Luís Andrés Edo
Encyclopedia
Luís Andrés Edo was a militant and historian of Spain's anarchosyndicalist movement the CNT
.
, he moved early to Barcelona
and was educated at the Escola Nova Unificada, living through the revolutionary wave
against Franco
's military coup and also the deprivations of the Civil War
.
On its creation after the re-unification congress of 1961, he formed part of the CNT's Defensa Interior, created to fight the Franco regime. He was arrested in 1966 in Madrid
, spending the time until 1974 in Carabanchel
, Soria and Segovia prisons where he wrote La corriente. In that time he met other anti-Franco prisoners such as Stuart Christie
After a brief spell (1972-1974) in Paris, he returned and was again arrested (on 1 May 1974) and remained in jail until the Amnesty of 1976. While in prison Edo devised a system to keep prisoners informed of news and organized protests and solidarity actions.
. In his later life, Edo worked on passing on knowledge of the history and methods of the Spanish libertarian movement. He was regarded as a vital link with the pre-Franco CNT and died of a heart attack on 14 February 2009.
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...
.
Early life
Born in CaspeCaspe
Caspe or Casp is a historic town and municipality in the province of Zaragoza, in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It is situated some 100 km to the east of the provincial capital, Zaragoza.-History:...
, he moved early to 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...
and was educated at the Escola Nova Unificada, living through the revolutionary wave
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...
against 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...
's military coup and also the deprivations of the 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...
.
Activism during the dictatorship
Edo spent many years in jail or in exile during the Franco years. His first incarceration was in Figueras castle in 1947 after refusing military service, he escaped to France and was arrested the next year on his clandestine re-entry to the country. He again escaped and went into exile.On its creation after the re-unification congress of 1961, he formed part of the CNT's Defensa Interior, created to fight the Franco regime. He was arrested in 1966 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...
, spending the time until 1974 in Carabanchel
Carabanchel Prison
Carabanchel Prison was constructed by political prisoners after the Spanish Civil War between 1940 and 1944 in the Madrid's neighbourhood of Carabanchel. It was one of the biggest prisons in Europe until its closure in 1998...
, Soria and Segovia prisons where he wrote La corriente. In that time he met other anti-Franco prisoners such as Stuart Christie
Stuart Christie
Stuart Christie is a Scottish anarchist writer and publisher. Christie is best known for being arrested as an 18-year old while carrying explosives to assassinate the Spanish dictator General Franco. He was later alleged to be a member of the Angry Brigade, but was acquitted of related charges...
After a brief spell (1972-1974) in Paris, he returned and was again arrested (on 1 May 1974) and remained in jail until the Amnesty of 1976. While in prison Edo devised a system to keep prisoners informed of news and organized protests and solidarity actions.
Later years
After the restoration of democracy, the CNT in Catalonia was refounded with Edo on the Regional Committee. He served as General Secretary and Editor of the CNT newspaper Solidaridad ObreraSolidaridad Obrera (periodical)
Solidaridad Obrera is a newspaper, published by the Catalonian/Balearic regional section of the anarchist labor union Confederación Nacional del Trabajo , and mouthpiece of the CNT in Spain....
. In his later life, Edo worked on passing on knowledge of the history and methods of the Spanish libertarian movement. He was regarded as a vital link with the pre-Franco CNT and died of a heart attack on 14 February 2009.
Sources
- Antoni Segura, Luís Andrés Edo, histórico anarquista, El Pais, 15 February 2009 available online
- http://www.memorialibertaria.org/spip.php?article1111
- http://www.kaosenlared.net/noticia/ha-fallecido-luis-andres-edo-historico-militante-cnt
External links
- http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/xd26cpLuis Andrés Edo : Anarchist activist whose life was dedicated to the ‘Idea’ and the struggle for liberty by Stuart ChristieStuart ChristieStuart Christie is a Scottish anarchist writer and publisher. Christie is best known for being arrested as an 18-year old while carrying explosives to assassinate the Spanish dictator General Franco. He was later alleged to be a member of the Angry Brigade, but was acquitted of related charges...
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