Pierre Bec (French pronunciation: [pjɛʁ bɛk]; Occitan: Pèire Bèc; 11 December 1921 – 30 June 2014)[1] was a French Occitan-language poet and linguist. Born in Paris, he spent his childhood in Comminges, where he learnt Occitan. He was deported to Germany between 1943 and 1945. After returning, he studied in Paris, where he graduated in 1959. He was one of the founders of the IEO or Institut d'Estudis Occitans (Institute of Occitan Studies) as well as its president from 1962 to 1980.