Hildegart Rodríguez Carballeira
Encyclopedia
Hildegart Rodríguez Carballeira (born December 9, 1914 in Madrid
, died June 9, 1931 in Madrid
) was an activist for socialism
and sexual revolution
, born and raised by her mother as a model for the woman of the future. She spoke 6 languages when eight years old, finished Law School at 17 and was a leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
and afterward of the Federal Party
. By the time she became internationally known, her mother shot her to death.
, where Hildegart was born. Aurora set a clock to wake her up every hour so that she changed position and blood irrigated the fetus uniformly.
Her birth certificate and baptism act says: Hildegart Leocadia Georgina Hermenegilda Maria del Pilar Rodriguez Carballeira, but she only used her first name. In spite of Aurora's atheism
and opposition to birth registration, she baptised (late) the girl on 23 March and registered on 29 April. Her mother used to explain that Hildegart meant "Garden of Wisdom" in German, but there's no basis to that, the name was either an invention or the misspelled German name Hildegard
(Heroic virgin, who gives shelter in war).
According to later research by Rosa Cal, her father was a brilliant military chaplain
, Alberto Payás.
In June 1928, at age 13½, Hildegart enrolled in the School of Law of the Complutense University of Madrid
. She later gave lessons at its School of Philosophy during the Second Spanish Republic
.
.
She was connected to the European vanguard, corresponding with Havelock Ellis
, whom she translated, and Margaret Sanger
.
In the foundation of the Spanish League for the Sexual Reform, presided by Dr Gregorio Marañón
, she was chosen secretary without opposition.
She had correspondence with many other European personalities, accompanying Herbert George Wells in his visit to Madrid, but rejecting his offer to go to London as his secretary.
This offer by Wells, who wanted her to develop fully out of the influence of her mother, furthered the persecution ideas of Aurora.
, threatened suicide. Aurora's explanation was that "the sculptor, after discovering a minimal imperfection in his work, destroys it." She shot her daughter twice in the head and twice in the heart.
Rightists considered Aurora a murderer, while leftists considered her a mad woman. She was sentenced to 26 years, but was later transferred to a mental institution in Ciempozuelos
, Madrid, where she died.
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...
, died June 9, 1931 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...
) was an activist for 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,...
and sexual revolution
Sexual revolution
The sexual revolution was a social movement that challenged traditional codes of behavior related to sexuality and interpersonal relationships throughout the Western world from the 1960s into the 1980s...
, born and raised by her mother as a model for the woman of the future. She spoke 6 languages when eight years old, finished Law School at 17 and was a leader 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...
and afterward of the Federal Party
Federal Party
Federal Party may refer to:* New York Federalist Party * Federal Party * Historical Federales * Federal Party * Federal Party -See also:* Federalist Party, United States...
. By the time she became internationally known, her mother shot her to death.
Childhood
Hildegart was conceived in Ferrol by Aurora Rodríguez Carballeira and an undisclosed biological father chosen by her mother with eugenesical intentions. When she was sure she was pregnant, she moved to MadridMadrid
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...
, where Hildegart was born. Aurora set a clock to wake her up every hour so that she changed position and blood irrigated the fetus uniformly.
Her birth certificate and baptism act says: Hildegart Leocadia Georgina Hermenegilda Maria del Pilar Rodriguez Carballeira, but she only used her first name. In spite of Aurora's atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
and opposition to birth registration, she baptised (late) the girl on 23 March and registered on 29 April. Her mother used to explain that Hildegart meant "Garden of Wisdom" in German, but there's no basis to that, the name was either an invention or the misspelled German name Hildegard
Hildegard
The female name Hildegard derived from the Old High German words hild and gard and means "protecting battle-maid" Variant spellings include Hildegarde. The Polish, Portuguese, Slovene and Spanish version is Hildegarda; the Italian version is Ildegarda. Hildegárd is a Hungarian version...
(Heroic virgin, who gives shelter in war).
According to later research by Rosa Cal, her father was a brilliant military chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
, Alberto Payás.
In June 1928, at age 13½, Hildegart enrolled in the School of Law of the Complutense University of Madrid
Complutense University of Madrid
The Complutense University of Madrid is a university in Madrid, and one of the oldest universities in the world. It is located on a sprawling campus that occupies the entirety of the Ciudad Universitaria district of Madrid, with annexes in the district of Somosaguas in the neighboring city of...
. She later gave lessons at its School of Philosophy 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....
.
The sexual revolution
Hildegart was one of the most active people in the Spanish movement for sex reformationSexual revolution
The sexual revolution was a social movement that challenged traditional codes of behavior related to sexuality and interpersonal relationships throughout the Western world from the 1960s into the 1980s...
.
She was connected to the European vanguard, corresponding with Havelock Ellis
Havelock Ellis
Henry Havelock Ellis, known as Havelock Ellis , was a British physician and psychologist, writer, and social reformer who studied human sexuality. He was co-author of the first medical textbook in English on homosexuality in 1897, and also published works on a variety of sexual practices and...
, whom she translated, and Margaret Sanger
Margaret Sanger
Margaret Higgins Sanger was an American sex educator, nurse, and birth control activist. Sanger coined the term birth control, opened the first birth control clinic in the United States, and established Planned Parenthood...
.
In the foundation of the Spanish League for the Sexual Reform, presided by Dr Gregorio Marañón
Gregorio Marañón
Gregorio Marañón y Posadillo was a Spanish physician, scientist, historian, writer and philosopher. He married Dolores Moya in 1911, they had four children ....
, she was chosen secretary without opposition.
She had correspondence with many other European personalities, accompanying Herbert George Wells in his visit to Madrid, but rejecting his offer to go to London as his secretary.
This offer by Wells, who wanted her to develop fully out of the influence of her mother, furthered the persecution ideas of Aurora.
Death
There were several hypotheses about the cause of the murder. Hildegart may have fallen in love. She intended to separate from her mother who, out of paranoiaParanoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
, threatened suicide. Aurora's explanation was that "the sculptor, after discovering a minimal imperfection in his work, destroys it." She shot her daughter twice in the head and twice in the heart.
Rightists considered Aurora a murderer, while leftists considered her a mad woman. She was sentenced to 26 years, but was later transferred to a mental institution in Ciempozuelos
Ciempozuelos
Ciempozuelos is a town in Spain. It is located in the south of the Community of Madrid. It had a population of 17,769 in 2005 Its origins appear to be Moorish and the name refers to the number of wells that existed in the town. It is clearly not as well-known as its neighbours Chinchón and Aranjuez...
, Madrid, where she died.
Works
- La rebeldía sexual de la juventud. Madrid: Javier Morata 1931.
- Republished with a prologue by Eduardo de Guzmán. Editorial Anagrama, Barcelona, 1977. 262 pages. ISBN 84-339-1302-6
- Profilaxis Anticoncepcional, Valencia 1931
- MalthusimoMalthusianismMalthusianism refers primarily to ideas derived from the political/economic thought of Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus, as laid out initially in his 1798 writings, An Essay on the Principle of Population, which describes how unchecked population growth is exponential while the growth of the food...
y neomalthusismo, Madrid 1932 - ¿Se equivocó MarxKarl MarxKarl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
?, Madrid, Edición Novela Proletaria, 1932 - ¿Quo vadis, burguesía?, Madrid, Edición Novela Proletaria, 1932
- El problema sexual tratado por una mujer española. Madrid, Ediciones Morata, 1977 258 PP. ISBN 84-7112-057-7
- Métodos para evitar el embarazo. (Maternidad voluntaria). Zaragoza, Guara, 1978 128 p. ISBN 84-85303-04-0
Novel
- Aurora de sangre (Vida y muerte de Hildegart) Eduardo De Guzmán 1972 Editorial Mundo Actual.
- Aurora de sangre o la virgen roja. Rafael AzconaRafael AzconaRafael Azcona Fernández was an awarded Spanish screenwriter and novelist who has worked with some of the best Spanish and international filmmakers. Azcona won five Goya Awards during his career, including a lifetime achievement award in 1998.He was born in the northern Spanish city Logroño on...
. Jet Films 1977. Script for Fernán Gómez's film, based on De Guzmán's novel. - Auroras Anlaß, Erich HacklErich HacklErich Hackl is an Austrian novelist and short-story writer. His works have been translated into English, Spanish, French and Czech, though he is significantly better known in the German-speaking world...
, Zürich 1987 (described in the German Wikipedia article Auroras Anlaß). - La virgen roja, Fernando ArrabalFernando ArrabalFernando Arrabal Terán is a Spanish playwright, screenwriter, film director, novelist and poet. He settled in France in 1955, he describes himself as “desterrado,” or “half-expatriate, half-exiled.”...
, Barcelona, Seix Barral, 1987.