José Ortega Spottorno facts for kids
José Ortega Spottorno (born November 13, 1916 – died February 18, 2002) was an important Spanish journalist and publisher. He was born in Madrid, Spain. His father was the famous philosopher José Ortega y Gasset. José Ortega Spottorno started two very important things: Alianza Editorial, which made books affordable, and the Spanish daily newspaper El País. El País quickly became the best-selling newspaper in Spain, and it still is today. He was married to Simone Ortega and had three children.
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Early Life and Education
José Ortega Spottorno grew up and went to school in Madrid, Spain. His education taught him about ideas like freedom and being open-minded. These ideas shaped his whole life.
Life During the Spanish Civil War
When the Spanish Civil War started, Ortega Spottorno's family had to leave Spain. They moved first to Geneva and then to Paris. After the war ended, Ortega Spottorno returned to Madrid. However, his father stayed in Latin America for a while. He worked as a professor at the University of San Marcos in Lima, Peru. His father returned to Spain in 1946, after World War II ended.
Starting His Publishing Career
While his father was away, Ortega Spottorno restarted La Revista de Occidente (The Review of the West). This was a monthly magazine about culture that his father had started in 1923. Even though Ortega Spottorno also trained as an agronomist (someone who studies farming) and loved science, editing this magazine showed him his true path. He would spend the rest of his life writing and publishing, becoming a leader in the industry in Spain.
Publishing Important Works
In 1966, Ortega Spottorno created the publishing company Alianza Editorial. His goal was to make reading available to everyone in Spain. He did this by publishing both classic books and new stories from Spanish and foreign writers. These books were sold as affordable paperbacks.
Design and Impact of Alianza Editorial
The books from Alianza Editorial were known for their cool designs and great look. Ortega Spottorno made them look good on purpose. He wanted to inspire people to read, which was very important in Spain where reading was not always a popular hobby.
Founding El País Newspaper
Ortega Spottorno could start Alianza Editorial while Francisco Franco was still ruling Spain. But his next big project had to wait until Franco's rule, called the Francoist State, ended. When Franco died in 1975, Ortega Spottorno finally had his chance. He wanted to create a "liberal...independent, socially concerned [and] European" newspaper for the new, democratic Spain.
El País newspaper was launched in May 1976. Ortega Spottorno was its first editor. The newspaper quickly became the most widely read newspaper in Spain. It was seen as a symbol of Spain's move towards democracy. El País immediately pushed for a strong pro-amnesty stance. This meant they demanded that all people jailed by Franco for political reasons should be set free.
Later Life and Legacy
Between 1977 and 1979, Ortega Spottorno was briefly part of the group that wrote Spain's new democratic constitution.
Stepping Down and Writing
Ortega Spottorno left the board of El País in 1984. He accepted an honorary chairman position to recognize his important role in starting the newspaper. He explained that it was smart for leaders to "give up their power before they get old." But he also had a personal reason: he wanted to write. Between leaving El País and his death in 2002, Ortega Spottorno published three novels. He was also close to finishing his biggest work, a history of the Ortega family, when he died of cancer.
See also
In Spanish: José Ortega Spottorno para niños
