Rue Jean Veber

“A street named after an artist? That’s intriguing!” Right before you lies Rue Jean Veber, a seemingly ordinary street with an extraordinary namesake. This street in the 20th arrondissement of Paris honors Jean Veber, a French press illustrator and painter. But Veber’s story is anything but ordinary. Rue Jean Veber came into existence in 1930, replacing a section of the old Thiers wall, a stark reminder of Paris’s fortified past. Imagine the city walls coming down, making way for this very street! Veber, a Parisian by birth, started his career as a painter. He later turned to caricatures, inspired by his brother, and his sharp wit was often aimed at the English. His satirical works, especially those lampooning British actions during the Boer War, were met with both acclaim and controversy. Even King Edward VII became a target of his pointed humor! But Veber’s life wasn’t all satire and sketches. He served in the First World War, a testament to his patriotism. His wartime experiences, documented in his book “J’y étais – un peintre dans la guerre,” offer a poignant glimpse into the trenches. This street, named in his honor, is a reminder that behind the humor and art lay a man who experienced the realities of war firsthand. So, as you stroll down Rue Jean Veber, remember the man behind the name: an artist, a satirist, a soldier.