Obituary: Ben Weider

The Canadian historian and patron of the arts passed away last Friday, at the Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. He was 84.
 
Ben Weider was born in Quebec in 1924 and dedicated his life to his two passions: sport (he made his fortune in the creation and commercialisation of training and gym equipment) and, of course, Napoleonic history. The latter owes him much, for it is through his patronage that the Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution at Florida State University in Tallahassee was created, over thirty years ago. Directed initially by Professor Don Howard, and presently by Professor Rafe Blaufarb, this establishment has produced over 70 PhD scholars. This discret but nevertheless important act is less well-known than his ceaseless work on the Napoleon poisoning theory, to which he dedicated much of his time and means. During his life, he also built up a fabulous collection of Napoleonic artefacts and objects, a collection which he has left to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The permanent exhibition displaying objects from this donation opens this week.
 
We at the Fondation Napoléon offer our sincere condolences to his wife, his family and his many close friends, in the Napoleonic world and elsewhere.
 
Thierry Lentz
Director, Fondation Napoléon
 
(Tr. & ed. H.D.W.)