Vilmarke, Viscount de Theodore Ersary

1815-1895. The writer, a collector of Breton folklore. Born in Kornuaye (in Quimper) in an aristocratic but impoverished family. As a teenager, made friends with Chateaubriand. He studied at the Chartist school in Paris. In 1858 he was elected to the French Akademiyu.Izdal number of books, . dedicated Breton (or any other Celtic), literature and culture: Barzaz-Breiz (Folk songs of Brittany) 1938, . 3rd edition, . supplemented by 33 songs and music, . 1845; Essay on the history of the Breton language 1845; Breton bards 1850; Roundtable Novels and Tales of the ancient Breton 1853; Celtic legend in Ireland, . Wales and Brittany, 1864, and others,
. The most popular among his contemporaries of the author enjoyed the book Barzaz-Breiz. Vilmarke included in a collection of three sections: "The mythological, heroic, istorichesskie songs and ballads," "Holiday and love songs" and, finally, "Religious songs and legends".

Songs were published in the Breton language in parallel with the French translation, so that the primary audience were French-educated. However, Barzaz-Breiz was very soon translated into many European languages. After reading the book, author George Sand wrote that "anyone who holds a pen in his hand, should he met Breton, shoot in front of it a hat". In the preface to the book written Vilmarke, . that interest in the Breton folk poetry, he inherited from his mother, . which helped the poor, . often gave them shelter in his house, . cured their, . and those as payment for the hospitality sang for her and for the whole family songs in the Breton language.,

. Collection Vilmarke awakened interest in the folklore of Brittany
. Many experts Breton went to collect songs and stories in the villages of Lower Brittany, and were very surprised that they could not hear anything like many of the songs from the collection Barzaz-Breiz. Many of the same songs seem to have been thorough processing of the pen Vilmarke. So in the second half of the 19 century doubt the authenticity of the collection. Vilmarke opponents were, in particular, such well-known folklorists and scholars, as FA-M. Lyuzel and Arba de Zhubanvil. Nevertheless, the originator (or author) book does not confirm nor deny the accusations of his opponents either in the press, . nor congresses keltologov, . organized specifically to determine the authenticity Barzaz-Breiz: Vilmarke just sent letters of apology, . not be able to attend the Scientific Assembly.,

. Controversy about the authenticity of Barzaz-Breiz continued throughout the second half of the 19 th century and did not stop until the last quarter of the 20 century
. Adoption of the authenticity or non-genuine collection Vilmarke turned into a kind of sign political position or researcher probretonskoy antibretonskoy. Only in 1964 a famous scientist Breton D. Laurent received from the great-grandson Vilmarke valuable documents - notebooks, in which the originator Barzaz-Breiz down really heard them songs. Until 1964, these notebooks were kept in the archives of the descendants Vilmarke. The result of over-found documents was published in 1989 in Duarneneze book Laurent D. Aux sources du Barzaz-Breiz. Memoires d `un peuple. Douarnenez, 1989. In this book Dr.. Laurent has published the contents of notebooks Vilmarke and proved, . what, . except for one or two songs, . songs, . published in Barzaz-Breiz, . original, . although many of them have been reworked by the originator, . and spelling, . and often, . grammar are presented in conformity with the norms, . Le Gonidekom introduced in the first quarter of the 19 century,
. Thus, the book D. Laurent to end the ongoing for almost a year and a half centuries of dispute, but the book Vilmarke remains to this day one of the finest specimens of Breton literature. With some songs, the collection is available in Russian for the publication of Breton folk ballads. Barzaz BREISACH. St. Petersburg, 1995 (compiled by E. Bayes and M. Yasnov).