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 overha ...

, 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 was named president of the section dedicated to Breton language 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 Adrien Albert Marie, Comte de Mun (, 28 February 18416 October 1914), was a French political figure and Social Reformer of the nineteenth century. Biography Early years Albert was born at Lumigny-Nesles-Ormeaux, Seine-et-Marne, son of the Marqu ...

, 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 minor ...

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 was created August 31, 1900 in

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, 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 life ...

left the URB with

Emile Masson Emil or Emile may refer to: Literature *''Emile, or On Education'' (1762), a treatise on education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau * ''Émile'' (novel) (1827), an autobiographical novel based on Émile de Girardin's early life *''Emil and the Detective ...

, Camille Le Mercier d'Erm, François Vallée and Loeiz Herrieu to create the

Breton Regionalist Federation Breton most often refers to: *anything associated with Brittany, and generally **Breton people **Breton language, a Southwestern Brittonic Celtic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken in Brittany **Breton (horse), a breed ** Gale ...

. Le Mercier d'Erm and Masson went on to found the Breton Nationalist Party Yann Fouéré was its vice-president from 1939 to 1945. After 1940, several of its members took part in "

Sao Breiz SAO or Sao may refer to: Places * Sao civilisation, in Middle Africa from 6th century BC to 16th century AD * Sao, a town in Boussé Department, Burkina Faso * Saco Transportation Center (station code SAO), a train station in Saco, Maine, U.S. ...

", the Breton section of de Gaulle's

Free French Free France (french: France Libre) was a political entity that claimed to be the legitimate government of France following the dissolution of the Third Republic. Led by French general , Free France was established as a government-in-exile ...

forces. A bulletin edited by the Marquis of Estourbillon appeared from 1902 to 1943. It did not appear during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, 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