Nosaltres Sols! facts for kids
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Nosaltres Sols!
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| Formation | 1931 |
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| Dissolved | 1939 |
| Type | Paramilitary organization |
| Purpose | Catalan nationalism |
| Headquarters | Sant Just Desvern, Spain; Perpignan, France |
Nosaltres Sols! (which means "Ourselves Only!" in English) was a group from the 20th century. It was a political movement in Catalonia, a region in Spain. The group wanted Catalonia to be an independent country.
It started in 1931 and also published a weekly newspaper with the same name. The main goal of Nosaltres Sols! was to stand up against groups they saw as against Catalonia's independence. This included people who wanted Catalonia to remain part of Spain, as well as other political groups like anarchists, communists, and fascists.
Contents
Who Started Nosaltres Sols!?
The person who founded and led Nosaltres Sols! was Daniel Cardona i Civit. People knew him by nicknames like "Vibrant" and "L'irlandès" (the Irishman). He was also elected as the Mayor of his hometown, Sant Just Desvern.
Nosaltres Sols! continued the ideas of an earlier group called Bandera Negra i Santa Germandat Catalana (Black Flag and Holy Catalan Brotherhood). This older group was formed in 1925. It was connected to the political party Estat Català, which also wanted Catalonia to be independent. Members of these groups took actions against leaders who supported the Spanish monarchy and opposed Catalan independence.
Why the Name "Ourselves Only!"?
The name "Nosaltres Sols!" comes from the Irish phrase Sinn Féin Amháin, which also means "ourselves only." This was a main idea of the Irish republican party Sinn Féin. Daniel Cardona i Civit was inspired by Ireland's fight for independence. He traveled to Ireland many times and wrote about how it influenced his ideas and the group's goals.
Some historians have noted that members of Nosaltres Sols! also had connections with other European groups. For example, one member, Manel Blasi, contacted German National Socialists. Another member, Baldomer Palazon, connected with Italian fascists. However, when the Spanish Civil War began, Nosaltres Sols! actually fought against German and Italian forces. These forces were supporting the side that opposed the Republic in Spain.
Who Joined the Group?
Many people who joined Nosaltres Sols! had previously been part of Estat Català. They disagreed with a decision made by Francesc Macià to create a new political party called Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya.
Other members came from a youth group called Palestra. This group focused on hiking and Catalan nationalism. It was influenced by similar youth movements from other countries, like the Czech Sokol and the Irish Fianna Éirann. It also took ideas from Robert Baden-Powell's scouting movement.
Changes and Actions
Nosaltres Sols! later changed its name to l'Organització Militar Nosaltres Sols! or OMNS. This happened when the Statute of Autonomy of Núria was announced during the Second Spanish Republic. The group felt this new law did not give Catalonia enough independence.
Nosaltres Sols! played a part in the Events of 6 October. This was an attempt by the government of Catalonia, led by President Lluís Companys, to declare Catalonia separate from Spain. Because of his involvement, Daniel Cardona i Civit had to go into exile. While in exile in Perpignan, France, Cardona met with members of Basque independence groups.
In June 1936, after a military uprising in Spain, Nosaltres Sols! remained loyal to the Spanish Republic. They fought alongside the Republican army. They worked with the Estat Català branch and forces from the Generalitat, which is the government of Catalonia.
After the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, many young members of Nosaltres Sols! formed new groups. These included the Front Nacional de Catalunya (National Front of Catalonia) and the Organització de Resistència Nacional (Organization of the National Resistance). These groups continued to fight against the German army in France and later against the government of Francoist Spain. They often used guerrilla warfare, fighting in small groups in the Pyrenees mountains alongside other resistance fighters.
See also
In Spanish: Nosaltres Sols! para niños
