Manuel Carrasco Formiguera
Encyclopedia
Manuel Carrasco i Formiguera (b. Barcelona, 1890 - d. Burgos, April 9, 1938), Spanish lawyer and Christian democrat
Catalan nationalist politician, in the twentieth century.
, in 1920 he was elected councilor for the party in the municipal corporation of Barcelona. In 1922 he participated in the founding of Acció Catalana
, and in that year created L'Estevet, a nationalist weekly newspaper which published cartoons critical of the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera, resulting in the imprisonment of Carrasco.
representing Accio Catalana. After the proclamation of the Republic
in 1931, he was appointed Minister of Health and Welfare in the first government of the Generalitat, led by Francesc Macia. Some months later he was elected MP for Girona
to the Constituent Cortes of the Republic, where he stressed his defense of the integrity of the Statute of Núria and religious freedom (strongly supporting the Catholic Church and religious orders and congregations). In 1932 he was expelled from Acció Catalana with other members of the Catholic sector and joined the Unió Democratica de Catalunya (Democratic Union of Catalonia
), which had been created shortly before. He soon emerged as one of the major party leaders, agreeing to its Governance Committee in 1933.
in 1936, Carrasco remained loyal to the Republic without abandoning his democratic ideology. His mediation saved the lives of many who were being persecuted. These acts caused him to be the target of denunciations by journalists and being harassed by some factions of the anarchists and communists in Catalonia on the Republican side. This situation forced him to move to the Basque Country
, where he collaborated with the government of lehendakari José Antonio Aguirre. With the occupation by the rebel army of Guipúzcoa (February 1937), Carrasco decided to return to Catalonia where he was again harassed. He then decided to revert Vizcaya, still in the hands of the Republic, with his family, as a representative of the Catalan Generalitat with the Government of Euskadi. The last part of the journey by sea must elapse between Bayonne (France) and Bilbao. However, the freighter on which he was sailing was intercepted by the cruise Canarias
(Battle of Cape Machichaco) and Carrasco was imprisoned. He was transferred to Burgos criminal and sentenced to death in a summary trial held on August 28, 1937 for the crime of "joining the rebellion."
, in response to the protests of several foreign governments, including the Vatican, against Franco's aerial bombing of civilian targets (such the bombing of Barcelona that took was carried out on March 16, 17 and 18, publicly condemned by the Holy See
through a informal note published on March 24 in L'Osservatore Romano
.
On September 25, 2005, the Spanish Congress of Deputies agreed on a proposal from Convergence and Union, to nullify the court martial that Carrasco had been subjected to.
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
Catalan nationalist politician, in the twentieth century.
Early life
As a youth a member of the Joventut Nacionalista of the LLiga RegionalistaRegionalist League
Regionalist League was a political party of Catalonia, Spain, that appeared thanks to the triumph of the candidacy of the "four presidents" in 1901...
, in 1920 he was elected councilor for the party in the municipal corporation of Barcelona. In 1922 he participated in the founding of Acció Catalana
Acció Catalana
Accio Catalana was a political movement Catalanist the first third of the 20th century, created in 1922 around the Catalan National Conference, which brought elements of the Joventut Nacionalista the Regionalist League, former members of the Federal Unió Republicana Nacionalista and youth...
, and in that year created L'Estevet, a nationalist weekly newspaper which published cartoons critical of the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera, resulting in the imprisonment of Carrasco.
Second Spanish Republic
In 1930 Carrasco was one of the signatories of the Pact of San SebastianPact of San Sebastián
The Pact of San Sebastián was a meeting led by Niceto Alcalá Zamora and Miguel Maura, which took place in San Sebastián, Spain on August 17, 1930. Representatives from practically all republican political movements in Spain at the time attended the meeting. Presided over by Fernando Sasiaín , the...
representing Accio Catalana. After the proclamation of the 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 was appointed Minister of Health and Welfare in the first government of the Generalitat, led by Francesc Macia. Some months later he was elected MP for Girona
Girona
Girona is a city in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain at the confluence of the rivers Ter, Onyar, Galligants and Güell, with an official population of 96,236 in January 2009. It is the capital of the province of the same name and of the comarca of the Gironès...
to the Constituent Cortes of the Republic, where he stressed his defense of the integrity of the Statute of Núria and religious freedom (strongly supporting the Catholic Church and religious orders and congregations). In 1932 he was expelled from Acció Catalana with other members of the Catholic sector and joined the Unió Democratica de Catalunya (Democratic Union of Catalonia
Democratic Union of Catalonia
The Democratic Union of Catalonia is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. Together with the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia, it is part of the Convergence and Union coalition.It describes itself as Catalan nationalist and Christian Democrat....
), which had been created shortly before. He soon emerged as one of the major party leaders, agreeing to its Governance Committee in 1933.
Spanish Civil War
At the start of 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...
in 1936, Carrasco remained loyal to the Republic without abandoning his democratic ideology. His mediation saved the lives of many who were being persecuted. These acts caused him to be the target of denunciations by journalists and being harassed by some factions of the anarchists and communists in Catalonia on the Republican side. This situation forced him to move to the Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
, where he collaborated with the government of lehendakari José Antonio Aguirre. With the occupation by the rebel army of Guipúzcoa (February 1937), Carrasco decided to return to Catalonia where he was again harassed. He then decided to revert Vizcaya, still in the hands of the Republic, with his family, as a representative of the Catalan Generalitat with the Government of Euskadi. The last part of the journey by sea must elapse between Bayonne (France) and Bilbao. However, the freighter on which he was sailing was intercepted by the cruise Canarias
Spanish cruiser Canarias
The Canarias was a heavy cruiser of the Spanish Navy. She was designed in the United Kingdom and was a modified version of the Royal Navy's County class cruiser. She was built in Spain by the Vickers-Armstrongs subsidiary Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval...
(Battle of Cape Machichaco) and Carrasco was imprisoned. He was transferred to Burgos criminal and sentenced to death in a summary trial held on August 28, 1937 for the crime of "joining the rebellion."
Death
The execution of the sentence was delayed eight months and took place on April 9, 1938, despite the efforts of the Vatican. According to various authors, Carrasco's execution was personally ordered by FrancoFrancisco 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...
, in response to the protests of several foreign governments, including the Vatican, against Franco's aerial bombing of civilian targets (such the bombing of Barcelona that took was carried out on March 16, 17 and 18, publicly condemned by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
through a informal note published on March 24 in L'Osservatore Romano
L'Osservatore Romano
L'Osservatore Romano is the "semi-official" newspaper of the Holy See. It covers all the Pope's public activities, publishes editorials by important churchmen, and runs official documents after being released...
.
On September 25, 2005, the Spanish Congress of Deputies agreed on a proposal from Convergence and Union, to nullify the court martial that Carrasco had been subjected to.
External sources
- Carrasco i Formiguera: la defensa de la fe y del país hasta la muerte no conoce ideologías políticas, en catholic.net
- Diario de sesiones del Congreso de los Diputados de 27 de septiembre de 2005, en la que se debatió y aprobó la proposición no de ley de CiU para la anulación del consejo de guerra en el que se condenó a Carrasco i Formiguera.