Augusto Pérez Garmendia
Encyclopedia
Augusto Perez Garmendia was a Spanish
soldier, Chief of the General Staff who was in San Sebastián
at the time of the coup d'état of 1936 that gave rise to the Spanish Civil War
, although its official post was Oviedo
. After soliciting to return to its position in Asturias when knowing the blow, the Civil Governor of Guipuzcoa begged that he remain in the Basque Country then lacking sufficient professional soldiers loyal to the Republic. With a lack of ammunition and arms in San Sebastián, on July 21 he organized an expedition with 60 vehicles to Vitoria, where Lieutenant Colonel Camilo Alonso Vega had revolted, to defeat the rebels and to supply themselves, while he took command of another column under colonel Joaquin Vidal Munárriz from Vizcaya
. He hoped to be able to count on units of artillery and engineers to join the expedition but which revolted in the quarters of Loyola under Lieutenant Colonel Jose Vallespín Cobián. After gathering a column of infantry in Mondragón
, and with the news of the revolt of Loyola and the problems of San Sebastián where the forces of Vallespín had become strong, he went to Éibar
to rearm and gather more volunteers and to return to San Sebastián. Loyal forces of the republican government organized a new expedition to Vitoria from Bilbao. Garmendia entered San Sebastián on July 22, restoring order on the 23rd after seizing the buildings occupied by the insurrectionists. Afterward, the column went to the front in Oiartzun
, where Garmendia was wounded and captured on July 28, and transferred to Pamplona
in where he died days later as a result of gangrene from his untreated wounds.
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....
soldier, Chief of the General Staff who was in San Sebastián
San 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...
at the time of the coup d'état of 1936 that gave rise 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...
, although its official post was Oviedo
Oviedo
Oviedo is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city....
. After soliciting to return to its position in Asturias when knowing the blow, the Civil Governor of Guipuzcoa begged that he remain in the Basque Country then lacking sufficient professional soldiers loyal to the Republic. With a lack of ammunition and arms in San Sebastián, on July 21 he organized an expedition with 60 vehicles to Vitoria, where Lieutenant Colonel Camilo Alonso Vega had revolted, to defeat the rebels and to supply themselves, while he took command of another column under colonel Joaquin Vidal Munárriz from Vizcaya
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
. He hoped to be able to count on units of artillery and engineers to join the expedition but which revolted in the quarters of Loyola under Lieutenant Colonel Jose Vallespín Cobián. After gathering a column of infantry in Mondragón
Mondragón
Arrasate or Mondragón - is a town and municipality in Gipuzkoa province, Basque Country, Spain...
, and with the news of the revolt of Loyola and the problems of San Sebastián where the forces of Vallespín had become strong, he went to Éibar
Éibar
Eibar is a city and municipality within the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country of Spain. The city was chartered by Alfonso XI of Castile in 1346...
to rearm and gather more volunteers and to return to San Sebastián. Loyal forces of the republican government organized a new expedition to Vitoria from Bilbao. Garmendia entered San Sebastián on July 22, restoring order on the 23rd after seizing the buildings occupied by the insurrectionists. Afterward, the column went to the front in Oiartzun
Oiartzun
Oiartzun is a town of the Basque Country located in the province of Gipuzkoa lying at the foot of the massif Aiako Harria.The name traces back to the Oiasso or Oiarso of the Roman period, an important town dedicated to mining and marine activities...
, where Garmendia was wounded and captured on July 28, and transferred to Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
in where he died days later as a result of gangrene from his untreated wounds.
Sources
- Enciclopedia Bernardo Estornés Lasa
- Romero, Eladi, Itinerarios de la Guerra Civil española : guía del viajero curioso, Barcelona : Laertes, 2001 , 600 p.
- Barruso, Pedro, Verano y revolución. La guerra civil en Gipuzkoa' (julio-septiembre de 1936), Edita: Haramburu Editor. San Sebastián, 1996.