Valeriano Orobón Fernández
Encyclopedia
Valeriano Orobón Fernánez (1901-1936) was a Spanish
anarcho-syndicalist theoretician, trade-union activist, translator and poet, who wrote the lyrics of the revolutionary song A Las Barricadas.
Born in Cistérniga
, Valladolid Province
, Orobón was active in labour movement
struggles from an early age. An intellectual with a facility for languages, he translated the biography of the well-known German
anarchist
Max Nettlau
written by Rudolf Rocker
.
In between theoretical writings, Orobón was deeply involved in efforts to form a revolutionary alliance to stem the rising tide of Fascism
and to prepare the way towards revolution
. For the post-revolutionary period, in his mind the labor unions were to have a major role in re-organising society on the basis of economic and political decentralism
.
He affrimed that Anarcho-syndicalism was the more important revolutionary force in Spain, rejecting Communist
concepts that he considered etatist. He opposed the spread of such tendencies in the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo
(CNT), at the time the largest labour union and main Anarchist organization in Spain
.
The CNT was prominent in combating the coup d'état
by General Francisco Franco that led to the Spanish Civil War
in 1936. It was at that time, shortly before his death, that Orobón wrote the words of To The Barricades
, to the tune of Warszawianka 1905 roku - itself a well-known Polish revolutionary song. With words exhorting workers to fight the Fascist enemy, the song became the anthem
of the CNT and one of the most popular songs of the Spanish anarchists during the Civil War.
He died soon after in Madrid
.
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...
anarcho-syndicalist theoretician, trade-union activist, translator and poet, who wrote the lyrics of the revolutionary song A Las Barricadas.
Born in Cistérniga
Cistérniga
Cistérniga is a municipality located in the province of Valladolid, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 5,359 inhabitants....
, Valladolid Province
Valladolid (province)
Valladolid is a province of central/northwest Spain, in the central part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered by the provinces of Zamora, León, Palencia, Burgos, Segovia, Ávila, and Salamanca....
, Orobón was active in labour movement
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
struggles from an early age. An intellectual with a facility for languages, he translated the biography of the well-known German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
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...
Max Nettlau
Max Nettlau
Max Heinrich Hermann Reinhardt Nettlau was a German anarchist and historian. Although born in Neuwaldegg and raised in Vienna he retained his Prussian nationality throughout his life. A student of the Welsh language he spent time in London where he joined the Socialist League where he met...
written by Rudolf Rocker
Rudolf Rocker
Johann Rudolf Rocker was an anarcho-syndicalist writer and activist. A self-professed anarchist without adjectives, Rocker believed that anarchist schools of thought represented "only different methods of economy" and that the first objective for anarchists was "to secure the personal and social...
.
In between theoretical writings, Orobón was deeply involved in efforts to form a revolutionary alliance to stem the rising tide of Fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
and to prepare the way towards revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
. For the post-revolutionary period, in his mind the labor unions were to have a major role in re-organising society on the basis of economic and political decentralism
Decentralization
__FORCETOC__Decentralization or decentralisation is the process of dispersing decision-making governance closer to the people and/or citizens. It includes the dispersal of administration or governance in sectors or areas like engineering, management science, political science, political economy,...
.
He affrimed that Anarcho-syndicalism was the more important revolutionary force in Spain, rejecting Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
concepts that he considered etatist. He opposed the spread of such tendencies in 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...
(CNT), at the time the largest labour union and main Anarchist organization in Spain
Anarchism in Spain
Anarchism has historically gained more support and influence in Spain than anywhere else, especially before Francisco Franco's victory in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939....
.
The CNT was prominent in combating the coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
by General Francisco Franco that led to 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...
in 1936. It was at that time, shortly before his death, that Orobón wrote the words of 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...
, to the tune of Warszawianka 1905 roku - itself a well-known Polish revolutionary song. With words exhorting workers to fight the Fascist enemy, the song became the anthem
Anthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
of the CNT and one of the most popular songs of the Spanish anarchists during the Civil War.
He died soon after 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...
.
External links
- Jose Luis Gutiérrez Molina, "The thought and the action of Valeriano Orobón Fernandez" in issue 14 of the magazine Bicel (published by the Fundación de Estudios Libertarios Anselmo Lorenzo)
- "Valeriano Orobón Fernandez, an anarchist from Valladolid" Biography in Spanish