Joxe Azurmendi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joxe Azurmendi
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Joxe Azurmendi on the 50th anniversary of the magazine Jakin (2006)
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| Born | 19 March 1941 Zegama, Spain
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| Died | 1 July 2025 (aged 84) San Sebastián, Spain
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| Alma mater | University of the Basque Country, University of Münster |
| Era | Contemporary philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
| School | Continental philosophy Relativism |
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Main interests
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Modernity, Age of Enlightenment, Rationalism, Romanticism, social philosophy, political philosophy, philosophical anthropology, philosophy of language, ethics, nationalism, Basque literature |
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Notable ideas
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The State as secular church, morality as a political weapon |
Joxe Azurmendi Otaegi (born March 19, 1941 – died July 1, 2025) was a famous Basque writer, thinker, and poet. He wrote many articles and books about important topics like how we think, how society works, and the Basque language and its literature.
He was a key member of the Jakin magazine and led its publishing house, which released over 40 books. He also helped translate many important philosophy books into Basque. Joxe Azurmendi was one of the people who started the Udako Euskal Unibertsitatea (The Basque Summer University), which helps people learn in Basque. He taught modern philosophy at the Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (The University of the Basque Country). In 2010, he was given a special "honorary academic" title by Euskaltzaindia (The Basque Language Academy).
Many people thought Joxe Azurmendi was one of the most knowledgeable and active thinkers in the Basque Country. He was known for studying problems deeply, often looking at ideas from European thinkers, especially German ones. He sometimes used a strong, direct way of writing to make his points clear.
Contents
Life Story
Joxe Azurmendi studied philosophy and religion at The University of the Basque Country, in Rome, and in Münster, Germany.
In the early 1960s, he joined a group of thinkers who worked with the Jakin magazine. He was even the director when the magazine was stopped by the government at the time. After it started again, he continued to work closely with it. In his writings for the magazine, he discussed issues facing Basque society, connecting them with ideas from other European thinkers.
During the early 1970s, he focused on sharing important books in the Basque language. These books covered topics that were widely discussed in the Basque Country, such as what it means to be a nation, socialism (ideas about fairness in society), and working together with other countries.
In the 1980s, he began teaching at The University of the Basque Country. In 1984, he completed his main research paper about Jose Maria Arizmendiarrieta. Arizmendiarrieta started the Mondragon cooperative movement, which is a group of businesses owned and run by their workers. Azurmendi wrote that Arizmendiarrieta wanted to bring people and society together in a way that combined ideas of fairness for everyone with individual freedom.
In 1992, he published a very well-known book called Espainolak eta euskaldunak (The Spanish and the Basques). He wrote this book to respond to an old text that made unfair claims about the Basque people. Azurmendi's book showed that these old ideas about Basques were wrong.
Around the year 2000, Azurmendi's work became even more important. He published a series of three books: Espainiaren arimaz (About the soul of Spain) (2006), Humboldt. Hizkuntza eta pentsamendua (Humboldt. Language and Thought) (2007), and Volksgeist. Herri gogoa (Volksgeist. National Character) (2008). In these books, he shared some of his most important thoughts.
In 2009, Azurmendi wrote a very personal book called Azken egunak Gandiagarekin (The last days with Gandiaga). In this book, he thought about different ways of understanding the world, including how science, religion, and human nature connect. He suggested that sometimes, scientific thinking doesn't give us all the answers we need to understand the meaning of life.
Joxe Azurmendi passed away in San Sebastián on July 1, 2025, at the age of 84.
Joxe Azurmendi's Ideas
Joxe Azurmendi's main goal in his writings was to defend freedom of thought and conscience. He often used the idea of the "Human-Animal" to explore his thoughts. He saw times of change and difficulty not as bad things, but as chances for new possibilities. Because of this, his ideas always focused on protecting freedom in every part of life, especially how we think and what we believe.
He believed that we live in a world where there are no single, fixed answers to everything. He fought against the idea that there is only one "right" way to think, especially when society faces problems. He once said:
" Talking about different viewpoints can be challenging. I don't aim to be a champion of seeing things from many angles. But coming from a time where ideas were very strict [Franco's regime], I react strongly to certain things. In that time, 'Truth,' 'Reason,' and 'absolute correctness' were like religious beliefs. Now, some say that looking at things from different angles causes problems and a loss of values. This shows a longing for those strict old ideas, even if they are dressed up in modern words. That strict way of thinking sees different viewpoints as its enemy, which is why I stand up for this idea of looking at things from many angles. But it's not about saying everything is equally true."
For example, he was critical of modern governments. He felt that sometimes governments try to control what people think, almost like an old church used to. He also pointed out how politicians might use moral rules to avoid dealing with real problems. Instead of finding solutions, they might hide behind what they say are "absolute moral principles."
He also helped people question common ways of understanding history and ideas. Because he studied a lot in Germany, he had interesting views on the German Enlightenment. He showed that the ideas from the French Enlightenment and German Romanticism (a movement focused on feelings and nature) were more connected than people thought. He suggested that the idea of nationalism (strong pride in one's nation) actually started in France and was later explored by German thinkers. This made people rethink how authors like Goethe and Humboldt were seen. He also looked at different types of nationalism, showing that the core ideas of Spanish and French nationalism were not as simple as they seemed.
Some of the deep ideas Azurmendi explored in his essays first appeared in his early poems. His poetry from the 1960s showed a desire to challenge old traditions and strict beliefs:
But we wish to be free
is that my fault?
They tried to give us a tree from Gernika,
a false blank check,
as if the desire to be free were a sin,
as if we needed an excuse for it,
but despite that, we, quite simply, wish to be free.
That is what we want, that is all.
This is the latest deception:
they have led us to believe
before from outside and now from within
that it is our responsibility to justify our wish to be free.
Manifestu atzeratua (Belated Manifesto) (1968)
He also spent a lot of time studying and re-explaining the ideas of other Basque thinkers, helping to clear up misunderstandings about them. He was especially interested in the works of Jon Mirande, Orixe, and Unamuno. Azurmendi was a writer who worked for and from within Basque culture. He said he was influenced by Basque writers from after World War II, especially concerning language. He also studied other thinkers like Heidegger, Wittgenstein, and Humboldt. It's clear that his choice to write all his many works in the Basque language fits perfectly with his ideas.
How Joxe Azurmendi Wrote
Joxe Azurmendi's writing style mixed formal language with everyday expressions. His prose was quick, sharp, and often had a touch of humor. He wrote in a modern and standard Basque, showing a deep understanding of the language and a rich variety of ways to express himself.
Awards and Special Recognition
Joxe Azurmendi received many awards for his important contributions:
- 1976: Andima Ibiñagabeitia Award for Espainolak eta euskaldunak.
- 1978: Irun Hiria Award for Mirande eta kristautasuna (Mirande and Christianity).
- 1998: Irun Hiria Award for Teknikaren meditazioa (Meditations on Technique).
- 2005: Juan San Martin Award for Humboldt: Hizkuntza eta pentsamendua (Humboldt. Language and Thought).
- 2010: Euskadi Literatura Saria Award, in the essay category, for Azken egunak Gandiagarekin (The last days with Gandiaga).
- 2010: Named Ohorezko euskaltzaina (Honorary Academic) by Euskaltzaindia.
- 2012: Eusko Ikaskuntza Award.
- 2012: Dabilen Elea Award.
- 2014: All of Joxe Azurmendi's works were made available digitally by The Council of Gipuzkoa.
- 2015: Euskadi Literatura Saria Award, in the essay category, for Historia, arraza, nazioa (History, Race, Nation).
- 2019: A special Joxe Azurmendi Congress was held by Joxe Azurmendi Katedra and the University of the Basque Country to celebrate his work.
His Books and Writings
The Inguma database, which lists Basque scientific works, contains over 180 texts written by Azurmendi.
Poetry
- Hitz berdeak (Unrefined Words) (1971, EFA)
- XX. mendeko poesia kaierak – Joxe Azurmendi (Books of 20th Century Poetry – Joxe Azurmendi) (2000, Susa), edited by Koldo Izagirre.
Related Topics
See also
In Spanish: Joxe Azurmendi para niños
