Soledad Villafranca facts for kids

Soledad Villafranca los Arcos (1880–1948) was an important Spanish activist and teacher. She believed in anarchism, which is a political idea about having a society without a government. Soledad worked at a special school called the Escuela Moderna and was a close friend and partner of Francisco Ferrer, who founded the school.

Soledad's Early Life

Soledad Villafranca los Arcos was born in 1880 in a town called Agoitz in Navarre, Spain. Her family was wealthy. In 1902, when she was 22, her family moved to the big city of Barcelona.

Working at the Escuela Moderna

In Barcelona, Soledad became the director of the elementary school program at Francisco Ferrer's Escuela Moderna. This school was famous for its modern and free-thinking ways of teaching. It focused on helping students think for themselves and learn about social justice.

A librarian at the school, Mateu Morral, was involved in a major political event in 1906. Soledad was not involved in this event.

Activism and Exile

After the 1906 event, Soledad Villafranca went into exile with Francisco Ferrer from 1907 to 1909. They traveled across Europe, sharing their ideas about anarchism and social change.

When Ferrer was later arrested because of a period of unrest called the Tragic Week, Soledad spoke up for him at his trial. After this, she went into exile again, living in different towns in Aragon.

After Ferrer was executed, Soledad worked hard to keep his ideas and educational traditions alive. She was later connected to another political event involving Prime Minister José Canalejas.

Later Life

Soledad Villafranca decided to step back from her activism after she married Carlos Woessner, who was from Germany.

During the Spanish Civil War, she moved to Cologne, Germany. She returned to Barcelona in 1939. Soledad Villafranca passed away in Barcelona in 1948.