Michel Armbruster kept Jean Seberg's legacy alive
He tended Jean Seberg's grave at Cimetière du Montparnasse in Paris, France, ensuring there were fresh flowers to honor her and he took photographs to send to the many friends he made in the States, just so we knew she was still deeply loved there. His photos never included himself. Only Jean.
He became part of the "Jean family," you might say. Michel Armbruster sent "the family" email updates about all things Jean: her movies showing on television in France; new books coming out or mentioning her; rare images of her in magazines or retrospects--signing off his correspondence with, "Faithfully yours". He attended Jean Seberg film screenings, symposiums, forums and events. He was an advocate for keeping her memory alive. He wrote in one of his messages to all of us, "Jean was not forgotten in France !" And, he was determined that she not be forgotten anywhere. She left a mark, you see.
So, it was with deep sadness that we friends in the U.S. received news from Michel's son of his father's passing on December 23, 2023. It left all of us quiet and somber, and a bit lost. What a tremendous loss.
A couple in our group had met him in France at Jean's gravesite, and posted photos from that trip paying a lovely tribute to Michel. We never met Michel in person. But we felt like we knew him forever. He was a constant in our lives, bringing a bright spot of happy news, or a new image he found of Jean, or a photograph of the fresh flowers he placed at her grave and the many keepsakes, stuffed animals, postcards, and photos visitors had left to honor her.
Michel's son wrote that his father left behind a large archive of materials related to Jean--he was a preservationist who kept her legacy alive. Michel's son wrote that "At the end of September, I drove him to Jean's grave for the last time, then I could learn a bit more about his devotion to her. Our father did not express his passion in words or emotions, but as an engineer or scientist, by studying archives and gathering documents." Michel Armbruster was an incredible man and will be missed by all of us.
We always shared in our correspondence with Michel our appreciation for all he did to keep each of us informed and to keep Jean's memory alive. But did he truly ever know how much what he did for Jean meant to all of us? And, how deeply grateful we always will be to him?
Michel Armbruster was one of those rare, compassionate, devoted, humble caretakers of Jean's human spirit and legacy. He kept her star shining bright. And, his shines just as bright for each of us who knew him. Rest in peace, dear friend Michel. We are 'Faithfully YOURS'.
