Youenn Olier

Youenn Olier , Jean Olivier with the unknown civil statue but under this official name, is a writer and a Breton nationalist of catholic confession.

Born in 1924 with Audierne in a Breton-speaking family, Youenn Olier is a figure of foreground in the history of the “Breton Mouvement”. No doubt its Breton vocation comes partly from expatriement during most of its childhood, with Cambrai. It is mainly about an exclusively Breton-speaking philosopher, who drew the Breton language upwards with an extraordinary energy to express there all the folds of his thought. Even its detractors, Goulven Pennaod in particular in Al Liamm, recognized that he was the only Breton-speaking writer to have a “thought supplements ”. In 1945, with Yann Ar Gall alias, in French, Jean Gall, they publishes a nationalist periodical of catholic inspiration in French: Year Avel.

It is also a writer of talent, very prolix: tens of volumes! One little to only quote what is classable as being literature, Kelc' H year amzer , a collection of poems (republished in 1994), its compilations of texts published by Al Liamm: Ar Fest-noz, Year deiz-ha-bloaz, E PEN-year Hent , its three novels: Porzh year Ifern , Poanioù Spered year Tad Gwazdoue , and especially rear Enez Vertuz , in which it gives its comprehension of the History. Its Istor Al lennegezh (2 vol. 3 Editions) on Skol Walarn like its Istor year Emsav , of the 19th century with 1945 are reference books appreciated by the students at the university, because it described there not only the actors and the facts, but gives also a literary criticism of each author compared to their work, Roparz Hemon in particular. It clearly shows there the advance of the Breton movement, given in the historical context.

Like Saunders Lewis with the Wales, he worked and writes primarily to advance the Bretonne cause and build an independent reflection, without being of them never least success, the circumstances not being the same ones on this side of the Manche.

Its monumental work is the daily history of the Breton Mouvement from day to day, its Deizlevr: its “ newspaper ” written into Breton since 1940 until our days, at a rate of a volume per annum, approximately, is at least fifty volumes. 25 are appeared (until in 1966), which was the subject of a full page in Brittany Hebdo in July 2003.

Very present in the Breton-speaking reviews such Al Liamm, Barr-Heol, Imbourc' H also, each month with its famous “ Notennoù Politikel ”, it is him the first person in charge of the review Emsav , then Gevred , finally Imbourc' H in 1969 at the time when with pol. Kalvez and its nephew Tangi Louarn it will found Skol An Emsav whose Imbourc' H will be the semi-official publication. This structure, 4 years before creation Diwan, formed number of the executives necessary to the blossoming of Diwan. A glance on Internet site of Imbourc' H gives a 35 years idea of uninterrupted edition, with the force of the wrist, realizing from beginning to end with 200 specimens more than 400 numbers, of which much makes 250 p., that is to say 4 meters of racks in a library.

The talent is there, but the exiguous assistantship. Youenn Olier shows tenacity, of quiet abnegation, until its hospitalization in November 2004. During all its life, having had to give up for its fidelity with the Brittany its professional success, it will have had financial problems, having raised 8 children into Breton like 4 small children (provided education for with “Diwan”), strongly contributing to the life of the Breton-speaking community of Rennes and beyond, of 1960 with 1990, with the family of its Nouela sister married to Alan Al Louarn (creation of Emglev An Tiegezhioù - the Agreement of the Families - in 1949 with Kerlann, in the line of Skol Blistin, and Skol Sant Erwan of Armans Ar It halvez, Saded also, thus preparing Diwan). It had as important difficulties of health as it will surmount (one year and half in the plaster, accident handicapping it of the knee.) pushing it makes some towards a course of thinker rather than of politician, always in a continual search for Truth.

Publications

At Imbourc' H : Istor Hol Lennegezh (3 Editions), 2 volumes (History criticizes literature in Breton language)
Deizlevr 1940-1966 (log book) 25 published volumes
Porzh An Ifern (court of the Hell), novel 400 p.
An Diskoulm Diwezhel (the Final solution), Drame
Kelc' H An Amzer (collection of poems of Youenn Olier)

in subscription:

Enez Ar Vertuz (Romance of science fiction), 700 p. republished in 2005.
Poanioù-Spered year Tad Gwazdoue , 200 p.
Ar fest-noz Al Liamm 1960

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