Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia
Encyclopedia
Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia (10 January 1859 – 13 October 1909) (known as Francisco Ferrer y Guardia in Spanish
and often simply as Francisco Ferrer) was a Spanish
Catalan
free-thinker and anarchist
.
He was born in Alella
(a small town near Barcelona
) to Roman Catholic
parents. A follower of Spanish republican leader Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla
, Ferrer was exiled to Paris
with his wife and children in 1885. Divorcing in 1899, he remarried a wealthy Parisian teacher shortly thereafter.
In 1901 he returned to Spain and opened the Escuela Moderna
(The Modern School) to teach middle-class children (then) radical social values. In 1906 he was arrested on suspicion of involvement with Mateu Morral
's attack on King Alphonso XIII and released uncharged over a year later. His school failed and closed while he was incarcerated.
Early in the summer of 1908, after his release from jail, he wrote the story of the Modern School. The work was entitled The Origins and Ideals of the Modern School and was translated into English by Joseph McCabe
and published by the Knickerbocker Press in 1913.
Following the declaration of martial law in 1909 during the Tragic Week, he was arrested and executed without trial by firing squad at Montjuich Fortress
in Barcelona on 13 October.
Shortly after his execution, numerous supporters of Ferrer's ideas in the United States
formed what were called Modern Schools
, or Ferrer Schools, modeled after la Escuela Moderna. The first and most notable Modern School was formed in New York City
in 1911, and then later a community was founded around a school, known as Ferrer Colony and Modern School
.
In Anarchism and Other Essays, Emma Goldman
called Francesc Ferrer a "rebel" and said that "his spirit would rise in just indignation against the iron régime of his country..."
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and often simply as Francisco Ferrer) was a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Catalan
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
free-thinker and anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
.
He was born in Alella
Alella
Alella is a village in the comarca of Maresme inCatalunya, Spain. It is situated on the south-west side of the granite Litoral range, just by the sea. The town is known for...
(a small town near Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
) to Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
parents. A follower of Spanish republican leader Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla
Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla
Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla was a Spanish politician. He served as prime minister of Spain for a little over ten weeks in the summer of 1871, and again for eight months between June 1872 and February 1873....
, Ferrer was exiled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
with his wife and children in 1885. Divorcing in 1899, he remarried a wealthy Parisian teacher shortly thereafter.
In 1901 he returned to Spain and opened the Escuela Moderna
Escuela Moderna
La Escuela Moderna was a progressive school that existed briefly at the start of the 20th century in Catalonia ....
(The Modern School) to teach middle-class children (then) radical social values. In 1906 he was arrested on suspicion of involvement with Mateu Morral
Mateu Morral
Mateu Morral Roca was a Spanish anarchist, known for his assassination attempt on the lives of Alfonso XIII of Spain and his wife Victoria Eugenia .The son of a Barcelona textile merchant, Morral learned several languages, and traveled to Germany...
's attack on King Alphonso XIII and released uncharged over a year later. His school failed and closed while he was incarcerated.
Early in the summer of 1908, after his release from jail, he wrote the story of the Modern School. The work was entitled The Origins and Ideals of the Modern School and was translated into English by Joseph McCabe
Joseph McCabe
Joseph Martin McCabe was an English writer and speaker on freethought, after having been a Roman Catholic priest earlier in his life.-Early life:...
and published by the Knickerbocker Press in 1913.
Following the declaration of martial law in 1909 during the Tragic Week, he was arrested and executed without trial by firing squad at Montjuich Fortress
Montjuïc
Montjuïc is a hill located in Barcelona, Catalonia.-Etymology:Montjuïc is translated as 'Jew Hill' in medieval Catalan, or is perhaps related to the Latin phrase Mons Jovicus . The name is found in several locations in the Catalan Countries: the Catalan cities of Girona and Barcelona both have a...
in Barcelona on 13 October.
Shortly after his execution, numerous supporters of Ferrer's ideas in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
formed what were called Modern Schools
Modern School (United States)
The Modern Schools, also called Ferrer Schools, were United States schools, established in the early twentieth century, that were modeled after the Escuela Moderna of Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia, the Catalan educator and anarchist...
, or Ferrer Schools, modeled after la Escuela Moderna. The first and most notable Modern School was formed in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1911, and then later a community was founded around a school, known as Ferrer Colony and Modern School
Ferrer Colony and Modern School
The Ferrer Colony and the associated Ferrer Modern School was an anarchist intentional community founded in 1911 in New York City and moved to Piscataway Township, New Jersey in 1915. The Ferrer Modern School opened later. It lasted for more than 40 years before finally closing in 1953...
.
In Anarchism and Other Essays, Emma Goldman
Emma Goldman
Emma Goldman was an anarchist known for her political activism, writing and speeches. She played a pivotal role in the development of anarchist political philosophy in North America and Europe in the first half of the twentieth century....
called Francesc Ferrer a "rebel" and said that "his spirit would rise in just indignation against the iron régime of his country..."
External links
- Francisco Ferrer Collection
- Francisco Ferrer Page at the Daily Bleed's Anarchist Encyclopedia
- Fundació Ferrer i Guàrdia
- Francisco Ferrer articles at the Kate Sharpley Library
- Die Erfindung des Globalen Protests