Ramiro de Maeztu
Encyclopedia
Ramiro de Maeztu y Whitney (May 4, 1875 - October 29, 1936) was a Spanish
political theorist, journalist, literary critic, occasional diplomat and member of the Generation of '98
.
Maeztu was born to a Basque
father and an English mother in Vitoria, the capital of Alava
province, on May 4, 1875.
He was among the young Spanish intellectuals deeply affected by their country's humiliating defeat in Spanish-American War
of 1898, along with José Martínez Ruiz
("Azorín"), Pío Baroja
and others forming the literary Generation of '98
. His first collection of essays was published in 1898 under the name "Hacia otra España" ("Towards a Different Spain").
An early advocate of Socialism
, he became disillusioned by the Great War while serving as the London correspondent for several Spanish newspapers, traveling in France and Germany.
After returning to Spain, Maeztu rejected many of his radical friends and argued that human reason alone was not enough to solve social problems, and argued for the importance of strong authority and tradition rooted in the Roman Catholic Church
. These ideas were embodied in his 1916 book, Authority, Liberty, and Function in the Light of the War, first published in English, and later in Spanish as La crisis del humanismo (1919).
Maeztu became one of the most prominent defenders of the regime of Miguel Primo de Rivera
, and called for Spain to "recover its 16th-century sense of Roman Catholic mission." In 1926 his insightful literary essays were published in Don Quijote, Don Juan y La Celestina, and in 1928 he served as Spanish ambassador to Argentina
.
Along with Pedro Sainz Rodríguez
and others, Maeztu founded the right-wing, monarchist Acción Española
movement in 1931. In 1934, his final published book was written, Defensa de la hispanidad ("In Defense of Spanishness"), advocating "a return to pure Spanishness" and strongly condemning Liberalism and the French Revolution
's slogan "Liberté, égalité, fraternité
".
On October 29, 1936, Maeztu was shot by Republican
soldiers in the early days of the Spanish Civil War
while near Madrid
.
His younger sister was the Spanish
educator and feminist, María de Maeztu
who founded the Residencia de Señoritas and the Lyceum Club in Madrid
, and his younger brother was the painter Gustavo de Maeztu who has a museum named for him in the Palace of the Kings of Navarre in Estella
, Spain
.
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...
political theorist, journalist, literary critic, occasional diplomat and member of the Generation of '98
Generation of '98
The Generation of '98 was a group of novelists, poets, essayists, and philosophers active in Spain at the time of the Spanish-American War ....
.
Maeztu was born to a Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
father and an English mother in Vitoria, the capital of Alava
Álava
Álava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
province, on May 4, 1875.
He was among the young Spanish intellectuals deeply affected by their country's humiliating defeat in Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
of 1898, along with José Martínez Ruiz
José Martínez Ruiz
José Augusto Trinidad Martínez Ruíz, also known as Azorín , was a Spanish writer and literary critic.-Early life and education:Martínez Ruiz was born in Monovar, Alicante in 1873...
("Azorín"), Pío Baroja
Pío Baroja
Pío Baroja y Nessi was a Spanish Basque writer, one of the key novelists of the Generation of '98. He was a member of an illustrious family, his brother Ricardo was a painter, writer and engraver, and his nephew Julio Caro Baroja, son of his younger sister Carmen, was a well known...
and others forming the literary Generation of '98
Generation of '98
The Generation of '98 was a group of novelists, poets, essayists, and philosophers active in Spain at the time of the Spanish-American War ....
. His first collection of essays was published in 1898 under the name "Hacia otra España" ("Towards a Different Spain").
An early advocate of Socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, he became disillusioned by the Great War while serving as the London correspondent for several Spanish newspapers, traveling in France and Germany.
After returning to Spain, Maeztu rejected many of his radical friends and argued that human reason alone was not enough to solve social problems, and argued for the importance of strong authority and tradition rooted in the Roman Catholic Church
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...
. These ideas were embodied in his 1916 book, Authority, Liberty, and Function in the Light of the War, first published in English, and later in Spanish as La crisis del humanismo (1919).
Maeztu became one of the most prominent defenders of the regime of Miguel Primo de Rivera
Miguel Primo de Rivera
Miguel Primo de Rivera y Orbaneja, 2nd Marquis of Estella, 22nd Count of Sobremonte, Knight of Calatrava was a Spanish dictator, aristocrat, and a military official who was appointed Prime Minister by the King and who for seven years was a dictator, ending the turno system of alternating...
, and called for Spain to "recover its 16th-century sense of Roman Catholic mission." In 1926 his insightful literary essays were published in Don Quijote, Don Juan y La Celestina, and in 1928 he served as Spanish ambassador to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
Along with Pedro Sainz Rodríguez
Pedro Sainz Rodríguez
Pedro Sainz Carlos Rodríguez was a Spanish writer, philologist, publisher and politician, an adviser to Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona and one of the main architects of the reign of Juan Carlos I of Spain and the Spanish transition to democracy...
and others, Maeztu founded the right-wing, monarchist Acción Española
Acción Española
Acción Española or AE was a Spanish far right Alfonsist monarchist organisation active before and during the Spanish Civil War, and a political magazine of the same name, published by the former...
movement in 1931. In 1934, his final published book was written, Defensa de la hispanidad ("In Defense of Spanishness"), advocating "a return to pure Spanishness" and strongly condemning Liberalism and the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
's slogan "Liberté, égalité, fraternité
Liberté, égalité, fraternité
Liberté, égalité, fraternité, French for "Liberty, equality, fraternity ", is the national motto of France, and is a typical example of a tripartite motto. Although it finds its origins in the French Revolution, it was then only one motto among others and was not institutionalized until the Third...
".
On October 29, 1936, Maeztu was shot by Republican
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....
soldiers in the early days of 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...
while near Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
.
His younger sister was the Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
educator and feminist, María de Maeztu
Maria de Maeztu Whitney
María de Maeztu Whitney was a Spanish educator, feminist, founder of the Residencia de Señoritas and the Lyceum Club in Madrid. She was sister of the writer, journalist and occasional diplomat, Ramiro de Maeztu and the painter Gustavo de Maeztu...
who founded the Residencia de Señoritas and the Lyceum Club in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, and his younger brother was the painter Gustavo de Maeztu who has a museum named for him in the Palace of the Kings of Navarre in Estella
Estella
Estella may refer to:*a female given name, variant of Estelle*Estella Havisham, a character in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations*Estella-Lizarra, Navarre, Spain*Estella, New South Wales, Australia...
, Spain
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...
.