from the historic strike. His notes, almost hour by hour and many archives.
“This is May 20, 1968, at the foot of the management building,” describes the octogenarian, showing an archive photo of his notebook. Jean Cadet is 32 years old. He works in the export service and invests union. He is appointed member of the strike committee for the CGT. “It was an optimistic period, the employees realized that they had the cards in hand to bring the claims not taken into account for a long time as the reduction in working time,” he recalls.
Jean Cadet remembers the events of June 11, 1968 at the Sochaux factory. On that day, the CRS pulled real bullets in the factory. • © Rémy Poirot
After 22 days of strike started during the national movement of May 68, the resumption of work was voted at the Peugeot automobile factories, but a stake of strike has reformed in front of the factory.
On June 10, the CRS intervened in the middle of the night. Then in the morning, in the hearts of factories, they violently attack demonstrators who ask them to leave. Bolts and stones are thrown on the police who retaliate with grenades.
Jean Cadet says: “They returned to this courtyard, there was a command-car with weapons which they destroyed, but the CRS fired and that’s where Pierre Beylot was killed with a 9 mm ball. It was from this moment that it degenerated into general confrontation at the gates of the factory. “The young man was 24 years old.
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On June 10, the CRS intervened in the middle of the night. Then in the morning, in the hearts of factories, they violently attack demonstrators who ask them to leave. • © DR
A few hours later, a second demonstrator died: Henri Blachet, 49, fell from a wall after the explosion of a grenade. 150 other workers are injured. “Peugeot has always been an anti-social boss and he showed it that day, because they were the ones who appealed to the police,” said Jean Cadet.
The incidents will last much of the day. André Boulloche deputy at the time, asked the police to retire and call for calm. Around 9 p.m., the police will eventually leave. Ten days later, workers will obtain significant wage increases and social advances.
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After the wreath laying, the CGT commemorated the Pierre Beylot and Henri Blanchet memory. • © Maxime Meuneveaux
57 years later, this June 11, Jean Cadet is one of the last witnesses to be able to pay tribute to his comrades at the time. Today, at the gates of the factory, a stele pays homage to the two workers.