Gonzalo Fernández de la Mora facts for kids
Gonzalo Fernández de la Mora y Mon was a Spanish writer and politician. He was born in Barcelona in 1924 and passed away in Madrid in 2002. He served as a representative for Pontevedra in the Spanish Congress from 1977 to 1979, as part of the Popular Alliance political party. He was married to Isabel Valera Una, and they had four children together: Isabel, Gonzalo, Juan Luis, and Sandra.
Early Life and Education
Gonzalo Fernández de la Mora's family moved to Madrid when he was two years old. He started his studies at Colegio de Pilar. He also spent some time living in Galicia, in places like Mondariz, Guitiriz, and Vigo. When the Spanish Civil War began, he was on holiday in Galicia. This meant he had to stay there and finish his Baccalaureate studies with the Jesuits at the Colegio de Santiago Apostol.
His father was a high-ranking officer in the army during the time of King Alfonso XIII. His mother came from a royal family line, connected to a minister who served Queen Isabel II. In 1940, Gonzalo returned to Madrid. He began studying Law and Philosophy, focusing on pure philosophy. By September 1943, at just 19 years old, he had already earned his PhD in Law. He even had a book published called Paradoja, which praised another Spanish writer named Azorín.
Career as a Diplomat and Politician
In 1946, Gonzalo Fernández de la Mora joined the Spanish Diplomatic School. This is a special school where people learn to become diplomats, who represent their country in other nations. He later became the head of this school. During his younger years, he met many important people, including Fernando Alvarez de Miranda, Joaquin Calvo Sotelo, Íñigo Cavero, Torcuato Luca de Tena, Juan Jose Lopez, and Jose de Yanguas Messia.
As a diplomat, he held several important positions. He was the Spanish consul in Frankfurt in 1949. From 1949 to 1951, he was in charge of negotiations in Bonn. Later, from 1961 to 1962, he worked as a cultural advisor in Athens. From 1970 to 1974, he served as the Minister of Public Works, overseeing large construction projects and transportation. In 1974, he was appointed director of the Spanish Diplomatic School.
Achievements and Recognition
Gonzalo Fernández de la Mora was a very bright student. He received special awards for his state exams and his law degree. He also earned a degree in Pure Philosophy from the University of Madrid. He was a visiting professor and a librarian at the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences. He was also a member of various universities around the world, including those in Geneva, New York, Argentina, Venezuela, and Chile.
