Alfredo de Zavala y Lafora facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alfredo de Zavala y Lafora
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Portrait c. 1935 by A. Castellanos
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| Governor of the Bank of Spain | |
| In office March 1934 – February 1935 |
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| Preceded by | Manuel Marraco Ramón |
| Succeeded by | Alejandro Fernández de Araoz |
| In office May 1935 – February 1936 |
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| Preceded by | Alejandro Fernández de Araoz |
| Succeeded by | Luis Nicolau d'Olwer |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 3 April 1935 – 6 May 1935 |
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| Preceded by | Manuel Marraco Ramón |
| Succeeded by | Joaquín Chapaprieta |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 May 1893 Madrid, Spain |
| Died | 7 March 1995 (aged 101) Madrid, Spain |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Alfredo de Zavala y Lafora (born May 25, 1893 – died March 7, 1995) was an important Spanish lawyer. He lived for over 100 years! During a time in Spain called the Second Spanish Republic, he held very important jobs. He was the head of the Bank of Spain and also briefly served as the Minister of Finance.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alfredo Zavala Lafora was born in Madrid, Spain, on May 25, 1893. His father, Alfredo Zavala y Camps, was also a government lawyer. His mother was Isabel Lafora y Calatayud. His family came from the Basque region of Spain.
Alfredo was the oldest child in his family. He grew up in a home where studying and learning were very important. He went to the Colegio de San Miguel and then to the Padres Escolapios de Getafe for his schooling. He started working at the Ministry of Finance while also studying to become a lawyer. He finished his law degree earlier than most students.
He graduated in Law from the Central University of Madrid. Alfredo was one of the first people to ski in Spain. He even helped start the Spanish Alpine Club (Club Alpino Español). After serving in the military, Alfredo became a State Attorney in 1916. This meant he was a lawyer who worked for the government.
In 1922, he became the Secretary for the board of directors of a private company called Minas de Barruelo S.A. He became known as a very skilled lawyer. Alfredo Zavala Lafora married Milagros Richi. In 1930, he joined a political group called the Progressive Party.
Working for the Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was a period in Spain's history when the country was a republic, not a monarchy. It lasted from 1931 to 1939.
Soon after the Second Spanish Republic began in 1931, Alfredo Zavala Lafora was given important roles. The Minister of Finance, Indalecio Prieto, made him the Director General of Debt and Liabilities. This job involved managing the country's money and debts. Later, he was made Director General of Property and Territorial Contribution. This role also included leading the council for the Mines of Almaden and Arrayanes. These mines were important for producing mercury. He even worked with an organization that controlled mercury prices in Europe.
In 1932, a new rule was added to the Spanish constitution. It said that members of religious groups could not teach in schools. Alfredo Zavala Lafora was a Catholic, and he disagreed with this rule. Because of this, he resigned from his job as Director General. He went back to his earlier job as a State Attorney.
In November 1932, the Prime Minister, Manuel Azaña, offered Alfredo a new position. He became a Permanent State Advisor for the Treasury Section. He held this job until February 1934.
Governor of the Bank of Spain
In February 1934, Alfredo Zavala Lafora was chosen to be the Governor of the Bank of Spain. This is a very important role, like being the head of the country's main bank. He took over from Manuel Marraco Ramón. He was Governor from March 1934 to April 1935. While in this job, he also became a director of a company called Compañía Arrendataria de Tabacos, which later became Tabacalera.
Minister of Finance
On April 3, 1935, Alejandro Lerroux appointed Alfredo Zavala Lafora as the Minister of Finance. This meant he was in charge of all the country's money matters. He held this position for a short time, until May 6, 1935. During this month, Alejandro Fernández de Araoz took over as the acting Governor of the Bank of Spain. After about a month, the Prime Minister and his whole government resigned.
Alfredo Zavala Lafora went back to his job at the Bank of Spain in May 1935. Joaquín Chapaprieta became the new Minister of Finance. Alfredo resigned from the Bank of Spain again in February 1936. This was because a new political group called the Popular Front won the elections. He did not agree with their plans for the government. Luis Nicolau d'Olwer then became the new Governor of the Bank of Spain.
Alfredo went back to his job as a State Attorney. In June 1936, he took a break from government work to focus on his own private law practice.
Later Career and Legacy
After the Second Spanish Republic ended in 1939, Alfredo Zavala Lafora continued his career. In 1940, he was appointed to the boards of several companies. These included Tabacalera, Sociedad Española del Acumulador Tudor, and Banco Zaragozano. He later became the chairman (head) of the boards for Tabacalera and Sociedad Española del Acumulador Tudor.
He retired from these roles when he was 80 years old. Even at that age, he was still very healthy and sharp-minded. He was named honorary president of both companies. When he turned 100 years old, the Prime Minister of Spain, Felipe González, honored him with a special award called the Cross of Honour of the Order of St. Raymond of Peñafort.
Alfredo de Zavala y Lafora passed away in Madrid on March 7, 1995, at the age of 101.
See also
In Spanish: Alfredo de Zavala y Lafora para niños
