Alfonso Peña Boeuf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alfonso Peña Boeuf
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| Minister of Public Works | |
| In office 30 January 1938 – 18 July 1945 |
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| Succeeded by | José María Fernández-Ladreda |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 January 1888 Madrid, Spain |
| Died | 1 February 1966 (aged 78) Madrid, Spain |
| Occupation | Civil Engineer |
Alfonso Peña Boeuf (born January 23, 1888 – died February 1, 1966) was a Spanish civil engineer. He was also a government official.
He served as the Minister of Public Works from 1938 to 1945. This was during the time General Francisco Franco was in charge of the government.
Peña Boeuf worked hard to rebuild Spain. He helped fix roads and railways that were damaged during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). He also started a huge project to build dams and canals. These projects helped provide electricity and water for farms.
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Early Life and Career
Alfonso Peña Boeuf was born in Madrid, Spain, on January 23, 1888. Before the Spanish Civil War, he worked as a highway engineer. He also wrote several technical books about engineering.
He became a professor at a special engineering school in Spain. This school was called the Escuela de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos.
In December 1933, he was chosen to join the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences. This is a very important group for scientists. In June 1934, he gave a speech there about how structures vibrate.
Helping Build New Structures
In 1934, two engineers, Manuel Sánchez Arcas and Eduardo Torroja, started a group. It was called the Technical Institute of Construction and Building (ITCE).
Alfonso Peña Boeuf was one of the first members of this group. Its goal was to find new ways to build things. They wanted to use new ideas and technologies in civil engineering.
Peña Boeuf became very well-known and respected as an engineer. In 1937, General Franco asked him to create a big plan for public works. This plan focused a lot on projects related to water, like dams and canals.
His ideas were similar to an earlier plan from 1933. However, Peña Boeuf's plan wanted the government to have more control. This would help Spain become more self-sufficient.
Minister of Public Works
General Francisco Franco made Peña Boeuf the Minister of Public Works. This happened near the end of the Civil War. He stayed in this job for many years, from January 30, 1938, to July 18, 1945.
Peña Boeuf saw himself as a "technician" or expert, not just a politician. He spent most of his time fixing the roads and railways. These were badly damaged during the war.
When Franco changed his government in 1939, Peña Boeuf was one of the few ministers who kept their job.
The Peña Plan for Spain
Peña Boeuf's plan for public works was officially approved in 1941. This plan included a new law. It allowed the government to use land for public projects like roads and dams.
The main goal of the Peña Plan was to build many dams, reservoirs, and canals. These would create hydroelectricity for factories and cities. They also helped provide water for farms. This was important for Spain to grow its own food.
In 1932, about 29% of Spain's farmland had irrigation. By 1965, this had grown to 40%. This shows how much the water projects helped farming.
In 1941, a new national railway company was created. It was called RENFE (Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles). This company helped the government control the main railways. It also rebuilt the railway lines damaged during the war.
Later Career
After leaving his job as minister in July 1945, Peña Boeuf became the president of RENFE. This was the national railway company.
He continued to be involved with the Royal Academy of Sciences. He was the librarian from 1939 to 1944. Then he was the vice-president from 1944 to 1958.
On June 11, 1958, he became the president of the Royal Academy of Sciences. He held this important position until he passed away in 1966.
In 1971, a street in Madrid was named after him. It is called Avenida de Alfonso Peña Boeuf. This was done to remember his important work.
Sources
See also
In Spanish: Alfonso Peña Boeuf para niños
