Gregorio Jover Cortés facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gregorio Jover Cortés
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 25 October 1891 Teruel, Aragon, Spain |
| Died | 22 March 1964 (aged 72) Mexico |
| Allegiance |  CNT-FAI |
| Service | Confederal militias (1936–1937),.svg){kind=small} Spanish Republican Army (1937–1939) |
| Years of service | 1936–1939 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | Ascaso Column (1936–1937), 28th Division (1937–1938), 10th Army Corps (1938–1939) |
| Battles/wars |
|
Gregorio Jover Cortés (born October 25, 1891, in Teruel, Spain – died March 22, 1964, in Mexico) was an important figure from Aragon. He was known for his role in the CNT, a large workers' union, during the early 20th century. During the Spanish Civil War, he led the Ascaso Column and later the 28th Division, which fought on the Aragon front.
Contents
Gregorio Jover's Life
Early Years and Activism
Gregorio Jover moved to Valencia as a child. There, he became involved with groups that supported socialist and later anarchist ideas. These ideas focused on workers' rights and creating a society with more equality.
Around 1911, after finishing his military service, he moved to Barcelona. He worked as a carpenter and joined the CNT union for woodworkers. Because of his activism, he sometimes had to move to avoid trouble. He became a delegate for the Catalan Wood Union.
During the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, it became harder for workers' movements. Groups sometimes attacked union activists. To protect themselves, Jover helped create a group called Los Solidarios. This group worked to defend and support anarchists within the CNT and FAI.
In 1924, Jover was arrested in Barcelona but managed to escape. He went to Paris, France, with friends like Francisco Ascaso and Buenaventura Durruti. In Paris, he worked in a mattress factory.
To avoid being forced to leave France, Jover traveled to Latin America with Durruti and Ascaso. They formed another group called Los Errantes. Later, in 1926, they returned to Paris. In 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was declared, Jover returned to Barcelona. He quickly rejoined the CNT.
From 1932, he was part of the committee for the Barcelona Metallurgical Union. He was involved in many actions that challenged the economic system and participated in protests. These activities sometimes led to him being imprisoned.
Role in the Spanish Civil War
When the Spanish Civil War began in July 1936, Gregorio Jover quickly joined the Confederal militias. He became a leader of the Ascaso Column. This group moved from Barcelona towards the Aragón front. They also worked with local towns to put their libertarian ideas into practice. Jover's column, along with other militias, moved towards Huesca, setting up positions around the city.
In May 1937, Jover participated in a period of conflict in Barcelona, known as the Barcelona May Days. During this time, a group called the Friends of Durruti Group was formed.
After the militias became part of the official Spanish Republican Army, Jover began to lead the 28th Division in 1937. This division fought on the front of Aragon, in Teruel, in Levante, and in Estremadura. In May 1938, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. From the spring of that year, he commanded the 10th Army Corps. He fought on the Segre Front until Catalonia fell in January 1939.
Life in Exile
After the war, Jover went into exile in France. He was arrested in France in February 1939. He was held in Perpignan prison and later in the Le Vernet concentration camp.
Life in France was difficult due to the ongoing persecution. Jover decided to leave Europe and traveled to the Americas. He first went to Santo Domingo and then to Mexico. In Mexico, he became the secretary of the CNT's local group. He also worked with a committee that provided aid. In 1945, he asked for the CNT to join the Spanish Republican government in exile.
Gregorio Jover Cortés passed away in Mexico on March 22, 1964.
See also
In Spanish: Gregorio Jover para niños
