Francisco Ascaso
Encyclopedia
Francisco Ascaso Abadía (Almudévar
April 1, 1901 – Barcelona
July 20, 1936) was a prominent Anarcho-syndicalist
figure in Spain
.
A baker and waiter, Ascaso joined the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo
(CNT) and one of its armed groups, Los Justicieros. He left for Barcelona in 1922, where the group came to be known as Los Solidarios
, integrating anarchist figures such as Buenaventura Durruti
, Juan García Oliver
, Antonio Ortiz and Gregorio Jover. They became active in reprisals against thugs hired by businesses against trade unionists, and they carried out several attacks on banks.
In 1923, on the wake of Miguel Primo de Rivera
's dictatorship, Ascaso fled to France
alongside several of his comrades. Received with hostility by the French authorities, he and Durruti left for Latin America
, where they became active in violence carried out by the Argentine
Anarchists. Their return to France saw them arrested on the charge of having plotted an assassination
attempt on Alfonso XIII of Spain
during the latter's visit to Paris
. Lack of evidence prevented their conviction, but they were expelled from the country and denied future residency in other places (including Belgium
, Germany
, and Sweden
). Ascaso nonetheless continued to live in France as a clandestine.
Immediately after the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic
in 1931, he returned to Spain and founded the revolutionary group Nosotros, one more radical than the Federación Anarquista Ibérica
(FAI). He took part in anarchist insurrections that marked the first years of the Republic, and in 1932 was detained and deported in Bata
, on the coast of Río Muni
, and then to the Canary Islands
. He did however reemerge in Seville
the very next year, only to be detained yet again. In 1934 he became regional general secretary of the CNT.
He died in the Spanish Civil War
, on the first day of conflict in Barcelona
, during the bloody fighting over the Atarazanas barracks. Soon after, a column of the anarchist militia was named for him, the Francisco Ascaso Column.
Almudévar
Almudévar is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 2,377 inhabitants....
April 1, 1901 – 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...
July 20, 1936) was a prominent Anarcho-syndicalist
Anarcho-syndicalism
Anarcho-syndicalism is a branch of anarchism which focuses on the labour movement. The word syndicalism comes from the French word syndicat which means trade union , from the Latin word syndicus which in turn comes from the Greek word σύνδικος which means caretaker of an issue...
figure in 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...
.
A baker and waiter, Ascaso joined 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) and one of its armed groups, Los Justicieros. He left for Barcelona in 1922, where the group came to be known as Los Solidarios
Los Solidarios
Los Solidarios , also known as Crisol , 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....
, integrating anarchist figures such as Buenaventura Durruti
Buenaventura Durruti
José Buenaventura Durruti Dumange was a central figure of Spanish anarchism during the period leading up to and including the Spanish Civil War.-Early life:...
, Juan García Oliver
Juan García Oliver
Juan García Oliver was a Spanish Anarcho-syndicalist revolutionary, and a leading figure of Anarchism in Spain....
, Antonio Ortiz and Gregorio Jover. They became active in reprisals against thugs hired by businesses against trade unionists, and they carried out several attacks on banks.
In 1923, on the wake 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...
's dictatorship, Ascaso 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...
alongside several of his comrades. Received with hostility by the French authorities, he and Durruti left for 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 became active in violence carried out by the Argentine
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...
Anarchists. Their return to France saw them arrested on the charge of having plotted an assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
attempt on Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
during the latter's 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...
. Lack of evidence prevented their conviction, but they were expelled from the country and denied future residency in other places (including 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...
, Germany
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...
, and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
). Ascaso nonetheless continued to live in France as a clandestine.
Immediately after the proclamation of 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....
in 1931, he returned to Spain and founded the revolutionary group Nosotros, one more radical than 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). He took part in anarchist insurrections that marked the first years of the Republic, and in 1932 was detained and deported in Bata
Bata, Equatorial Guinea
Bata is a port city in the Litoral Province of Equatorial Guinea. With a 2005 estimated population of 173,046, it is the largest city in Equatorial Guinea. It lies on the Atlantic Ocean coast of Río Muni....
, on the coast of Río Muni
Río Muni
Río Muni is the Continental Region of Equatorial Guinea, and comprises the mainland geographical region, covering 26,017 km².-History:Río Muni was ceded by Portugal to Spain in 1778 in the Treaty of El Pardo...
, and then to the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
. He did however reemerge in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
the very next year, only to be detained yet again. In 1934 he became regional general secretary of the CNT.
He died in 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...
, on the first day of conflict 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...
, during the bloody fighting over the Atarazanas barracks. Soon after, a column of the anarchist militia was named for him, the Francisco Ascaso Column.
See also
- Anarchism in SpainAnarchism in SpainAnarchism 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....