Jon Juaristi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jon Juaristi
Jon Juaristi in 2019
Born	1951 (age 73–74) Bilbao, Spain
Occupation	Poet, essayist and translator
Language	Spanish and Basque
Alma mater	University of Deusto
Notable awards	Ícaro de Literatura

Jon Juaristi Linacero, born in Bilbao, Spain, in 1951, is a well-known Spanish writer. He writes poetry and essays, and also translates texts between Spanish and Basque. He used to be involved with a group called ETA, but he later left them. Today, he lives in Madrid.

About Jon Juaristi

His Studies and Career

Jon Juaristi earned a Ph.D. in Romance philology, which is the study of language and literature. He studied at the University of Deusto and in Seville.

He has been a professor of Spanish Philology at the University of the Basque Country. He also taught at the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center at New York University. Later, he became a professor at the University of Valencia. Juaristi also worked as a lecturer and researcher in Austin and at El Colegio de México.

From 1999 to 2001, he was the director of the National Library of Spain. After that, he directed the Cervantes Institute until 2004.

Early Political Activities

When he was 16, Jon Juaristi joined a group called ETA. This group wanted the Basque Country to be independent from Spain. He was influenced by a book called Vasconia.

Later, at university, he joined a smaller part of ETA. This group later joined with another political group in 1973. Because of his political activities, the police noticed him. He left his hometown to study in Seville, but later returned to the University of Deusto. He was briefly expelled from the university in 1972 but was allowed back the next year. During this time, he faced legal trouble and spent some time in prison for minor offenses.

In 1974, he decided to leave political activities and focus on his studies.

In 1980, he joined the Communist Party of Spain. This party was joining with another group to form a new political party that was against violence. He left this new group in 1986. In 1987, Juaristi joined the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). He later said he joined because of a violent attack on a PSOE office in Portugalete, where several members were killed.

His Views on Politics Now

Jon Juaristi has spoken out against nationalism, especially Basque nationalism. He believes that nationalism often invents or changes history. He has written many articles and essays about this.

He is also very vocal against terrorism and supports the victims of violence from groups like ETA. In 1997, he helped create the Foro Ermua, an organization against terrorism. In recent years, he has described himself as a "Spanish nationalist."

Because of his strong criticism of Basque separatist violence, ETA has threatened his life since the late 1980s. In 1999, he left the Basque Country after ETA announced they would end their ceasefire. He was told that the threats against him were very serious.

Juaristi also converted to Judaism. He explained that for him, Judaism is more about a way of looking at the world ethically than a religion. He said, "I considered myself a non-religious Jew, if such a thing is possible."

He writes many articles criticizing antisemitism (hatred of Jewish people) and anti-Zionism, which he sees as a form of antisemitism. He also supports Israel's right to exist as its own state.

His Poetry

Jon Juaristi's poetry is influenced by other Basque writers like Gabriel Aresti, Miguel de Unamuno, and Blas de Otero. He is also inspired by the writer W. H. Auden. His poems often describe his childhood and youth in Bilbao. His poetry has a thoughtful, sometimes sad, and intelligent tone.

Here are some of his poetry collections:

• Diario de un poeta recién cansado ("Diary of a poet recently tired") (1986).
• Suma de varia intención ("Amount of varying intention") (1987).
• Arte de marear ("Art to annoy") (1988).
• Los paisajes domésticos ("The domestic landscapes") (1992).
• Mediodía ("Noon") (1993).
• Tiempo desapacible ("Unpleasant time") (1996).
• Poesía reunida ("Reunited poetry") (1986-1999) (2001).
• Prosas en verso ("Prose in verse") (2002).

His Essays

In his essays, Jon Juaristi often analyzes things from a psychological and sociological point of view. He looks at the historical and mythical roots of European nationalism, especially Basque nationalism. His essays often include references to language studies and interesting stories about authors and topics like occultism, which he usually mentions with a bit of humor.

Here are some of his essays:

• Euskararen Ideologiak (1976).
• El linaje de Aitor. La invención de la tradición vasca (1984).
• Literatura vasca (1987).
• Arte en el País Vasco (1987). (With Kosme M. de Barañano and Javier González de Durana.)
• Vicente de Arana (1990).
• Vestigios de Babel. Para una arqueología de los nacionalismos españoles (1992).
• Auto de Terminación: raza, nación y violencia en el País Vasco (1994). (Articles: with Juan Aranzadi and Patxo Unzueta.)
• La Europa (cultural) de los pueblos: voz y forma (1994). (With other authors.)
• El chimbo expiatorio (la invención de la tradición bilbaína, 1876-1939) (1994).
• El bucle melancólico. Historias de nacionalistas vascos (1997).
• Sacra nemesis. Nuevas historias de nacionalistas vascos (1999).
• Sermo humilis: poesía y poética (1999).
• El bosque originario (2000).
• La tribu atribulada. El Nacionalismo Vasco explicado a mi padre (2002).
• El reino del ocaso (2004).

His Autobiography

• Cambio de destino (2006) ISBN: 978-84-322-9668-0

Awards and Recognition

Jon Juaristi has received several awards for his work:

• 1988: Ícaro de Literatura.
• 1997: Espasa de Ensayo for El bucle melancólico.
• 1998: XV Premio de Periodismo Francisco Cerecedo.
• 1998: Premio Nacional de Literatura for El bucle melancólico.
• 2000: Fastenrath.

See also

In Spanish: Jon Juaristi para niños