Alexis Grüss, figure of the equestrian circus, died this Saturday April 6 at Saint-Joseph hospital, at the age of 79. The patriarch of the Grüss family was also a fervent Christian with a luminous faith.
Alexis Grüss died this Saturday, April 6 at Saint-Joseph hospital, at the age of 79. Squire, clown, acrobat and aerialist – and even an outstanding saxophonist – Alexis Grüss was pillar, patriarch and soul of the circus. It is precious, a pillar, in a tent destined to never remain in the same place.
“Alexis Grüss was much more than a man of talent; he was a pillar, a master of the equestrian arts, of spectacle, whose imprint will remain forever engraved in our hearts. He devoted his life to perpetuating the equestrian arts of the track through his teachings and transmission, inspiring entire generations,” write his wife, Gipsy Grüss, née Bouglione, his brother, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. -children. “The foundations of his life until the end were his family, the horses, the track. May the dreams and emotions he gave us through his shows remain in our memories. During this time of mourning, the Grüss family thanks you for your thoughts and prayers. »The religious ceremony will be celebrated in the Saint Roch church in Paris, parish of artists, on Thursday April 11 at 9:30 a.m. and the burial will take place in family privacy.
A tireless boss
Born on April 23, 1944 in Doubs, he became a circus director at the age of 27. In 1974, he broke away from the then fashionable circus practices – the training of wild animals in particular – to devote himself almost exclusively to equestrian shows; it’s a revolutionary change – and a saving one for the circus! – that he operates with the actress Silvia Monfort: the birth of the Old-fashioned Circus. He said he was preparing for the future by anchoring himself deeply in the present and seeking, without taking his eyes off tradition, to constantly renew himself, to remain in a creative movement, because, quoting Malher, he was convinced that “tradition is not the worship of ashes but the preservation of fire. » Flamboyant, alive, he was: every day – after a large bowl of coffee with five sugars – he had to see the progress of the young horses, of his children, of his grandchildren, of his great-grandchildren; an inextinguishable dynamic!
Perfection is heavenly. On earth we can only do one thing: get closer.
His extraordinary work was widely rewarded: in 1981, he won the Grand Prix national du cirque, awarded by the Ministry of Culture. Made a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters and a Knight of the Legion of Honor, he is also the creator of the Lyon Circus Biennale. In 2001, he received a Golden Clown from Prince Rainier of Monaco, which made him deeply happy: his father, in fact, was “Dédé”, the famous clown with the white shirt and bowler hat. All these awards illustrate his exceptional influence. The latest show “Les Folies Grüss” celebrates a double anniversary: the 50th anniversary of the company’s establishment in Paris as well as the 80th birthday of the patriarch – there were only so few days left before his birthday! But no taste of unfinished business here, quite the contrary: this show was a real finale! 50 horses, 25 artists, a show full of music – his other great passion! – full of daring exalting the harmony between man and horse and 4 generations on the track!
A bright Christian
Himself heir to an illustrious lineage – the Alexis Grüss company comes from “a couple formed in 1868 by the marriage between Charles Grüss, initially a stonemason, and Maria Martinetti, member of a family of squires and acrobats leading his own big top since the 1850s” explains the company’s website – he in turn knew how to pass on to his children the passion for the circus and fulfillment through demanding and continuous work: “If he who masters the gesture does not does not transmit it at the very moment when he is able to execute it, this gesture is lost forever.
This constant concern for transmission is indicative of a spirit steeped in Christian faith: Alexis Grüss was only the custodian of this great heritage and thus had to transmit it with humility and rigor, to make it shine around him and firstly in his own family, the beauty of this received universe. One of the most convincing manifestations of this piety is the Christmas mass , the midnight mass, celebrated under the still smoking marquee from the last show, illuminated with thousands of candles, in an explosive and collected atmosphere. The Archbishop of Paris himself presided over the 40th midnight mass of the Cirque Grüss, in 2019: a decision taken even before the fire which made the Paris cathedral impassable.
But it’s not just about external manifestations; his whole being overflows with this faith in God which made him such a solid and coherent director and patriarch. Here are some striking answers from an extraordinary interview given in 2008 on the occasion of his Orchestra show.
“What do you hold most dear?
– My family, even if I don’t own it. »
“What is your main character trait?”
– To have ! But among the Grüss, no one lets themselves be walked on. I have successfully tamed horses, deer, bulls, but my wife and my dog, never. »
“Little one, what did you want to do?”
– I never wanted to do anything other than what I’m doing today. »
“Does death scare you?”
– That of others, not mine. »
Finally, to the question: “What is perfect happiness, according to you?”
– Perfection is heavenly. On earth we can only do one thing: get closer. »
We therefore pray that he will now be immersed in this perfection of face to face with God that he so sought on this earth.
