Bernard Barbey

Bernard Barbey (2 July 1900 – 25 January 1970) was a Swiss diplomat, writer, and military officer from Vaud. He was known for his literary works and his service during World War II as a close aide to Henri Guisan, the Swiss army general.

Biography Born in Montcherand, Barbey studied in Geneva and Lausanne before moving to Paris to pursue a literary career. He collaborated with La Revue hebdomadaire and befriended notable writers such as Jean Cocteau and François Mauriac. His first novel, Le Cœur gros (1924), gained critical acclaim and led to further works including La Maladère (1926) and Ambassadeur de France (1934).

Following the war, he served as a cultural attaché at the Swiss Legation in Paris, the Hôtel de Besenval, and represented Switzerland at UNESCO.

He died in a car accident in Boulogne-Billancourt in 1970.

Selected works

Le Cœur gros (1924) La Maladère (1926) Toute à tous (1930) La Maison d'illusion (1933) Ambassadeur de France (1934) Le Crépuscule du matin (1938) P.C. du Général (1947) Chevaux abandonnés sur le champ de bataille (1951) Aller et Retour (1967)