Josep Tarradellas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Most Illustrious The Marquess of Tarradellas
125th President of the Government of Catalonia
In office 7 August 1954 – 8 May 1980 (In exile from 7 August 1954 to 17 October 1977)
Monarch	Juan Carlos I
Preceded by	Josep Irla
Succeeded by	Jordi Pujol
Minister of Governance of the Government of Catalonia Minister of Governance and Health (14 December 1932 – 24 January 1933)
In office 29 December 1931 – 24 January 1933
First Minister of the Government of Catalonia Prime Minister and Minister of Finance (26 September 1936 – 3 April 1937) and (16 April 1937 – 5 May 1937) Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Culture (3 April 1937 – 16 April 1937)
In office 26 September 1936 – 5 May 1937
Minister of Economy and Public Services of the Government of Catalonia
In office 6 August 1936 – 26 September 1936
Personal details
Born	(1899-02-19)19 February 1899 Cervelló, Baix Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
Died	10 June 1988(1988-06-10) (aged 89) Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Political party	ERC
Spouse	Antònia Macià i Gómez (1904-2001)

Josep Tarradellas i Joan (Catalan pronunciation: [ʒuˈzɛp tərəˈðeʎəs]) was an important Catalan politician. He was born on February 19, 1899, and passed away on June 10, 1988. He is best known for being the first president of the Government of Catalonia after it was brought back in 1977.

The Government of Catalonia had been stopped during a time when Spain was ruled by a dictator. Tarradellas was appointed as the 125th President of Catalonia in 1954. However, he spent 23 years living in exile (outside his home country) until 1977. That year, he was officially recognized as the President of Catalonia by the Spanish Government.

Josep Tarradellas: A Political Journey

Josep Tarradellas had a long and active career in politics. He played a key role in the government of Catalonia before and after a difficult period in Spanish history.

Early Political Life

In 1931, Tarradellas became the general secretary of the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC). This was an important political party. That same year, he also became a deputy (a representative) in the Cortes Generales, which is like the Spanish Parliament.

He served as a councillor (a type of minister) for Governance and Health. This was when Francesc Macià was the President of the Government of Catalonia. During the Spanish Civil War, he also held roles as a councillor for Public Services, Economy, and Culture.

Years in Exile

After the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, Tarradellas had to leave Spain. He went to live in France, which is known as being in exile. In 1954, he became the President of the Government of Catalonia while still in exile. He took over after Josep Irla resigned.

Return to Catalonia

On October 23, 1977, a few years after the dictator Francisco Franco died, Tarradellas met with Adolfo Suárez. Suárez was the President of the Spanish Government at the time. They met to talk about bringing back the Government of Catalonia. This meeting was a very important step for Catalonia.

When Tarradellas finally returned to Barcelona, he said a famous sentence in Catalan: "Ciutadans de Catalunya, ja sóc aquí!" This means "Citizens of Catalonia, I am here at last!" It became a symbol of his return and the re-establishment of the Catalan government.

He was welcomed with a special ceremony in Barcelona. He then formed a government that included different political groups. His work helped prepare for new elections for the Catalan Parliament in March 1980. After these elections, Jordi Pujol was chosen as the new president in April.

Later Life and Recognition

On July 24, 1986, King Juan Carlos I of Spain gave Tarradellas a special title. He became the marqués de Tarradellas, which means Marquess of Tarradellas. This is a hereditary title, meaning it can be passed down in his family. His son later became the second marquess.

Josep Tarradellas passed away in Barcelona in 1988. To honor him, the Spanish Government announced on December 21, 2018, that Barcelona–El Prat Airport would be renamed after him.

See also

In Spanish: Josep Tarradellas para niños