Artist Jean de Riquer was born in Oloron-Sainte-Marie in 1912 and
died there on April 15, 1993, the son of Alexandre de Riquer, 7th Earl of Casa
Davalos, known for his "art nouveau" works and leader of Catalan
modernism.
Jean de Riquer was mobilized in September 1939 and became a sergeant
in a battalion of Chasseurs of the Pyrenees. He fought from June 5 to 24, 1940,
and received the Croix de Guerre. Demobilized, he resumed his duties at the
town hall of Oloron and becomes a member of the Resistance.
He creates a group to help fugitives providing identity
cards, food, a passage to Spain through the valleys of Roncal and Isaba. His
group is active from mid-1942 to March 1943, when the group, but not Jean, is
arrested by the Germans.
 |
| Dachau, by Jean de Riquer |
In 1944 he becomes chief of the Oloron company of the ORA, but
is also arrested by the Gestapo in Pau. First he spent time in
Fort Hâ in Bordeaux, later on he is deported and to Dachau and released on
April 30, 1945 by US troops.
After the end of the war, he resumed his duties at the town
hall of Oloron-Sainte-Marie, continues his artistic activities and exploring.
In 1950, he participated in
an expedition of Paul-Emile Victor in Greenland and In 1952 he ascended
Mount Ararat in search of Noah's ark.
No comments:
Post a Comment