Joan Peiró
Encyclopedia
Joan Peiró i Belis was a Catalan
anarchist
activist, writer, editor of the anarchist newspaper Solidaridad Obrera
, two-time Secretary General of the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo
(National Confederation of Labor, CNT) and Minister of Industry of the Spanish government
during the Spanish Civil War
.
neighborhood of Barcelona, Peiró spent a large portion of his life in Mataró
, just outside of Barcelona, where he worked as a glass worker all his life in the cooperative
glass factory Cristalleries de Mataró .
Contrary to most anarchists' principles, in 1930, during the reign of Alfonso XIII of Spain, Peiró signed the "Manifesto of the Catalan Intelligentsia", which called for the establishment of a republic. A short time later, Peiró was stripped of his position of speaking for the CNT at a rally in Barcelona, but Peiró announced that he had removed his signature from the manifesto, and held his faith in anarcho-syndicalism
. Later, in 1931, Peiró signed Ángel Pestaña
's Manifiesto de los Treinta ("Manifesto of the Thirty"), which was critical of the more radical Federación Anarquista Ibérica
influence on the CNT, which would have him temporarily removed from the CNT.
On November 4, 1936, Peiró, and three other members of the CNT leadership, were appointed to ministerial positions in the Spanish government by Largo Caballero. In 1937, he drafted a piece of legislation that would have collectivized
all of Spain's industries, but after several redrafts, the final legislation provided virtually nothing of the original intent. Peiró was removed from his position on May 17, 1937, but returned to the government under Juan Negrín
as Commissioner of Electricity.
Following the fall of the republic in 1939, Peiró fled to France, where he was turned over to Nazi Germany by the Vichy Regime in France
, and was executed, after being turned over to the Franco government in Spain.
In 2002, on the 60th anniversary of Peiró's death, a group in Mataró organized a celebration in honor of Peiró. The celebration took place at the cemetery in Mataró where Peiró's body lies, and was attended by his daughter Guillermina Peiró, the secretary of communication of the Confederación General del Trabajo (General Confederation of Labor, CGT), Jordí Martí, as well as the Mayor of Mataró, Manuel Mas. A red and black flag was laid on Peiró's tomb, while the anthem of the CNT, To the Barricades
was sung.
Peiró's son Josep, like his father, went on to be a leader of the CNT in exile, after having fought in the Civil War as part of the Ascaso Column.
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...
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...
activist, writer, editor of the anarchist newspaper Solidaridad Obrera
Solidaridad Obrera (periodical)
Solidaridad Obrera is a newspaper, published by the Catalonian/Balearic regional section of the anarchist labor union Confederación Nacional del Trabajo , and mouthpiece of the CNT in Spain....
, two-time Secretary General of the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo
Confederación Nacional del Trabajo
The Confederación Nacional del Trabajo is a Spanish confederation of anarcho-syndicalist labor unions affiliated with the International Workers Association . When working with the latter group it is also known as CNT-AIT...
(National Confederation of Labor, CNT) and Minister of Industry of the Spanish government
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.
Life
Though he was born in the SantsSants
Sants is a neighborhood in the southern part of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Formerly an industrial town on the plain bordering Barcelona, known as Santa Maria de Sants, it belongs nowadays to the district of Sants-Montjuïc and is bordered by the districts of Eixample to the northeast, Les Corts to...
neighborhood of Barcelona, Peiró spent a large portion of his life in Mataró
Mataró
Mataró is the capital and largest city of the comarca of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia Autonomous Community, Spain. It is located on the Costa del Maresme, to the south of Costa Brava, between Cabrera de Mar and Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, to the north-east of Barcelona. , it...
, just outside of Barcelona, where he worked as a glass worker all his life in the cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
glass factory Cristalleries de Mataró .
Contrary to most anarchists' principles, in 1930, during the reign of Alfonso XIII of Spain, Peiró signed the "Manifesto of the Catalan Intelligentsia", which called for the establishment of a republic. A short time later, Peiró was stripped of his position of speaking for the CNT at a rally in Barcelona, but Peiró announced that he had removed his signature from the manifesto, and held his faith in anarcho-syndicalism
Anarcho-syndicalism
Anarcho-syndicalism is a branch of anarchism which focuses on the labour movement. The word syndicalism comes from the French word syndicat which means trade union , from the Latin word syndicus which in turn comes from the Greek word σύνδικος which means caretaker of an issue...
. Later, in 1931, Peiró signed Ángel Pestaña
Ángel Pestaña
Ángel Pestaña Nuñez was a Spanish Anarcho-syndicalist and later Syndicalist leader.-Early life:...
's Manifiesto de los Treinta ("Manifesto of the Thirty"), which was critical of the more radical Federación Anarquista Ibérica
Federación Anarquista Ibérica
The Federación Anarquista Ibérica is a Spanish organization of anarchist militants active within affinity groups inside the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo trade union. It is often abbreviated as CNT-FAI because of the close relationship between the two organizations...
influence on the CNT, which would have him temporarily removed from the CNT.
On November 4, 1936, Peiró, and three other members of the CNT leadership, were appointed to ministerial positions in the Spanish government by Largo Caballero. In 1937, he drafted a piece of legislation that would have collectivized
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
all of Spain's industries, but after several redrafts, the final legislation provided virtually nothing of the original intent. Peiró was removed from his position on May 17, 1937, but returned to the government under Juan Negrín
Juan Negrín
Juan Negrín y López was a Spanish politician and physician.-Early years:Born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Negrín came from a religious middle-class family...
as Commissioner of Electricity.
Following the fall of the republic in 1939, Peiró fled to France, where he was turned over to Nazi Germany by the Vichy Regime in France
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
, and was executed, after being turned over to the Franco government in Spain.
Legacy
In Barcelona, a plaza adjacent to the main transportation terminal was named for Peiró.In 2002, on the 60th anniversary of Peiró's death, a group in Mataró organized a celebration in honor of Peiró. The celebration took place at the cemetery in Mataró where Peiró's body lies, and was attended by his daughter Guillermina Peiró, the secretary of communication of the Confederación General del Trabajo (General Confederation of Labor, CGT), Jordí Martí, as well as the Mayor of Mataró, Manuel Mas. A red and black flag was laid on Peiró's tomb, while the anthem of the CNT, To the Barricades
To The Barricades
A las Barricadas was one of the most popular songs of the Spanish anarchists during the Spanish Civil War. A las Barricadas is sung to the tune of Warszawianka 1905...
was sung.
Peiró's son Josep, like his father, went on to be a leader of the CNT in exile, after having fought in the Civil War as part of the Ascaso Column.
Written works
- Trayectoria de la Confederación Nacional del Trabajo.
- Ideas sobre Sindicalismo y Anarquismo.
- Perill a la reraguarda.
- Problemas y cintarazos.
- Problemas del sindicalismo y del Anarquismo.
Sources
- Bolloten, Burnett (1991). The Spanish Civil War: Revolution and Counterrevolution, UNC Press, ISBN 0807819069.
- Casanova, Julián (2005). Anarchism, the Republic and Civil War in Spain: 1931-1939 , Routledge, ISBN 041532095X.
- Christie, StuartStuart ChristieStuart Christie is a Scottish anarchist writer and publisher. Christie is best known for being arrested as an 18-year old while carrying explosives to assassinate the Spanish dictator General Franco. He was later alleged to be a member of the Angry Brigade, but was acquitted of related charges...
(2000). We, the Anarchists!: A Study of the Iberian Anarchist Federation (FAI), 1927-37, Christie Books, ISBN 1901172058. - Paz, AbelAbel PazAbel Paz was a Spanish anarchist, former combatant and historian.Abel Paz was the pen name of Diego Camacho. He was born in Almería in 1921, and moved with his family to Barcelona in 1929...
(2007). Durruti in the Spanish Revolution, Oakland, AK PressAK PressAK Press is a worker-managed independent publisher and book distributor that specialises in radical left and anarchist literature. It is collectively owned and operated.-History:...
, ISBN 190485950X. - Radosh, Ronald; Habeck, Mary R. (2001). Spain Betrayed: The Soviet Union in the Spanish Civil War , Yale University Press, ISBN 0300089813.