Rafael García Serrano facts for kids

Rafael García Serrano (born 11 February 1917 – died 12 October 1988) was a Spanish writer and journalist. He was part of a political group called the Falange. When he was a teenager, he joined the Falange. He also fought for the Nationalist side in the Spanish Civil War.

During his career, he wrote many novels, often about the Spanish Civil War. He also wrote travel diaries. Serrano was active during the time when General Franco ruled Spain. He helped manage Arriba España, which was the official newspaper of the Falange.

He also worked as a screenwriter for several movies. In 1967, he even directed a film called Lost Eyes.

Rafael García Serrano always stood by his beliefs from his time in the Falange. Even so, many people in Spain still respect him for his excellent writing.

About Rafael García Serrano

Early Life and Joining the Falange

Rafael García Serrano was born in Pamplona, Spain, in 1917. He studied Philosophy and Letters at the University of Madrid. In January 1934, he joined the Spanish Falange. This was a political group that was part of the University Student Federation. He also helped start the Spanish University Union (SEU). Before the war, he wrote for Falangist newspapers. His writings were inspired by Ernesto Giménez Caballero, whom he admired.

A Career in Journalism and Writing

When the Spanish Civil War began, Rafael García Serrano joined the troops of General Emilio Mola in Pamplona. He worked as a journalist, writer, and director for several Falangist newspapers. These included Arriba España, Jerarquía, and Arriba. He also worked for the 7 Fechas and Pyresa agencies. In 1953, he became the director of Haz magazine. This was the official publication of the Spanish University Union. He also wrote for other newspapers like SP and El Alcázar.

Writing About the Spanish Civil War

Serrano was known as a writer who produced a lot of work. His books mostly focused on the Spanish Civil War. He had experienced this war himself when he was young. He became ill with tuberculosis during the Battle of the Ebro and had to go to the hospital.

After that, he published a book called "Eugenio o proclamación de la primavera". This book was dedicated to Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera, who started the Falange. Then came "La fiel infantería". This book won him the National Novel Prize in 1943. However, its publication was stopped for a while. This was because of religious censorship by the archbishop of Toledo. These two books, along with "Plaza del Castillo", form a group of three books he called "La guerra" (The War).

The theme of the Civil War continued in his later books. These include "Los ojos perdidos" (Lost Eyes), "La paz dura fifteen días" (Peace Lasts Fifteen Days), and the well-known "Dictionary for a backpack" (Diccionario para un macuto). Serrano also wrote many short stories and travel books.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1983, Serrano won the Espejo de España Prize. He won it for his book "La gran esperanza" (The Great Hope). In this book, he shared memories from his childhood, youth, and parts of the Spanish Civil War. He was good at describing places, situations, and customs. He especially focused on Spain in the early 1900s. His writings help readers understand daily life during the Spanish Civil War. They also show the victories of the Francoist side, as seen in his Civil War trilogy, "Ópera Carrasclás".

In 1975, Rafael García Serrano became a member of the board of directors for Dyrsa editorial.

He had seven children. His wife, Araceli García, passed away in 1983 at age 54. Rafael García Serrano himself died in Madrid in 1988.

His Unique Writing Style

Novels About War

Critics have noted Serrano's special writing style. It mixes new literary ideas with words often used in army barracks. This creates a strong and unique style.

His novel "La fiel infantería" is special because it has modern features. It has many different situations and does not follow a simple timeline. It also tells the story from three different points of view. The writing is short and to the point. It uses bold comparisons and hints, sometimes about military life. This book praises the feeling of friendship and bravery among soldiers fighting on the front lines.

Later books, like "Eugenio o proclamación de la primavera", followed more traditional rules. But they still showed characters who were proud to fight for what they believed was right. This same book combines ideas from old idealistic poetry with a lack of strong political messages.

Films and Screenplays

Serrano worked on many films. He wrote 22 fiction movies and 12 television scripts. He also worked on 9 documentaries that were sold to the public.

As a Screenwriter

Some of his film work includes:

• La fiel infantería (1960), directed by Pedro Lazaga. This film was not based on his novel of the same name.
• The script for Ronda española (1952), directed by Ladislao Vajda.
• La patrulla (1954), where he also had a small acting part.
• The economically weak (1960), directed by Lazaga.
• The house of the Troy (1959).
• You and I are three (1961).
• Boyfriends of death (1975).
• The sailor with the golden fists (1968).
• The legion likes women...and women like the legion (1976), by Rafael Gil.

In 1965, he wrote the script for the documentary Morir en España (1965) with José María Sánchez Silva. This film was directed by Mariano Ozores.

As a Director

He also directed Los ojos perdidos (Lost Eyes) in 1966. This film was based on his own novel. The movie was seen as controversial. This was because it showed events from the Civil War during a time when Spanish society was trying to move on from the conflict.

Selected Filmography

Screenwriter

• Spanish Serenade (1952)
• College Boarding House (1959)
• The Invincible Gladiator (1961)
• The Sailor with Golden Fists (1968)
• Death's Newlyweds (1975)

Director

• Lost Eyes (1967)

See also

In Spanish: Rafael García Serrano para niños