The Breton regionalist union (Union Régionaliste Bretonne or URB) was a Breton cultural and political organisation created August 16, 1898. It was a broadly conservative grouping dedicated to preserving Breton cultural identity and regional independence. It expressed the ideology of mainly middle-class and aristocratic groups to secure continuity in local administration and Breton culture.

Origins

The Union was created in August 1898, in

Morlaix Morlaix (; br, Montroulez) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Leisure and tourism The old quarter of the town has winding streets of cobbled stones and overhan ...

, following festivals devoted to Breton culture. It was chaired by

Anatole Le Braz Anatole le Braz, the "Bard of Brittany" (2 April 1859 – 20 March 1926), was a Breton poet, folklore collector and translator. He was highly regarded amongst both European and American scholars, and known for his warmth and charm. Biography Le B ...

, with the Marquis de Estourbeillon.

François Vallée François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis. People with the given name * Francis I of France, King of France (), known as "the Father and Restorer of Letters" * Francis II of France, King ...

was named president of the section dedicated to

Breton language Breton (, ; or in Morbihan) is a Southwestern Brittonic language, Southwestern Brittonic languages, Brittonic language of the Celtic languages, Celtic language family spoken in Brittany, part of modern-day France. It is the only Celtic languag ...

and literature, with François Jaffrenou as secretary. Other important figures were the writers Alphonse de Chateaubriant, Louis Tiercelin and

Charles Le Goffic Charles Le Goffic (14 July 1863 – 12 February 1932) was a Breton poet, novelist and historian whose influence was especially strong in his native Brittany. He was a member of the Académie française. Biography Born in Lannion, northern Bri ...

. The photographer and publisher Émile Hamonic was also a member. Sympathisers, if not supporters, included the politician Albert de Mun, the poet and art critic

Jean Le Fustec Jean Le Fustec (10 May 1855, in Rostrenen – 22 March 1910, in Paris) was a Breton bard, and the first Archdruid of the Goursez Vreizh (Gorsedd of Brittany). He is also known by his Breton language name Yann ab Gwilherm and his Druidic name Lemeni ...

, the linguist and grammarian François Vallée, the composer Louis Bourgault-Ducoudray, the singer

Théodore Botrel Jean-Baptiste-Théodore-Marie Botrel (14 September 1868 – 28 July 1925) was a French singer-songwriter, poet and playwright. He is best known for his popular songs about his native Brittany, of which the most famous is ''La Paimpolaise''. Durin ...

, the scholar Rene de Kerviler, the composer

Guy Ropartz Joseph Guy Marie Ropartz (; 15 June 1864 – 22 November 1955) was a French composer and conductor. His compositions included five symphonies, three violin sonatas, cello sonatas, six string quartets, a piano trio and string trio (both in A mino ...

and many others. The prominent position held by the nobility and the clergy quickly alienated some of the more radical members and led to the foundation of the alternative Association des bleus de Bretagne (Blues of Brittany) in 1899, which had a more liberal-progressive agenda. Nevertheless, the two groups were never in open conflict. Le Braz was a member of both. The URB declared socialism to be its enemy. Jean-Marie Déguignet, in his ''Memoirs of a Breton Peasant'', wrote that the group was dominated by 'nobles and clerics' who wanted no input from the lower classes about their own culture.

Gorsedd

As a result of the group's work, the

Gorsedd of Brittany Goursez Vreizh (officially Breudeuriezh Drouized, Barzhed hag Ovizion Breizh) is the national gorsedd of Brittany ("Breizh" in Breton). It often has delegates from the Welsh gorsedd and Gorsedh Kernow in Cornwall. The Breton organisation is its ...

was created August 31, 1900 in

Guingamp Guingamp (; ) is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France. With a population of 6,895 as of 2017, Guingamp is one of the smallest towns in Europe to have a top-tier professional football team: En Avant Guing ...

, following a meeting of the URB. Following Welsh examples, the group sought to revive Celtic bardic traditions. Each participant adopted a pseudonym and the title of bard. The members of Gorsedd promoted Breton culture either in the sections of the URB, or in the Gorsedd itself. This produced the ''Ti Kaniri breiz'' (House of Breton Song).

Later activities

In 1912,

Maurice Duhamel Maurice Duhamel (23 February 1884 – 5 February 1940) was the pen-name of Maurice Bourgeaux, a Breton musician, writer and activist who was a leading figure in Breton nationalism and federalist politics in the years before World War II. Early lif ...

left the URB with Emile Masson,

Camille Le Mercier d'Erm Camille Le Mercier d'Erm (1888 in Rennes - 1978 in Dinard) was a French poet, historian and Breton nationalist. He later adopted the neo-Bardic name Kammermor. He is also known as Kamil Ar Merser 'Erm, the Breton language form of his name. His work ...

, François Vallée and Loeiz Herrieu to create the Breton Regionalist Federation. Le Mercier d'Erm and Masson went on to found the Breton Nationalist Party

Yann Fouéré Yann Fouéré (26 July 1910 – 20 October 2011), also known as Seàn Mauger was a Breton nationalist and a European federalist. His French birth certificate names him as ''Jean Adolphe Fouéré'', a French name, as the Third French Republi ...

was its vice-president from 1939 to 1945. After 1940, several of its members took part in " Sao Breiz", the Breton section of de Gaulle's Free French forces. A bulletin edited by the Marquis of Estourbillon appeared from 1902 to 1943. It did not appear during World War I, the majority of the contributors being at the front.

Bibliography

Almanak kevredigez broadus breiz. Simon - Rennes. 1910. BRETON ASSOCIATION AND BRETON REGIONALISTIC UNION. Reports, official reports, memories. Congress of the 150th birthday in Rennes, 1993. Rennes, 1994. {{Authority control Politics of Brittany Inter-Celtic organisations Breton nationalism