Meavenn
Encyclopedia
Meavenn was the pen name
of Francine Rozec, also known as Fant Rozec, a Breton language
poet, novelist and playwright linked to Breton nationalism
.
. She did not speak Breton from birth. She learned the language at the age of twelve from a neighbor. She began her career in Paris where she worked at the Post Office. She studied the Irish language at the Sorbonne
and then travelled to Ireland in 1931 to improve her knowledge of the Celtic languages.
, which planned to blow up a monument in Rennes commemorating the annexation of Brittany by France. Known to be close to this organization, she was dubbed La Vierge Rouge ("the Red Virgin") by the press. This was in the brief period in 1932 when the French communist party supported Breton nationalist attacks.
She married Loeiz Andouard in 1935. The couple had three children before their separation in 1944. During World War II
she was associated with the collaborationism of other Breton nationalists, working with Roparz Hemon
in his Breton language broadcasts from Radio Rennes Bretagne
. At this time she became the lover of Jean-Marie Chanteau, one of the leaders of Bezen Perrot
, the pro-German militia affiliated with the SS. She married him on his return to Paris. She fled from Rennes in the Bezen Perrot convoy in July 1944 and lay low with Jean-Marie Chanteau in Paris before fleeing to Ireland. She worked for a charity before returning to live in Paris and Saint-Malo
.
In 1977 she appeared in Pierre Perrault
's film C'etait un Québécois en Bretagne, madame! along with fellow Breton nationalist Glenmor
. Both are portrayed as "poets of dispossession, the voices of a despairing national identity." When a shocked local learns that she was a member of a militant separatist group allied to the Nazis, Meavenn denies that it was ever involved in violence against people.
She died in Saint-Malo in 1992.
for his film La jeune folle ("The crazy young", but released in English as Desperate Decision), but its endearing poetry in Breton was not been adequately replicated. She writes with a free and rather fantastic style, marked by the use of internal rhyme.
She wrote mainly in the Breton journals Gwalarn
, Arvor, Galv, Al Liamm, Combat Breton
and Stur, and participated in the political-cultural magazine Vro Ar-Gwirionez the 1960s and 1970s.
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
of Francine Rozec, also known as Fant Rozec, a Breton language
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
poet, novelist and playwright linked to Breton nationalism
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...
.
Biography
She was born in Saint Marc, then a village, which is now merged with BrestBrest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
. She did not speak Breton from birth. She learned the language at the age of twelve from a neighbor. She began her career in Paris where she worked at the Post Office. She studied the Irish language at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
and then travelled to Ireland in 1931 to improve her knowledge of the Celtic languages.
Activism
She became involved in Breton nationalism through the clandestine group Gwenn ha duGwenn ha du (terrorism)
Gwenn ha Du was a Breton-based terrorist group founded at the end of 1930 in Paris by Célestin Lainé. It advocated Breton nationalism through "direct action" and published a secret manual aimed at instructing readers in terrorism...
, which planned to blow up a monument in Rennes commemorating the annexation of Brittany by France. Known to be close to this organization, she was dubbed La Vierge Rouge ("the Red Virgin") by the press. This was in the brief period in 1932 when the French communist party supported Breton nationalist attacks.
She married Loeiz Andouard in 1935. The couple had three children before their separation in 1944. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
she was associated with the collaborationism of other Breton nationalists, working with Roparz Hemon
Roparz Hemon
Roparz Hemon , officially named Louis-Paul Némo, was a Breton author and scholar of Breton expression.He was the author of numerous dictionaries, grammars, poems and short stories...
in his Breton language broadcasts from Radio Rennes Bretagne
Radio Rennes Bretagne
Radio Rennes Bretagne was a radio station based in Rennes, and the first station to have regular Breton language programming. However, it was not powerful enough to broadcast to the Breton-speaking western parts of the peninsular...
. At this time she became the lover of Jean-Marie Chanteau, one of the leaders of Bezen Perrot
Bezen Perrot
The Bezen Perrot was a Breton collaborationist force during the Nazi occupation of France that grew from the earlier Lu Brezhon militia. Led by Célestin Lainé and Alan Heusaff, as many as 70 to 80 people joined the ranks of the Bezen Perrot, or "Perrot Unit", at one point or another...
, the pro-German militia affiliated with the SS. She married him on his return to Paris. She fled from Rennes in the Bezen Perrot convoy in July 1944 and lay low with Jean-Marie Chanteau in Paris before fleeing to Ireland. She worked for a charity before returning to live in Paris and Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern France on the English Channel. It is a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine.-Demographics:The population can increase to up to 200,000 in the summer tourist season...
.
In 1977 she appeared in Pierre Perrault
Pierre Perrault
Pierre Perrault was a Québécois documentary film director. He directed 20 films between 1963 and 1996. He was one of the most important filmmakers in Canada although largely unknown outside of Québec...
's film C'etait un Québécois en Bretagne, madame! along with fellow Breton nationalist Glenmor
Glenmor
Glenmor was the stage name of Emile Le Scanf , a Breton protest singer who sought to preserve the Breton language and adapt local traditions of folk singing to the radical culture of the 1960s and 70s. He is also known by the Breton name Milig Ar Skañv.-Early career:Emile Le Scanf was born in 1931...
. Both are portrayed as "poets of dispossession, the voices of a despairing national identity." When a shocked local learns that she was a member of a militant separatist group allied to the Nazis, Meavenn denies that it was ever involved in violence against people.
She died in Saint-Malo in 1992.
Writings
She wrote poetry, short stories and novels. Her major work is the novel ""Ar Follez yaouank", set during the Irish revolution. It was published under the pseudonym Catherine Beauchamp. It inspired the filmmaker Yves AllégretYves Allégret
Yves Allégret was a French film director in the film noir genre.He is noted as having been the husband of actress Simone Signoret between the years 1944–1949.-Selected filmography:...
for his film La jeune folle ("The crazy young", but released in English as Desperate Decision), but its endearing poetry in Breton was not been adequately replicated. She writes with a free and rather fantastic style, marked by the use of internal rhyme.
She wrote mainly in the Breton journals Gwalarn
Gwalarn
Gwalarn was a Breton language literary journal. By extension, the term refers to the style of literature that it encouraged. 166 issues appeared between 1925 and May 1944....
, Arvor, Galv, Al Liamm, Combat Breton
Emgann
Emgann is a left wing Breton nationalist movement in Brittany, France. Founded in 1982, it soon became one of the principal groups agitating for Breton independence...
and Stur, and participated in the political-cultural magazine Vro Ar-Gwirionez the 1960s and 1970s.
Publications
- Kanoù en deiz, poems published in GwalarnGwalarnGwalarn was a Breton language literary journal. By extension, the term refers to the style of literature that it encouraged. 166 issues appeared between 1925 and May 1944....
n° 53, 1933 - Ar follez yaouank, novella, GwalarnGwalarnGwalarn was a Breton language literary journal. By extension, the term refers to the style of literature that it encouraged. 166 issues appeared between 1925 and May 1944....
n° 140, 1941. Rééditée - Ar Gelted Kozh, Skridou Breiz, BrestBrest, FranceBrest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, 1943 - Une petite Irlande d'été