Bretonische Regierung

The Bretonische Regierung is the government “in exile” of the Breton nationalist having fled France with the declaration of war of September 1939.

Origin

At the beginning of May 1940, Olier Mordrel and François Debauvais direct a “ Breton government in exile ” ( Bretonische Regierung ) to Berlin, in the residence of Mordrel, the n°7 of the Traunsteinerstrasse . The 2 founders of the Breton national Parti however do not make with figure of chiefs combined in exile. Their presence is against the official decisions, they can however circulate thanks to the complicity of the agents of the German secret services acquired with the idea of the Breton independence, which made them deliver passports of " Statenlos ", reserved to the stateless people. Olier Mordrel then takes the loanword of Otto Mohr , Debauvais of Durieux .

May 1940

Olier Mordrel describes in his book “Breiz Atao” (p. 265) the attempt at constitution of auxiliary troops of the armies of invasion: can you, asks it, to recruit among your prisoners of the sure elements, to precede our columns in their progression towards Brittany and in Brittany? (…) How long do you give us? - Without delay. He could not make us a more great pleasure

At the beginning of May 1940, the clandestinity of the Breton chiefs becomes for the official services of Reich " a tolerated but discrete situation ". In this office, one devotes oneself to a great activity amplified by the German invasion of May 10th, 1940. The first political and administrative work, concerns Mordrel, consists of the edition of leaflets, booklets, drafting of reports/ratios intended for the foreign authorities and the preparation of the return in Brittany in the event of German victory, with all that this problem can raise (political line to observe, establishment of the fundamental constitutional texts,…). The second part is concerned with obtain information, to establish increasingly hypothetical connections with the clandestine part of GNP or the foreigner, but also the contact with the German agents of the Abwehr whose accredited representative is the baron Von Stauffenberg. The secretariat of this " Regierung " is ensured by Fred Moyse, and his been engaged Flemish. Apart from these activities, the office of Berlin also communicated by telephone at the transmitting set of Kremsir, in Moravie, the text of two daily radio broadcasts of Mordrel intended for Breton remained in Brittany, or called with the armies, which ended only in the last days of June.

Lobby

But the essence of the mission of the two men consisted in having interviews with personalities Nazis placed rather high in the mode, to convince them to establish a Breton State, after the defeat of France. It was a failure for the separatists, whom Debauvais explained thereafter by the lack of valid interlocutors. The dignitary Nazi met was Otto Abetz. The talks for independence remained dead letter. The two founders of the GNP were then necessary for a new task, more urgent, that of the possible release of the Breton prisoners, which could be of an major importance for the future and the success of their movement.

Breton prisoners

The majority of the Breton prisoners captured at the time of the countryside of France by the German S was placed in the Oflag S and the Stalag S. In 1940, thanks to the steps taken by the baron Schenk von Strauffenberg to persuade OKW to create special camps reserved for the Bretons, the Flemish and the Corsica S, nearly 60.000 Breton prisoners were gathered in the camps of Luckenwalde, Bab-Orb, Neu Brandenburg, Sagan and Hoyerswerda where they were informed that a preferential statute could undoubtedly be granted to the separatist S. During this time there, members of the " Breton office " tried to find in the list of the prisoners who reached them the former members and sympathizers of GNP in order to make them release in priority. One of the first to be profited from it was André Geffroy. It then accompanied Mordrel and Moyse to hold of the conference in the prison camps to revive " the flame of Breton nationalism ". The reception was very mitigated. Enthusiastic reception with Luckenwalde (source: Herve Boterf, Brittany in the war ), but very reticent in the other camps. In Hoyerswerda, in particular where Moyse and Mordrel, taken with part by several hundreds of officers missed little being lynched and last their safety only with one muscular intervention of a section of Landsturm.

The Rohan track

With Sagan, Fred Moyse had a short talk with Alain de Rohan that Debauvais would have, says one, seen without displeasure occupying an honorary station in the government of the free Breton State. But that Ci refused to be let repatriate under the label of separatist. Alain de Rohan is the father of the politician Josselin de Rohan. This last, chair district council of Brittany, takes his distances with the cultural Institut of Brittany in 2000. Reconsidering this episode, he declares on this occasion “ This cultural institute wanted by the Area was colonized by a pseudo-cultural and marginal mobility: Brittany über Ales. A nostalgic Nationalism of the Collaboration, tinted Xenophobia and of Ethnocentrisme, whereas the tradition of the Brittany always was, on the contrary, the opening! My father, prisoner in Germany, was canvassed in his Oflag by come Breton collaborationists monnayer his release: he put them outside! Let us stop all that ”. His/her grandfather used the anti-dreysfusardes posters with legislative while the advisory counsel of Brittany was received by his father with the castle of Josselin.

A political fault?

For certain members of Breiz Atao, of which Yann Narrow part for example, this intervention of the " Breton emigrants " was a political fault. For him, only a former soldier could be likely to convince of other soldiers, whom one had coldly given up. He had been essential besides as chief of camp on Luckenwalde (where conferences on the " bretonne" question; were pronounced, and a programme for each hour of the day, included/understood in particular courses of Breton and Histoire of Brittany). The mass, still known as in Latin was accompanied only by Breton canticles.

Return of the Breton prisoners?

Nearly a hundred prisoners of Luckenwalde are repatriated mid-June 1940 in a convoy directed by Moyse and Debauvais . This convoy is increased other prisoners with Lille, while Debauvais only joined in avant-garde Brittany, to take its political temperature. The convoy makes stage with Saint-Cloud and learns the signature from the armistice of the June 22nd 1940. The following day, the 150 first " separatists " are of return in Brittany. Half of those go to Pontivy to ensure the service of a nature envisaged, for the proclamation, with the Château of Rohan, of the release of Brittany . The activity of the office intensifies for the prisoners. Moyse, Mordrel and Debauvais returned to Brittany, the activities of Berlin were entrusted to Charles Gaonac' H, secretary of Breiz Atao, with Kerlann, and Kongar-Kervella, and others " libérables" as Yann Goulet which pronounced conferences in the camps and fed those in booklet of propaganda, books, reviews, specimens of the Breton Hour.

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