Ángela Figuera Aymerich facts for kids

Ángela Figuera Aymerich (born October 30, 1902, in Bilbao – died April 2, 1984, in Madrid) was an important Basque and Spanish poet and writer. She is known for her powerful poems that often spoke about fairness and freedom.

Ángela's Early Life

Ángela was born in Bilbao, Spain, into a regular family. She had eight younger brothers and sisters. Because her mother was often unwell, Ángela spent much of her childhood helping to raise her siblings.

She went to primary school and then to secondary school. It was unusual for girls to attend secondary school back then. Ángela was one of only five girls among a hundred boys! Even though her father didn't want her to, she bravely decided to study literature at the University in Valladolid.

After her father passed away in 1930, Ángela, her mother, and the rest of the family moved from Bilbao to Madrid. Ángela continued her studies at the University of Madrid. She earned a degree in philosophy and humanities. Later, she passed special exams to become a permanent teacher. She taught Language and Literature.

In 1932, she married Julio Figuera, who was her partner for life. Sadly, in 1935, her first child passed away shortly after birth. Her second child, Juan Ramón, was born in Madrid during the war.

The Spanish Civil War

The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) was a very difficult time for Ángela. It was a conflict between different groups in Spain. Because she supported the Republican side, she lost her teaching job in 1936. Her husband also joined the Republican militias.

Ángela was very sad about the war. She saw a lot of anger, unfairness, and punishment spreading across Spain. After the war ended, she found a new job at the National Library of Madrid.

Later Years and Legacy

Ángela Figuera had her own unique style of poetry. She didn't publish her first book until 1948, when she was about 46 years old. Because of this, she was seen as an older member of the "Generation of 1936." This was a group of poets who started writing around that time.

Ángela passed away in Madrid on April 2, 1984, at the age of 81. After she died, her husband, Julio, worked hard to make sure her writings would not be forgotten. Thanks to his efforts, the first collection of her Complete Works was published in 1986.

In 2018, the mayor of Bilbao, Juan Mari Aburto, spoke at a special event. He said that Ángela continued to write about important issues. She used simple words to talk about unfairness, freedom, and women's rights. She also wrote about the sadness of losing a child.

Author Jose Ramón Zabala described her as a "real hinge" between the cultural worlds of the Basque Country and Madrid. This means she connected people and ideas from both places.

Selected Works

Here are some of the books of poetry she published:

• Mujer de barro (Woman of Clay), (1948)
• Soria pura (Pure Soria) (1949)
• Vencida por el ángel (Defeated by the Angel) (1951)
• El grito inútil (The Useless Cry) (1952)
• Los días duros (The Hard Days) (1953)
• Víspera de la vida (Eve of Life) (1953)
• Belleza cruel (Cruel Beauty) (1958)
• Toco la tierra. Letanías (I Touch the Earth. Litanies) (1962)
• Cuentos tontos para niños listos (Silly Stories for Smart Kids) (1979)
• Canciones para todo el año (Songs for All Year) (1984; published after her death)
• Obras completas (Complete Works) (1986)

See also

In Spanish: Ángela Figuera Aymerich para niños