Breiz da Zont
Encyclopedia
Breiz da Zont was a Breton nationalist periodical active during the 1930s. It was affiliated to an extremist offshoot of the Breton Autonomist Party
.
Initially, Breiz da Zont was the organ of the nationalist grouping known as Parti nationaliste intégral breton (Breton Integral Nationalist Party: PNIB) led by Théophile Jeusset
. Morvan Lebesque
participated in the drafting committee, and also edited the journal at the request of Jeusset, who was forced to give up for health reasons. The poet Gwilherm Berthou
and the composer Paul Ladmirault were members.
Another issue reproduced the edict of John I, Duke of Brittany
declaring the expulsion of Jews from Brittany. An article in August 1931 includes the words "we, complete Breton nationalists, could also qualify us as National Socialist supporters of Adolf Hitler."
that a nationalist militant group dedicated to direct action to should be formed. This was to be called Kentoc'h Mervel (Sooner Death). As Lainé sought his own recruits, Berthou brought the staff of Breiz da Zont to join en masse. When Lainé discovered this he distanced himself from Berthou, believing that a public journal could not create an effective support for a secret organization, as it would be too easily infiltrated. Lainé went on to form Gwenn ha du
. Lainé later wrote "I don't know what became of Kentoc'h Mervel after that, except that it never grew beyond fancy words."
Théophile Jeusset later went on to found the pro-Nazi Breton Social-National Workers' Movement
.
Breton Autonomist Party
The Breton Autonomist Party was a political party which existed in Brittany from 1927 to 1931-Origin:The party was created at the first congress of the nationalist journal Breiz Atao in Rosporden on September 1927. It followed from establishment of the Unvaniez Yaouankiz Vreiz...
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Initially, Breiz da Zont was the organ of the nationalist grouping known as Parti nationaliste intégral breton (Breton Integral Nationalist Party: PNIB) led by Théophile Jeusset
Théophile Jeusset
Théophile Jeusset, was a Breton nationalist writer and fascist political activist. He is also known by his Breton language pseudonym Jean-Yves Keraudren....
. Morvan Lebesque
Morvan Lebesque
Morvan Lebesque , was the Breton language name of Maurice Lebesque, a Breton nationalist activist and French journalist....
participated in the drafting committee, and also edited the journal at the request of Jeusset, who was forced to give up for health reasons. The poet Gwilherm Berthou
Gwilherm Berthou
Gwilherm Berthou was a Breton nationalist terrorist and neo-Druidic bardic poet. He was a member of the Breton artistic movement Seiz Breur.-Terrorism:...
and the composer Paul Ladmirault were members.
Antisemitism
In its early phase the journal was strongly linked to antisemitic and fascist ideology. In an article published in July 1931, Théophile Jeusset wrote:It is due to our particular resistance to the conquest of sovereign French territory by the corrupting ideas which emanate more or less from the Jews - 'freemasonry', 'secularism' - etc, that the Bretons were decimated during the last world war: over 200,000 of them. It is easy to invoke military explanations for this carnage, but that does not alter the fact the actual organizer of troop dispositions was the Jew Abrahami, born... in the ghetto of Constantinople.
Another issue reproduced the edict of John I, Duke of Brittany
John I, Duke of Brittany
John I the Red , known as John the Red due to the colour of his beard, was Duke of Brittany, from 1237 to his death...
declaring the expulsion of Jews from Brittany. An article in August 1931 includes the words "we, complete Breton nationalists, could also qualify us as National Socialist supporters of Adolf Hitler."
Kentoc'h Mervel
In 1929 Gwilherm Berthou suggested to Célestin LainéCélestin 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...
that a nationalist militant group dedicated to direct action to should be formed. This was to be called Kentoc'h Mervel (Sooner Death). As Lainé sought his own recruits, Berthou brought the staff of Breiz da Zont to join en masse. When Lainé discovered this he distanced himself from Berthou, believing that a public journal could not create an effective support for a secret organization, as it would be too easily infiltrated. Lainé went on to form Gwenn ha du
Gwenn 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...
. Lainé later wrote "I don't know what became of Kentoc'h Mervel after that, except that it never grew beyond fancy words."
Later developments
After the departure of Morvan Lebesque, the journal moved away from fascism towards a more conventional conservatism, monarchism, Breton nationalism and Catholicism.Théophile Jeusset later went on to found the pro-Nazi Breton Social-National Workers' Movement
Breton Social-National Workers' Movement
The Breton Social-National Workers' Movement was a nationalist, separatist, and Fascist movement founded in 1941 by Théophile Jeusset. It emerged in Brittany from a deviationist faction of the Breton National Party; it disappeared the same year....
.