Cipriano Mera
Encyclopedia
Cipriano Mera Sanz was a Spanish
military and political figure during the Second Spanish Republic
.
movement and presided over the construction union of Madrid of the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo
(CNT). During the congress celebrated in Zaragoza
three months before the beginning of the Spanish Revolution
, he was in favor of the most radical, collaborating sectors of the Federación Anarquista Ibérica
(FAI). Mera led a strike of construction workers, electricians, and elevator operators in Madrid
in June 1936. As a result, he was imprisoned in early July.
exploded he was released, and led a column that put down the uprising in Guadalajara, Alcalá de Henares
and Cuenca. Next, he defended the dams of Lozoya
, which supplied Madrid, and fought in the mountain ranges of Ávila and the valley of the Tiétar
. He was given command of the 14ª Division and it acted in the defense of Madrid
, the Battle of Guadalajara
(March 1937) and in the battle of Brunete
(July 1937). He replaced Juan Perea Capulino in command of the IV Army Corps of the Center. In April 1938 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
refused to surrender to Francisco Franco
, Mera decided to support Segismundo Casado
, commander of the Republican Army of the Center, and Julián Besteiro
of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
to stage a coup d'etat
and establish an anti-Negrin, anti-Communist Junta de Defensa Nacional. In March 1939 he joined the rising
of Casado to accelerate the end of the war and to restrain Communist Party of Spain control of the Republican zone. His forces were fundamental in the victory of Casado in Madrid against the 1st Corps of the Army of the Center sent to defeat the rising.
at the end of the war and soon by plane went to Oran
and Casablanca
, but he was extradited to Spain in February 1942. In 1943 he was condemned to death, a sentence that was exchanged for 30 years in prison, but he was set free in 1946. In 1947, he emigrated to Paris, where he worked as a bricklayer until his death in St. Cloud, France in 1975.
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...
military and political figure during the Second Spanish Republic
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....
.
Early life
A bricklayer, he joined the anarchistAnarchism
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...
movement and presided over the construction union of Madrid 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...
(CNT). During the congress celebrated in Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
three months before the beginning of the Spanish Revolution
Spanish Revolution
The Spanish Revolution was a workers' social revolution that began during the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 and resulted in the widespread implementation of anarchist and more broadly libertarian socialist organizational principles throughout various portions of the country for two to...
, he was in favor of the most radical, collaborating sectors of 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...
(FAI). Mera led a strike of construction workers, electricians, and elevator operators 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...
in June 1936. As a result, he was imprisoned in early July.
Spanish Civil War
When the Spanish Civil WarSpanish 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...
exploded he was released, and led a column that put down the uprising in Guadalajara, Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares , meaning Citadel on the river Henares, is a Spanish city, whose historical centre is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, and one of the first bishoprics founded in Spain...
and Cuenca. Next, he defended the dams of Lozoya
Lozoya
Lozoya is a municipality of the Community of Madrid, Spain....
, which supplied Madrid, and fought in the mountain ranges of Ávila and the valley of the Tiétar
Tiétar
Tiétar is a river of Spain. It is a tributary of the Tagus. Its source is in the Sierra de Gredos mountain range and has a length of 170km. It flows into the Tagus at Monfragüe.-External links:*...
. He was given command of the 14ª Division and it acted in the defense of Madrid
Siege of Madrid (1936-39)
The Siege of Madrid was a three-year siege of the Spanish capital city of Madrid, during the Spanish Civil War of 1936 to 1939. Madrid was held by various forces loyal to the Second Spanish Republic and was besieged by Spanish Nationalist and allied troops under Francisco Franco...
, the Battle of Guadalajara
Battle of Guadalajara
The Battle of Guadalajara saw the Republican People's Army defeat Italian and Nationalist forces attempting to encircle Madrid during the Spanish Civil War...
(March 1937) and in the battle of Brunete
Battle of Brunete
The Battle of Brunete , fought 15 miles west of Madrid, was a Republican attempt to alleviate the pressure exerted by the Nationalists on the capital and on the north during the Spanish Civil War...
(July 1937). He replaced Juan Perea Capulino in command of the IV Army Corps of the Center. In April 1938 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
The end of the war
By 1939 Mera was convinced that the Republicans would be defeated. When Juan NegrínJuan 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...
refused to surrender to Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
, Mera decided to support Segismundo Casado
Segismundo Casado
Segismundo Casado López was a Spanish Army officer in the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War.-Early life:...
, commander of the Republican Army of the Center, and Julián Besteiro
Julián Besteiro
Julián Besteiro Fernández was a Spanish socialist politician and university professor.-Early life:...
of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
to stage a coup d'etat
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...
and establish an anti-Negrin, anti-Communist Junta de Defensa Nacional. In March 1939 he joined the rising
Final offensive of the Spanish Civil War
The Final offensive of the Spanish Civil War took place between the 26th of March and the 1st of April 1939, towards the end of the Spanish Civil War...
of Casado to accelerate the end of the war and to restrain Communist Party of Spain control of the Republican zone. His forces were fundamental in the victory of Casado in Madrid against the 1st Corps of the Army of the Center sent to defeat the rising.
Exile and death
He marched to ValenciaValencia (city in Spain)
Valencia or València is the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third largest city in Spain, with a population of 809,267 in 2010. It is the 15th-most populous municipality in the European Union...
at the end of the war and soon by plane went to Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
and Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
, but he was extradited to Spain in February 1942. In 1943 he was condemned to death, a sentence that was exchanged for 30 years in prison, but he was set free in 1946. In 1947, he emigrated to Paris, where he worked as a bricklayer until his death in St. Cloud, France in 1975.
Sources
- Preston, Paul. The Spanish Civil War. Reaction, revolution & revenge. Harper Perennial. London, 2006.
External links
- Cipriano Mera Page from the Anarchist Encyclopedia
- A video of his funeral in Paris
- Cipriano Mera: Portrait of a Battler by Julián Vadillo Muñoz