Mathias Brugman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mathias Brugman
leader in "El Grito de Lares" - Puerto Rico's independence revolution
Born	Mathias Brugman Duliebre January 3, 1811 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	September 30, 1868 Yauco, Puerto Rico
Nationality	Puerto Rican
Occupation	businessman, revolutionist
Notes
Brugman and his son were executed by the Spanish authorities.

Mathias Brugman (born January 3, 1811, died September 30, 1868) was an important leader in Puerto Rico. He helped lead a big movement to gain independence from Spain. This movement is famous as "El Grito de Lares," which means "The Cry of Lares."

Mathias Brugman's Early Life

Mathias Brugman's father, Pierre Brugman, came from Curaçao. His family had Dutch and Jewish roots. His mother, Isabel Duliebre, was from Puerto Rico. They met and got married in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the U.S. Mathias was born, grew up, and went to school there.

Later, the Brugman family moved to Puerto Rico. They settled in the city of Mayagüez. There, Mathias met and married Ana Maria Laborde. He opened a colmado, which is a grocery store. He became quite successful with his business. However, he lost a lot of his money trying to grow coffee.

Like many people in Puerto Rico at that time, Mathias did not like how Spain ruled the island. He felt that Spain was unfair to the people. This made him believe strongly that Puerto Rico should be free and independent.

Fighting for Puerto Rico's Freedom

Mathias Brugman greatly admired two other leaders who wanted independence: Ramón Emeterio Betances and Segundo Ruiz Belvis. Their ideas inspired him to speak out for Puerto Rico's freedom.

People often gathered at Brugman's grocery store to talk about politics. Mathias became good friends with Manuel Rojas and his brother Miguel. Mathias and his son, Hector, joined them in a secret plan to revolt against Spain.

Together with other patriots, they formed special groups called revolutionary committees. These groups were mostly in the towns along the west coast of Puerto Rico. Mathias Brugman's group in Mayagüez was the first one formed. He used his grocery store as their main meeting place. His group's secret code name was "Capa Prieta," meaning "Black Cape." Manuel Rojas's group in Lares was called "Centro Bravo," or "Bravo Center."

The Cry of Lares: A Revolution Begins

On September 23, 1868, the revolution started. The town of Lares was taken over by the freedom fighters. This event became known as "El Grito de Lares" (The Cry of Lares). The revolutionaries bravely declared Puerto Rico a free "Republic of Puerto Rico."

However, the Spanish rulers had already been warned about the plan. They quickly sent their army and defeated the small group of liberators.

Mathias Brugman, his son Hector, and another revolutionary named Baldomero Baurer went into hiding. Many other revolutionaries, including Manuel Rojas and Mariana Bracetti, were either killed or put in prison.

On September 30, 1868, a farm worker named Francisco Quiñones betrayed Brugman, his son, and Baurer. He led the Spanish authorities to where they were hiding. The men refused to give up and were executed. Mathias Brugman died in the town of Yauco, Puerto Rico in 1868.

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans
• Jewish immigration to Puerto Rico
• History of the Jews in Puerto Rico