Barry is a Swiss national hero, or more precisely, he is a "Swiss national dog". And he has been since 1884. The St. Bernard is said to have saved around 40 people from the snow. That was a long time ago. Barry was born in 1800 and died 14 years later. But what is there to the myth? The historian Benedikt Meyer got to the bottom of Barry's story.
It is certain that in those days St. Bernards were used to search for avalanche victims. However, the stately breed was much lighter and did not look very similar to today's St. Bernards. This could explain the myth that the dog was killed by a soldier who mistook it for a wolf. However, the version of Barry's death belongs to the realm of fairy tales, because the St. Bernard died quite naturally in Bern. And Barry also underwent several other "modifications" after his deatha. In 1923, the legs of the taxidermied Barry were lengthened and his head enlarged. His posture was also tweaked until the result matched the image that the Swiss had in mind when they spoke of Barry the hero. It was similar with the rum barrel that the St. Bernard wears around his neck in almost all depictions. It is a myth, says Benedikt Meyer. There were no such barrels.
Nevertheless, Barry the St. Bernard did exist and he was on the rescue mission. His monument stands on the Cimetrière des Chiens in Paris. The stuffed Barry can still be admired in the Natural History Museum in Bern.