Jean Ferrat

Jean Ferrat (actually Jean Tenenbaum, born December 26, 1930 in Vaucresson, Hauts -de -Seine, † March 13, 2010 in Aubenas, Ardèche) was a French singer and composer.

Jean Ferrat was the youngest of four children of a Jewish family. His father, Mnacha ( Menachem ) Tenenbaum, 1906 was emigrated from Russia in the resurgent anti-Semitism there. Jean Ferrat was 11 years old, when his father was deported from Vichy France and murdered in Auschwitz concentration camp. Jean survived only thanks to the help of communist resistance fighters.

Ferrat first composed love songs, he has performed with the mid-fifties at Cabaret La Colombe in Paris, but also for the singer Zizi Jean Maire, who discovered him. Later he became the dedicated singer who was companion of the French Communist Party, but without being a member. His recordings include political songs and love songs. So what happened to the songs of Georges Brassens, was also his songs - found to be too daring and too critical - for years not sent by the French broadcasting. Ferrat also treated less critical issues such as the rural exodus in his song La Montagne, which sold five million pieces.

Most recently, he lived in Antraigues, a small town in southern France. In 1972 he had in spite of great successes ended his active career on the stage, but a successor in the person of the singer Alain Hivert found that presents his songs in France.

In Germany, his songs are sung by the German -Belgian singer Didier Caesar accompanied by the German - French guitarist Stéphane Bazire - both available in French as well as in the transfer of Didier Caesar. These are now seventeen tracks, including the setting of poems by Louis Aragon.

Jean Ferrat died in March 2010 at the hospital in Aubenas cancer. At his funeral in Antraigues -sur- Volane, which was broadcast live in several French channels, was attended by over 5000 people who had traveled from all parts of France.