Los Solidarios
Encyclopedia
Los Solidarios also known as Crisol (“Crucible”), was an Spanish
anarchist armed-struggle group founded in 1922 or 1923 in Barcelona
, as a reply to the dirty war
strategy used by the employers and government against trade unions.
by Durruti and local anarchists such as Ruiz, Aldabatrecu, Marcelino del Campo or Suberviola . The group was integrated by anarcho syndicalists, and it set up a network in order to buy and store guns, with which to attempt on members of the Sindicato Libre, (“Free Trade Union”), an employer-obeying organization. Los Solidarios are considered responsible for bank robberies, such as the Bank of Spain Robbery (September 1923), and for the murder of the Zaragoza cardinal Juan Soldevilla y Romero
(1923). After that, and pressured by the Primo de Rivera
dictatorship, Durruti, Francisco Ascaso
and other members fled to France
, and then to Latin America
, where they were charged with more robberies. They returned to Europe, settled down in France, and were charged with attempting on Alfonso XIII on a visit to Paris
, so they had to live clandestinely. They were expelled from France and settled down in Belgium
, where they were allowed to stay. With the advent of the Spanish Second Republic (1931), some of the members that had been able to return to Catalonia
decided to enter the Federación Anarquista Ibérica
(“Iberian Anarchist Federation”), as a group called Nosotros (“Us”), holding more radical points of view than those of the FAI itself. When the Spanish Civil War
broke out, the group dissolved as such, but they kept working inside the FAI.
Juan García Oliver, member of Los Solidarios, stated in a speech, whose recording has survived, that the members of the group, were the best working-class terrorists
, the ones with the best chance to strike back against the “white terrorism” directed towards workers by the employers, such as the murders of Salvador Seguí
and Francesc Layret
..
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...
anarchist armed-struggle group founded in 1922 or 1923 in 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...
, as a reply to the dirty war
Dirty War
The Dirty War was a period of state-sponsored violence in Argentina from 1976 until 1983. Victims of the violence included several thousand left-wing activists, including trade unionists, students, journalists, Marxists, Peronist guerrillas and alleged sympathizers, either proved or suspected...
strategy used by the employers and government against trade unions.
Los Solidarios
Los Solidarios was created as a successor of a previous group called Los Justicieros (“The Avengers”), created in San SebastianSan Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
by Durruti and local anarchists such as Ruiz, Aldabatrecu, Marcelino del Campo or Suberviola . The group was integrated by anarcho syndicalists, and it set up a network in order to buy and store guns, with which to attempt on members of the Sindicato Libre, (“Free Trade Union”), an employer-obeying organization. Los Solidarios are considered responsible for bank robberies, such as the Bank of Spain Robbery (September 1923), and for the murder of the Zaragoza cardinal Juan Soldevilla y Romero
Juan Soldevilla y Romero
Juan Soldevilla y Romero was a Spanish Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Zaragoza from 1901 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1919.-Biography:...
(1923). After that, and pressured by the Primo de Rivera
Primo de Rivera
Primo de Rivera is a Spanish family prominent in politics of the 19th and 20th centuries:*Fernando Primo de Rivera, Spanish politician and soldier, 1831-1921*Miguel Primo de Rivera , dictator of Spain from 23 September 1923 to 1930...
dictatorship, Durruti, Francisco Ascaso
Francisco Ascaso
Francisco Ascaso Abadía was a prominent Anarcho-syndicalist figure in Spain.A baker and waiter, Ascaso joined the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo and one of its armed groups, Los Justicieros...
and other members fled to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and then to Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, where they were charged with more robberies. They returned to Europe, settled down in France, and were charged with attempting on Alfonso XIII on a visit 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...
, so they had to live clandestinely. They were expelled from France and settled down in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, where they were allowed to stay. With the advent of the Spanish Second Republic (1931), some of the members that had been able to return to Catalonia
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...
decided to enter the 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...
(“Iberian Anarchist Federation”), as a group called Nosotros (“Us”), holding more radical points of view than those of the FAI itself. When 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...
broke out, the group dissolved as such, but they kept working inside the FAI.
Juan García Oliver, member of Los Solidarios, stated in a speech, whose recording has survived, that the members of the group, were the best working-class terrorists
Propaganda of the deed
Propaganda of the deed is a concept that refers to specific political actions meant to be exemplary to others...
, the ones with the best chance to strike back against the “white terrorism” directed towards workers by the employers, such as the murders of Salvador Seguí
Salvador Seguí
Salvador Seguí , known as El noi del sucre for his habit of eating the sugar cubes served him with his coffee, was a Catalan anarcho-syndicalist in the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo , a Spanish confederation of anarcho-syndicalist labor unions active in Catalonia.Together with Ángel Pestaña,...
and Francesc Layret
Francesc Layret
Francesc Layret i Foix was a nationalist and republican Catalan politician and lawyer. He was assassinated in 1920 following the mass detention of several of his colleagues and other left-wing politicians and union leaders.Layret was a democrat, republican, Catalan nationalist and defender of...
..
Members
Some of the members of “Los Solidarios” were- Juan García OliverJuan García OliverJuan García Oliver was a Spanish Anarcho-syndicalist revolutionary, and a leading figure of Anarchism in Spain....
- Buenaventura DurrutiBuenaventura DurrutiJosé Buenaventura Durruti Dumange was a central figure of Spanish anarchism during the period leading up to and including the Spanish Civil War.-Early life:...
- Francisco AscasoFrancisco AscasoFrancisco Ascaso Abadía was a prominent Anarcho-syndicalist figure in Spain.A baker and waiter, Ascaso joined the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo and one of its armed groups, Los Justicieros...
- Antonio Ortiz Ramírez
- Ramona Berri
- Gregorio Jover
- Antonio Martín Escudero
- Miguel García VivancosMiguel García VivancosMiguel García Vivancos was a Spanish Naïve painter and anarchist....
- Pepita Not
- Rafael Torres Escartín
- Ricardo Sanz