The early years of the life of Carlos Gardel remain still wrapped in a haze of mystery. The primary responsibility for the confusion created was both the singer and Berta Gardes, the woman who gave her mother's love even though there are many evidences to suggest that his biological mother was different. The first because obviously had powerful reasons to conceal their origin, the second because its noble nature led her to support and protect in all circumstances the child he felt as his own.
After the death of the singer, there were numerous versions where fantasy and speculation supplied the lack of information and systematic research.
Ignorance, obstinacy and ingenuity completed the picture of the myths about the artist.
try through the following analysis, reveal several dark spots of existing accounts and describe in a more rational and documented the circumstances of his life.
For the work relies on updated data, I have mainly the books published in recent editions to support the French version.
While not yet able to determine conclusively whether Charles Romuald Gardes and Carlos Gardel was the same person is true that Charles Romuald Gardes. the son of Berta Gardes was born in Toulouse, in the Hospice de La Grave, the December 11, 1890 as documented known.
In the book "Gardel. The biography, "Julian and Osvaldo Barsky, the authors say in the chapter
Looking to a new destination (p. 36)
" From the birth of their son, Berthe abandonó la casa de su abuelo , donde convivía con su familia, la que censuraba su conducta, aunque no todos coinciden en este rechazo familiar."(a)
Berta Gardes no vivía con su abuelo en el momento de dar a luz a su hijo. Tampoco vivía con su padre, Vital Gardes, (abuelo de Charles Romuald), quien vivía en 10 rue Palaprat, quartier Saint Aubin, Toulouse.
Jean Gardes, el hermano mayor de Berta se encontraba en Venezuela.(*1)
Se desconoce donde estaban su madre Hélène Camarés y su concubino Louis Carichou, ambos padres de Charles Gardes, más conocido como “Gardes Carlito”, pero es posible que siguieran living in Bordeaux since claim to be domiciled there on December 27, 1889, when the Court of First Instance in Toulouse pronounces the divorce between Jeanne and Hélène Vital Camarés Gardes. (* 1)
With respect to the family of Berthe Gardes, says Christiane Bricheteau in his book "Généalogie d'un Mythe"
"Marius Barrat, who was administrator" Des Hospices Civil de Toulouse "took under his wing Berta Gardes, unmarried, when she gives birth in 1890 in La Grave.
can read about the cross on the grave of Marius Barrat, in the cemetery of Cabades, Toulouse: "Berthe Marius Gardes Barrat, his cousin recalled "That is
who lived at No. 4, rue du Canon d'Arcole, French house where the boy took his first steps was the cousin of Berta, not his grandfather .
In the book "Carlos Gardel, French background, Monique Saint-Blancat Ruffi and George Gallop (* 1) provide data that offer new perspectives to the traditional story of Berta Gardes alleged.
If we start with their grandparents, we see that her grandmother Marie Pascale Bonnefoy Anne married Jean Marie Gardes, Berta's grandfather, six years after the birth of Vital Gardes, father of Berta.
Gardes Raymonde Anne, sister of Vital also born before their parents link. Anne Marie Pascale Bonnefoy
already had a daughter named Jeanne Petronille unknown father Bonnefoy.
On the birth certificate from Vital Gardes say, page 38:
3. "In this birth, Jean Marie Gardes (12) said he was married to Anne Marie Pascale Bonnefoy (13). Actually it is a false statement contradicted the version marginal, inserted in the same birth certificate, stating they were married in the "Capitole" (name for the city of Toulouse) on May 27, 1841, that is, years after the writing of this birth certificate of Vital Gardes (21). "
The authors point out below:
Page 41:
... "As for Anne Marie Pascale Bonnefoy (13), the wife, as specified in the marriage is domiciled" aforesaid street (ie street Palaprat) and lives with his father.
can reasonably assume that the editor did not act mention that the newlyweds were already living together long before marriage. " (This comment suggests that it was a bad situation view by society of the time)
Vital Gardes, marries a second wife on July 26, 1890 with Marguerite Bezan, who was the illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth Bezan. Helene
Camarés, after separation of Vital Gardes lives with Louis Alphonse Juliez Carichou of child who has a extra-marital named Charles Carichou.
All these elements become absurd the version given by Armando
defined in the book "The truth of a life," pag.125:
"I was 25 years (Berta Gardes) when her only son, Charles; the severity and misunderstanding own century past, not justified in the family environment or in the province, the birth of an illegitimate child and the poor mother had to endure the rejection of an entire people. She defended her cause, her cause was her son and chose to release to strengthen the defense. Risked the journey to this land and in March 1893, landed with the child in this promising land. "
Statements Isabel del Valle," El Día "de Montevideo, February 1, 1881
Although the same Berta spoke repeatedly about the difficult relationship he had with his mother ( "La Canción Moderna" ) explains that not everyone agrees on the alleged refusal family as a result of pregnancy Berta. Everything suggests that the misunderstandings between them were before pregnancy. ------------------------
say after Messrs Barsky (Page 36)
"then accepted the offer his childhood friend, Ducasse Odali Hood, moved to the house she shared with her husband and her son Stephen Hood. "
The following is an excerpt from a report made to Steven Hood in the Journal Platea published in the book" Carlos Gardel is not a myth "Tito Li Cause, pp. 42 and 43:
Hood says:
"When Mrs. Berta went to live in my house (in Toulouse) Charlie was in my care. He then had three days of life. The care of Charles was at my office, while Mrs. Berta worked in the shop as a seamstress that my mother had installed in a room in the house. (...)
childhood I have lived a very Carlitos happy caring for a child.
I felt very sad the day my mother told me: - Esteban, dress well, we'll go to fire Berta and Charlie .- ...?- where do you go to Bourdeaux - replied my mother a hint of concern and a hope hidden by my youth I could not hit.
As I dressed, I felt a lot of tears dimmed my eyes. With the anguish in the soul, I accompanied my mother to the train station to fire it at its greatest friend and I, my little brother. "
a critical, critical, Buenos Aires 06.28.1935
"Carlitos was born in Toulouse, was a very lively child. My mother, Ducasse Odali Hood, after losing her husband , taking me about seven years, he moved to Toulouse in pursuit of a more suitable area to exploit his skill as a dressmaker. "
------------------------------------ First, it declares Hood his mother was a widow when he moved to Toulouse , Odali and then could not accommodate her husband's arrival Berta.Los Odali data and Stephen Hood were sought unsuccessfully by many researchers for many años.Afortunadamente, digitized records allow a very quick and effective search, so it was investigating the unusual name of Odali found that:
The database CEMLA (Latin American Center for Immigration Studies), arrived in Buenos Vapor Aires Cordoba from Bordeaux on May 15, 1889, include:
Odali Capet, French, age 27, seamstress, Catholic and
Capet Stephan, 7-year-old Catholic .
Although Hood was contradicted himself in statements to the press, the error in the surname allowed his misrepresentation not confirmed for a long time. That is
Ducasse Odali Hood and his son Stephen Toulouse left one and a half before he was born Charles Romuald Gardes making it impossible Hood has met there for that child.
For more information see page:
http://www.geomundos.com/cultura/gardeloriental/carlos-gardel-y-la-verdad-sobre-esteban-capot_doc_1808.html ------------------------------------------
mention after Messrs Barsky (pp.36, 37) that Odali Bertha Hood sent a letter he had sent a mutual friend, Anaïs Beaux, from Buenos Aires. He proposed to travel to the hidden city, where count on your support and your husband Fortunato Muñiz.
In Chapter 2, Children, pg. 45, the authors, adhering to the imaginative deployment of Li Cause, said:
"Little Charles Romuald had two years and three months. When leaving the boat, waiting Anaïs beaux and Fortunato Muñiz. (...)
Mrs. Beaux, Toulouse as Berthe, had booked a temporary accommodation and a job for her friend at the ironing shop she ran. "
On page 49 continue the story :
"In the room they shared Charles and his mother were the little furniture they had given Anaïs and Fortunato: A wardrobe with mirror, a wide bed for two, a dresser for kitchen utensils and a light table. To this was added a heater to prepare food and teas, particularly the mate, which was immediately incorporated into everyday life because of its extreme cheapness. " Anastasio
Hernandez adds to this the following comment supposedly made by Stephen Hood in a report that I have not been identified and also published in the book of Titus Li Cause:
"And so, as from 1893 Dona Berta, Charlie, Mrs. Anaïs Beaux, her husband Fortunato, my mother and I, we form a family united in friendship and brotherly affection for a beloved
.(...) ... Anaïs and her husband were the guides of our destinations in Argentina. "
------------------------------ -
Now for the documentary input for determining reality all that is relative.
The truth is that in the 1895 census ( two years later the arrival of Berta to Buenos Aires) Book 495, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Section 5 First, figure:
Anaïs Beaux, 32, French laundress, fatherless, living in a flat roof on the street Uruguay 686, with a natural daughter named Amanda, a year old, Argentina, born in Buenos Aires, but no trace of Fortunato Muñiz.
This information completely changes the circumstances of the arrival of French Berta and her son in Buenos Aires.
The reality is that:
Anaïs Beaux gives birth to a girl, illegitimate daughter, 6 June 1894. Is registered by Amanda Fortunato Muñiz as Lila (no surname).
The May 16, 1898, Anaïs Beaux recognizes as his natural daughter Lila Amanda, four years after his birth. One witness is Graciano Beaux twenty-three years old, single, residing with Anaïs in Corrientes 1557, where he later Berta also live.
This proves that Berta lied when he said he sought to Carlos through a friend after the disappearance of 6 years because the singer did not know how to find it by having it moved .
If Anaïs Beaux 1557 and lived in Corrientes in 1908 and Bertha also lived at that address since 1904, it is clear that his statement was false.
The July 16, 1905, in the French Hospital, died of peritonitis Beaux Lila Amanda, 11 year old natural daughter Anaïs Beaux .
In short:
1) Berta not live nor his grandfather lived with their immediate family at the time of giving birth in Toulouse.
2) Since the couple Camarés-Carichou still lived in Bordeaux on 27 December 1899, one wonders if at the time Bertha lived with them. Only if I lived with them may think that her mother has thrown for being pregnant, but then: How is pregnant with Paul Lasserre, who lived with his mother in Toulouse?
And here it is another question: Are pregnant or Berta in Toulouse Tacuarembó, because if it was pregnant from Tacuarembó to Bordeaux, it is understandable that it has missed the family home and has been addressed then his cousin's house in Toulouse for protection.
3) Stephen Hood could not meet in Toulouse Charles Romuald Gardes because he came to Buenos Aires with his mother a year and a half before the birth of that.
4) Do not know at what time they met Carlos Gardel and Stephen Hood but know that it was in Buenos Aires .
worth noting at this point that statements by the descendants of Matthew Parisi, son of Colonel Plaster and alleged biological father of Gardel, agree that Charlie was given to Berta Gardes upon arrival in Buenos Aires, together with the sum of 3,000 Uruguayan pesos for support. This is where you set the attachment of Gardel with Toulouse.
5) Do not know at what point Fortunato Muñiz breaks in the life of Anaïs Beaux and Gardel's but we know that in 1894 and were together.
6) The presence of Anaïs Beaux in Buenos Aires and pregnancy suggest that she and Berta helped each other, the first offering to Berta work and the second to benefit from your help. Had they been together earlier in the Río de la Plata?
are still many questions, but we gradually approach a more approximate to reality.
---------------------------------
(*) Berta Gardes declares Modern Song in 1936, "shortly after" his arrival in Buenos Aires began working in the workshop of Anaïs Beaux ironing and delivery to the family Carlitos Franchini.
(* 1) "Carlos Gardel, French background, Rufi, Monique Saint-Blancat, George Gallop and John Carlos Esteban.
information:
Berta Gardes statements to the press were after the death of Carlos, which is valid to think that might be conditioned by the "version" that should give the facts.
understand, based on known facts, that Berta Gardes was educated be defined immediately after the death of the singer, who took advantage of the confusion that engulfed the death of her son's soul, when she , overwhelmed by the pain of irretrievable loss was not able to realize the maneuver in which the agent was getting Carlos. This is clearly seen in the article published in The Modern Song in July 1935.
there is transcribed a conversation by Armando I define Berta Gardes, which clearly shows the speed with which the representative acted idol who evidently was more concerned about solving the problem of transporting the body to act before the government of Uruguay, who stunned by the pain of the loss:
Consider this communication to Toulouse, was established on June 26 1935, little over a day of death of the singer.
Keep in mind that in those times, long distance telephone communications had several hours of delay. Define
went to the telephone office, accompanied by journalists. Reading the transcript, it is clear that had already decided how to act Berta and him
"Mommy! Mammy! Doña Berta. Do you hear? - He repeats In Fino. And then continues: "It's me, fine. Look, YOU DO NOT TALK, LET ME that I have to say many things. First received on behalf of all Buenos Aires condolences, we are all his children now, believe me, Mommy, and quiet, uh, quiet!, Very quiet! must resist I just ... ME IN SIGNING ON MONDAY Massilia, do you hear?, I go in to pick Massilia. After a brief interruption indicating that Doña Berta has the floor, return to the representative in a trembling voice: NOW THAT YOU KNOW. SAME YOU WANT YOUR SON REST IN ARGENTINA in Buenos Aires, please let me send a telegram authorizing to manage the arrangements to bring his remains ... Do not worry, Mommy, when we return to Buenos Aires, and here are the remains ... Courage, lots of encouragement, do not be overcome by the circumstances, I see peace ... Wait for me, bye, Mommy, goodbye ... "
As you can see, I define worried about leaving which would clear the steps. Despite the difficulties of communication time a little over a day of death of the singer had already settled trip to Toulouse in search of Berta and booked passage on the Massilia. The communication was aimed at making public Berta Gardes gave his consent for him to handle the formalities for repatriation . Have been a heartfelt message of condolence, he would have done privately.
Tells the start of communication: "Look, you do not talk, leave me to myself that I have to say many things ..."
And with that ... says it all.
