Louis Barthas

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Louis Barthas in uniform
Barthas' grave

Louis Barthas (born July 14, 1879 in Homps (Dépt. Aude ), † May 4, 1952 in Peyriac-Minervois (Dépt. Aude)) was a French cooper and participant in the First World War . He described his war experiences in his book Les carnets de guerre de Louis Barthas, tonnelier, 1914–1918 , published posthumously in 1977 (German war diary of Louis Barthas, Küfer, 1914–1918 ).

Life

Louis Barthas was born as the son of the cooper Jean Barthas and his wife, the tailor Louise, b. Escande, born. Louis Barthas was married and had two sons. When the First World War broke out, Barthas was drafted into the French military and took part in some of the bloodiest battles of the war over the next four years, such as the Loretto Battle , the Battle of Verdun , the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of the Aisne . As a corporal , he initially served in the 280th Infantry Regiment. After its dissolution in December 1915 in the 296th and after its dissolution in November 1917 until the end of the war in the 248th Infantry Regiment. After his demobilization , Barthas returned to his homeland in February 1919 and worked again as a cooper.

Work and reception

While he was on duty, Barthas made notes that he revised when he returned home. His war experiences and memories were only published after his death in 1977 by the French historian Rémy Cazals under the title Les carnets de guerre de Louis Barthas, tonnelier, 1914–1918 and met with great interest from the French public, where the work soon became a “cult book “Advanced. In his 500-page notes, Barthas describes the inhumanity and cruelty of the war and his disgust for it.

In terms of content and statement, it is the same as the book Best Opportunity to Die by the Alsatian farmer Dominik Richert , who as a German soldier also took part in the entire World War and whose memoirs were only published posthumously in 1989.

In 1995, based on Barthas' book, the play "Caporal Tonnelier" ( Corporal Küfer ) with Philippe Orgebin and Drahomira Hejna in the leading roles was created. The director was Adel Hakim . In 1998 his memoirs were translated into Dutch under the title De oorlogsdagboeken van Louis Barthas 1914–1918 ( The War Diaries of Louis Barthas 1914–1918 ) and in 2014 under the title Poilu: The World War I Notebooks of Louis Barthas, Barrelmaker, 1914–1918 ( Poilu : Notebooks from the First World War by Louis Barthas, Küfer, 1914–1918 ) translated into English.

A quote from Barthes' work is written on a memorial to those who fell in the First World War in Pontcharra-sur-Bréda in the Isère department :

“Souvent je pense à mes très nombreux camarades tombés à mes cotés. J'ai entendu leurs imprécations contre la guerre et ses auteurs, la révolte de tout leurs être contre leur funeste sort, contre leur assassinat. Et moi survivant, je crois être inspiré par leur volonté en luttant sans trêve ni merci jusqu'à mon dernier souffle pour l'idée de paix et de fraternité humaine. Février 1919. "

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“I often think of the large number of my comrades who fell by my side. I've heard them curse the war and those who started it. I have seen all of her rebellion against her ominous fate, against her murder. I, as a survivor, believe that I was inspired by their will to fight restlessly and mercilessly until my last breath for the idea of ​​peace and brotherhood among people. February 1919. "

- translation

literature

  • Pierre Barral : Les cahiers de Louis Barthas. In: Sylvie Caucanas , Rémy Cazals (ed.): Traces de 14-18. Carcassonne, Les Audois 1997, pp. 21-30.
  • Rémy Cazals : Les carnets de guerre de Louis Barthas. In: Les Cahiers de la Cinémathèque. Revue d'histoire du cinéma. n ° 69 Verdun et les batailles de 14-18. November 1998, pp. 77-82.
  • Rémy Cazals: La culture de Louis Barthas, tonnelier. In: Pratiques et cultures politiques dans la France contemporaine. Homage à Raymond Huard, Montpellier, Université P. Valéry 1995, pp. 425-435.
  • Rémy Cazals: Deux fantassins de la Grande Guerre: Louis Barthas and Dominik Richert . In: Jules Maurin, Jean-Charles Jauffret (eds.): La Grande Guerre 1914–1918, 80 ans d'historiographie et de représentations. ESID, Montpellier 2002, pp. 339-364.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Barthas, Louis (1879–1952) in Témoignages de 1914–1918: Dictionnaire et guide des témoins de la Grande Guerre, par le Crid 14–18 (French website)
  2. ^ Gerhard Hirschfeld, Gerd Krumeich: Why a "cultural history" of the First World War? In: Arnd Bauerkämper, Elise Julien (Ed.): Hold on! War and Society in Comparison 1914–1918. Göttingen 2010, ISBN 978-3-525-36389-8 , p. 46.
  3. ↑ cARTed.eu (French website)
  4. ↑ Les carnets de guerre de Louis Barthas, tonnelier, 1914–1918. (French website)
personal data
SURNAME Barthas, Louis
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French cooper, war participant and author
DATE OF BIRTH 4th July 1879
PLACE OF BIRTH Homps ( Aude department )
DATE OF DEATH May 4th 1952
Place of death Peyriac-Minervois ( Aude department )