Jean de Barrau

Jean of Barrau (1889 - 1914), Street pedlar of the King and private secretary of Philippe of Orleans

One of the chiefs of the Street pedlars of the King

Jean de Barrau between young person in the Street pedlars of the King.

During its studies, in particular with Grenoble, it founds with friends a group of French Action and it distributes their review to the exit of the churches. Later, at the time of its military service, he is denounced as having taken part in a meeting of the French Action in military behavior what is worth to him to be striped school of the officer cadets. Known for its royalist opinions and activities, it is also transferred in another regiment and makes even prison.

In 1913, it is named member of the management committee of the National federation of the Street pedlars of the King chaired then by one of his/her friends, Maxime Real del Sarte. Intrepid street pedlar, it takes part in several brilliant deeds, it is in particular with the manifestation of the Pantheon, in Paris, where the street pedlars charge the antimilitarists. With Rodez, it gives one day a slap in public to a marked professor of antimilitarism (in the press, some will speak then about " promotion Jean de Barrau ").

It is the time when the French Action has a certain influence on the French company.

Private secretary of Philippe, duke of Orleans

In January 1914, it is presented by the French Action to the duke of Orleans, then exiled in Belgium, which requires of him to enter to its service as private secretary:

“The prince is marvellous as I expected it, a little even. What strikes immediately and over all, it is its air as sovereign as it is possible and to which really one cannot be mistaken. He makes us sit, questions us, laughing at good heart on the occasion. Because the prince, in spite of his very majestic and a little disillusioned air, puts at ease and in confidence. Our audience with three lasted twenty minutes. One recalled us for the lunch. During the meal, the prince speaks very little, but very pleasant lance everyone of way really - what he had fun with the accounts of Daudet! All in all, which strikes more after its sovereign air, it is its reserve and the way in which it examines and sees coming. And with that, it releases enormously from sympathy. ”

" Visit of Its Imperial and Royal Highness the count of Have, very beautiful old man from seventy to seventy-five years, uncle of the prince to the mode of Brittany, right and green still, extremely interesting. He knows by their name, their qualities and their defects, all the princes of Europe and appreciates them in a prickly way. In the afternoon, we went for a walk in Brussels and benefitted from it for us prosterner lengthily with Holy-Gudule. "

One day, Philippe of Orleans called to Jean de Barrau: “You, Barrau, you have religion; I estimate you”.

Its death

Jean de Barrau is killed in full combat the August 18th 1914: This day, on the line of the face, in the outposts, Jean de Barrau slim vis-a-vis the German enemy while shouting “Ahead! Ahead! Live France! ”, it is then wounded with the leg, it is raised however, but a few meters further, it collapses, killed on the blow by a ball in full head. “Jean de Barrau, according to the beautiful expression of a friendly priest of his family, passed from the service of his King of the ground to the service of the King of the skies”.

The father of Jean de Barrau, Fernand de Barrau, known as: “Today arrives to me from Brussels large and beautiful photography of the duke of Orleans, with these lines, written with bottom, of the hand of the Prince:

“Brussels, September 1st 1919. With Mister de Barrau in remembering very sadly affectionate his/her son who so valiantly fell for his country and his Roy at the beginning from the war. Your very affectionate. PHILIPPE”. ”

Writings

In 1913, it writes a historical study on the Chouans of Rouergue

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