Berty Omankowsky and Roger Decugis were both tightrope walkers belonging to a famous circus troupe called “Les Diables Blancs” (The White Devils). The troupe was founded and led by Berty’s father, Rudolf “Papa Rudy” Omankowsky, a renowned Czechoslovakian funambulist. The Omankowsky family was known for its incredible high-wire feats, and Berty, along with her siblings, was a key member of the act.
On May 22, 1954, the couple decided to take their vows in a way that truly reflected their profession and passion. Instead of a traditional ceremony, their wedding took place on a high wire stretched across the Place du Capitole in Toulouse, France.
The ceremony was performed several meters above the ground on a wire suspended over the bustling town square. A priest named Father Robert Simon, known as the “Flying Priest” for his daring dives for charity, blessed the couple from a fireman’s ladder.
The event was immortalized by the famous Toulouse photographer Jean Dieuzaide. In a remarkable feat of his own, Dieuzaide captured the moment while perched on the shoulders of the bride’s father, Rudolf Omankowsky, who was also balancing on the wire.
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