Juan García Oliver facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joan Garcia i Oliver
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| Minister of Justice | |
| In office November 4, 1936 – May 17, 1937 |
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| President | Manuel Azaña |
| Prime Minister | Francisco Largo Caballero |
| Preceded by | Mariano Ruiz-Funes García |
| Succeeded by | Manuel de Irujo y Ollo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 20, 1901 Reus, Baix Camp,  Spain |
| Died | July 13, 1980 (aged 79) Guadalajara,  Mexico |
| Citizenship |  Spanish |
| Political party |  CNT |
Joan Garcia i Oliver (1901–1980) was a Catalan revolutionary and a key figure in anarchism in Spain. He was also the Minister of Justice for a time during the Second Spanish Republic. He believed in a system where workers would control society.
Contents
Life and Work of Joan Garcia Oliver
Early Life and Family Background
Joan Garcia i Oliver was born on January 20, 1901, in Reus, Baix Camp, Spain. His family was part of the working class, meaning they earned their living through manual labor. His mother, Antònia Oliver i Figueras, was from Reus, and his father, José Garcia i Alba, was from Xàtiva. Joan was one of four children from his father's second marriage.
When Joan was very young, his brother Pere died. This sad event caused the family to face financial difficulties. His mother had to start working to help support the family. At age seven, Joan briefly attended primary school. However, he had to leave school to work when his younger sister Antònia was born and his father's workplace went on strike. He earned a small amount of money working in a bag factory.
Later, at age eight, Joan was able to return to school. He finished his primary education when he was eleven years old.
Teenage Years and First Jobs
As a teenager, Joan Garcia worked in a wine trading business for three years. He earned five pesetas a month. At just thirteen, he felt tired of the routine work. He decided to run away to France to find new opportunities. He only knew a little French, which he had taught himself.
However, he soon realized his plan wasn't well thought out. He ran out of money near the border and returned to Reus. After that, he worked in several restaurants. He worked at the La Nacional inn, then at the Sport Bar, and later at the Hotel Nacional de Tarragona. At fifteen, he moved to Barcelona to find more work. There, he became a waiter at La Ibérica del Padre and then at the Hotel Jardín.
Growing Social Awareness
In Barcelona, young Garcia Oliver experienced a time of big changes and strong worker movements. He saw the general strike of 1917, which was his second experience with a major social conflict. He left his job at the Hotel Jardín and found work at the Las Palmeras bar-restaurant.
He also worked seasonally at Colònia Puig de Montserrat. Later, he worked at the Hotel Restaurant La Española. It was here that he started attending meetings of the Society of Waiters Alliance. These meetings helped him learn more about workers' rights and social issues.
Joining the Anarcho-Syndicalist Movement
In 1919, Joan Garcia Oliver first joined the Society of Waiters L'Aliança. This group was part of the UGT, a major workers' union. However, he soon helped create a new union for hospitality workers. This new union joined the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT). The CNT was a large union that believed in anarcho-syndicalism. This idea combines anarchism (a belief in no government) with syndicalism (a belief that workers' unions can change society).
Garcia Oliver became a leader in the CNT. He organized workers in Reus and led the CNT's committee for his region. He was even put in jail during a strike action because of his union activities.
In 1922, he helped form a group called Los Solidarios. This group believed in direct action to achieve their goals. He later worked in France and was arrested when he returned to Catalonia in 1924. He was imprisoned in Burgos and then Pamplona.
Political Activism and the Spanish Republic
Joan Garcia Oliver was released from prison when the Second Spanish Republic was declared in 1931. He returned to Barcelona and joined the Iberian Anarchist Federation (FAI). The FAI was a group that strongly supported anarchist ideas. It is said that he helped create the famous red and black flag of the CNT, which was first shown on May 1, 1931. He became a secretary for the FAI.
In June 1931, he attended a big meeting of the CNT in Madrid. He spoke about the need for a revolution to change society. In 1932, he was involved in an anarchist uprising and was jailed again. He also led another uprising in January 1933, which led to more time in prison.
He was released after the left-wing parties won the elections in February 1936. In May 1936, he attended another CNT meeting in Zaragoza. He believed a military uprising was coming and tried to get weapons for the workers.
Role in the Spanish Civil War
After fighting broke out in Barcelona in July 1936, Joan Garcia Oliver played a big role. He suggested creating a new society based on libertarian communism. This idea meant that people would live in free communities without a government. However, other groups did not agree with this plan.
He helped form the Committee of Antifascist Militias of Catalonia. This committee aimed to fight against the fascist forces. He also organized a group of fighters called the Harriers Column. He marched with them to the Aragon front to fight. But he was soon called back to Barcelona to represent the CNT in the Committee. He became the head of the War Department.
On November 4, 1936, the CNT decided to join the government of Francisco Largo Caballero. Joan Garcia Oliver became the Minister of Justice. As minister, he worked to change the justice system. He started "People's War Schools" and set up work camps for political prisoners. He also removed court fees and destroyed old criminal records.
In May 1937, there were conflicts in Barcelona known as the May Days. Garcia Oliver urged the CNT in Barcelona to stop fighting in the streets and called for peace.
Exile and Later Life
When the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, Joan Garcia Oliver had to leave Spain. He lived in Sweden, then Venezuela, and finally settled in Mexico. In 1978, two years before he passed away, Garcia Oliver published his autobiography. It was called El eco de los pasos (The Echo of the Steps). He died on July 13, 1980.
See also
In Spanish: Juan García Oliver para niños
