Breton National Committee
Encyclopedia
The Breton National Committee was a Breton nationalist
body founded on July 3, 1940 at the so-called "Congress of Pontivy
", headed by François Debeauvais
and Olier Mordrel
. It was designed to promote Breton independence from France by collaboration with the occupying German forces. They drew up a proclamation of eighteen points, known as "Pontivy Programme". They also created a new journal, l'Heure Bretonne
. 201 issues appeared between July 1940 and June 1944. Its first editor was Morvan Lebesque
until December 1940, then Jean Merrien.
would have been held in 1939 had it not been prohibited by the French police.
Very few activists (approximately 200 including 80 released prisoners) took part in the meeting. Many militants were still held in prison camps, others, such as the painter Paul Durivaut had died in battle. A few days earlier, Mordrel and Debeauvais, joined by Marcel Guieysse and Célestin Lainé
, had met to form the CNB, of which Debeauvais was unanimously elected president. The post of vice-president was given to Olier Mordrel, but this post was later cancelled in a majority vote, following Célestin Lainé's proposal that it was unnecessary. These internal intrigues were explained four months later when the changes in the organization of the party led to the ousting of Mordrel.
Breton nationalism
Breton nationalism is the nationalism of the traditional province of Brittany in France. Brittany is considered to be one of the six Celtic nations...
body founded on July 3, 1940 at the so-called "Congress of Pontivy
Pontivy
Pontivy is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It lies at the confluence of the river Blavet and the Canal de Nantes à Brest.-History:...
", headed by François Debeauvais
François Debeauvais
François Debeauvais was a Breton nationalist and wartime collaborator with Nazi Germany. His name is also spelled in many "Breton" variants: François Debauvais, Fransez Debeauvais, Fransez Debauvais, Fañch Debeauvais, Fañch Debauvais, Fañch deb.-Breiz Atao:Debeauvais was the son of a gardener from...
and Olier Mordrel
Olier Mordrel
Olier Mordrel is the Breton language version of Olivier Mordrelle, a Breton nationalist and wartime collaborator with the Third Reich who founded the separatist Breton National Party. Before the war he worked as an architect. His architectural work was influenced by Art Deco and the International...
. It was designed to promote Breton independence from France by collaboration with the occupying German forces. They drew up a proclamation of eighteen points, known as "Pontivy Programme". They also created a new journal, l'Heure Bretonne
L'Heure Bretonne
L'Heure Bretonne was a Breton nationalist weekly newspaper which was published from June 1940 to June 1944. It was the organ of the Breton National Party and was strongly associated with collaborationist politics during World War II....
. 201 issues appeared between July 1940 and June 1944. Its first editor was Morvan Lebesque
Morvan Lebesque
Morvan Lebesque , was the Breton language name of Maurice Lebesque, a Breton nationalist activist and French journalist....
until December 1940, then Jean Merrien.
Background
The choice of Pontivy was not arbitrary, because it was in this town that the last congress of the Breton National PartyBreton National Party
The Breton National Party was a nationalist party in Brittany that existed from 1931 to 1944. The party was disbanded after the liberation of France in World War II, because of ties to the Nazi party....
would have been held in 1939 had it not been prohibited by the French police.
Very few activists (approximately 200 including 80 released prisoners) took part in the meeting. Many militants were still held in prison camps, others, such as the painter Paul Durivaut had died in battle. A few days earlier, Mordrel and Debeauvais, joined by Marcel Guieysse and Célestin Lainé
Célestin Lainé
Célestin Lainé was a Breton nationalist and collaborator during the Second World War who led the SS affiliated Bezen Perrot militia. His Breton language name is Neven Hénaff. He was a chemical engineer by training. After the war he lived in Ireland.- Breton terrorism :He was born in 1908 in Nantes...
, had met to form the CNB, of which Debeauvais was unanimously elected president. The post of vice-president was given to Olier Mordrel, but this post was later cancelled in a majority vote, following Célestin Lainé's proposal that it was unnecessary. These internal intrigues were explained four months later when the changes in the organization of the party led to the ousting of Mordrel.
Speech
Debeauvais, Guieysse and Lainé spoke in turn after Marcel Planiol, the lawyer of the Breton National Party, had pointed out the claims to fame of each one. Mordrel proclaimed the "declaration of Pontivy", which specified that:The Breton National Council, a body representative of Brittany, concerned with the collective good and of the honour of their people, will act at the hour chosen by it to create a Breton nation state, within its natural boundaries and the spirit of its traditions, so that it could live finally in organized nationality, free of its aspirations and mistress of its own interests ... the international statute of the Breton State, the nature of its relations with France and Germany would be defined by agreements, freely discussed within the framework of the possibilities offered by the new general conditions.