Meavenn (1911–1992) was the

pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...

of Francine Rozec, also known as Fant Rozec, a

Breton language Breton (, ; or in Morbihan) is a Southwestern Brittonic language of the Celtic language family spoken in Brittany, part of modern-day France. It is the only Celtic language still widely in use on the European mainland, albeit as a member of t ...

poet, novelist and playwright linked to

Breton nationalism Breton nationalism (Breton language, Breton: ''roadelouriezh Brezhoneg'', French language, French: ''nationalisme Breton'') is a form of Territorial nationalism, regional nationalism associated with the region of Brittany in France. The politic ...

Early life and education

She was born in Saint Marc, then a village, which is now merged with

Brest Brest may refer to: Places *Brest, Belarus **Brest Region **Brest Airport **Brest Fortress *Brest, Kyustendil Province, Bulgaria *Břest, Czech Republic *Brest, France **Arrondissement of Brest **Brest Bretagne Airport ** Château de Brest *Brest, ...

. She did not speak Breton from birth. She learned the language at the age of twelve from a neighbor. She began her career in Paris where she worked at the Post Office. She studied the Irish language at the

Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...

and then travelled to Ireland in 1931 to improve her knowledge of the Celtic languages.

Activism

She became involved in Breton nationalism through the clandestine group Gwenn ha du, which planned to blow up a monument in Rennes commemorating the

Union of Brittany and France The union of Brittany and France was a critical step in the formation of modern-day France. Brittany had been a semi-independent component of the Kingdom of France since Clovis I was given authority over the Gallo-Roman domain during the 5th c ...

. Known to be close to this organization, she was dubbed La Vierge Rouge ("the Red Virgin") by the press. This was in the brief period in 1932 when the French communist party supported Breton nationalist attacks. She married Loeiz Andouard in 1935. The couple had three children before their separation in 1944. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

she was associated with the collaborationism of other Breton nationalists, working with

Roparz Hemon Louis-Paul Némo (18 November 1900 – 29 June 1978), better known by the pseudonym Roparz Hemon, was a Breton author and scholar of Breton expression. He was the author of numerous dictionaries, grammars, poems and short stories. He also found ...

in his Breton-language broadcasts from

Radio Rennes Bretagne Radio Rennes Bretagne (in Breton: ''Radio Roazon-Breiz'') was a radio station based in Rennes, and the first station to have regular Breton language programming. However, it was not powerful enough to broadcast to the Breton-speaking western parts ...

. At this time she became the lover of Jean-Marie Chanteau, one of the leaders of

Bezen Perrot The Bezen Perrot ( Breton; ), officially the Breton SS Armed Formation (german: Bretonische Waffenverband der SS) was a small collaborationist unit established by Breton nationalists in German-occupied France during World War II. It was ...

, the pro-German militia affiliated with the SS. She married him on his return to Paris. She fled from Rennes in the Bezen Perrot convoy in July 1944 and lay low with Jean-Marie Chanteau in Paris before fleeing to Ireland. She worked for a charity before returning to live in Paris and

Saint-Malo Saint-Malo (, , ; Gallo: ; ) is a historic French port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, on the English Channel coast. The walled city had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures. In 1944, the Alli ...

. In 1977, she appeared in

Pierre Perrault Pierre Perrault (29 June 1927 – 24 June 1999) was a Québécois documentary film director. He directed 20 films between 1963 and 1996. He was one of the most important filmmakers in Canada, although largely unknown outside of Québec. In ...

's film ''C'etait un Québécois en Bretagne, madame!'' along with fellow Breton nationalist

Glenmor Glenmor was the stage name of Emile Le Scanf (1931–1996), a Breton protest singer who sought to preserve the Breton language and adapt local traditions of folk singing to the radical culture of the 1960s and 70s. He is also known by the Breton na ...

. Both are portrayed as "poets of dispossession, the voices of a despairing national identity." When a shocked local learns that she was a member of a militant separatist group allied to the Nazis, Meavenn denies that it was ever involved in violence against people. She died in Saint-Malo in 1992.Tangi Louarn, Meavenn, In:Preder (kelaouenn), Kaier 88-90, Here-Du-Kerzu 1966. p. 79-87

Writings

She wrote poetry, short stories and novels. Her major work is the novel "Ar Follez yaouank", set during the

Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...

. It was published under the pseudonym Catherine Beauchamp. It inspired the filmmaker

Yves Allégret Yves Allégret (13 October 1905 – 31 January 1987) was a French film director, often working in the film noir genre. He was born in Asnières-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine and died in Paris. He was an assistant to film directors such as his brothe ...

for his film ''La jeune folle'' ("The crazy young", but released in English as ''Desperate Decision''), but its endearing poetry in Breton was not adequately replicated. She writes with a free and rather fantastic style, marked by the use of internal rhyme. She wrote mainly in the Breton journals ''

Gwalarn Gwalarn ("Northwesterly") was a Breton language literary journal. By extension, the term refers to the style of literature that it encouraged. 166 issues (numbered from 0 to 165) appeared between 1925 and May 1944. The journal was founded by Roparz ...

'', ''Arvor'', ''Galv'', ''Al Liamm'', '' Combat Breton'', and ''Stur'', and participated in the political-cultural magazine ''Vro Ar-Gwirionez'' the 1960s and 1970s.

Publications

* ''Iwerzon dishual'' - Skol S. Enda ; Brest, Gwalarn no 38, genver 1932 * ''Kanoù en deiz'', poems published in

n° 53, 1933 * ''Ar follez yaouank'', novella,

n° 140, 1941. Rééditée * ''Ar Gelted Kozh'', Skridou Breiz,

, 1943 * ''Une petite Irlande d'été''

References

External links

Biography (in French)
{{Authority control 1911 births 1992 deaths Breton nationalists Poets from Brittany University of Paris alumni 20th-century French poets French women poets 20th-century French women writers French women short story writers French short story writers French women novelists 20th-century French novelists Breton-language writers Breton-language poets 20th-century short story writers 20th-century pseudonymous writers Pseudonymous women writers