Wilebaldo Solano facts for kids

Wilebaldo Solano Alonso (born July 7, 1916, in Burgos, Spain – died September 7, 2010, in Barcelona, Spain) was an important Spanish activist. He was known for his work with socialist youth groups during the Spanish Civil War. He was a member of the Workers' Party of Marxist Unification, often called the POUM. Most of his early work was in Catalonia.

Early Life and Student Days

Wilebaldo Solano finished his high school studies at Institut Balmes in Barcelona. He was a natural leader among students. He helped start the first student group at his school when General Miguel Primo de Rivera lost power. Later, he founded the Catalan National Student Federation. Solano then began studying medicine at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

In 1932, he joined the youth part of the Bloque Obrero y Campesino (BOC). This group was for workers and farmers. It was a big organization that later joined with others to form the POUM. Solano also helped create the Association of Revolutionary Students of Barcelona. He became a leader in the BOC Youth. He started writing for Adelante ("Forward"), a newspaper led by Joaquín Maurín. Maurín later helped start the POUM with Andreu Nin.

Spanish Civil War Activities

In September 1935, Solano became the secretary general of the JCI (Iberian Communist Youth). He had joined the POUM and worked in Valencia. There, he helped start a weekly newspaper called El Comunista (The Communist).

When the Spanish Civil War began in 1936, Solano represented the JCI. He was part of the POUM's main committee. He also led a weekly newspaper called Juventud Comunista (Communist Youth). In November 1936, he was chosen to lead the International Bureau of Revolutionary Socialist Youth.

On June 16, 1937, Solano escaped from fighting between different groups. He helped create a new POUM leadership with other members who were also hiding. This group worked to resist the attacks on the POUM. They also tried to get support for Nin and other leaders who were in jail. During this time, he edited a secret newspaper called Juventud Obrera (Working Youth).

In April 1938, Solano and other POUM leaders were arrested. They were put in Barcelona State Prison by the government. He was supposed to be part of a second trial for the POUM. However, the trial never happened because Nationalist forces took over Barcelona. In February 1939, Solano went to France.

Life in Exile

Solano lived in Paris and Chartres for several months. He and other POUM members tried to rebuild their party. They wanted to have a group in exile and one still active in Spain. They also worked to stay connected with other organizations.

In 1941, Nazi Germany took over France. Solano was arrested in Montauban. A court from the Vichy regime sentenced him to twenty years of forced labor. He was set free on July 19, 1944, by the Maquis, who were French resistance fighters.

He joined the French Resistance. With other POUM members, he helped start a Spanish guerrilla unit called the Liberty Battalion. In 1945, he left the Battalion. He wanted to focus again on organizing the POUM. He also helped restart their newspaper, La Batalla ("The Battle").

In 1947, Solano secretly traveled to Madrid and Catalonia. He was then chosen as the secretary general of the POUM. This happened at a meeting in Toulouse. Representatives from the illegal Spanish organization and exile groups from France, North Africa, and Latin America attended.

While in exile, Solano edited La Batalla. He also started Tribuno Socialista ("Socialist Tribune"). This magazine became very popular in Spain. It was a time when resistance against Francoist Spain was strong. Solano also took part in many international activities. He helped create the Movement for the United States of Europe. This was one of the first groups to promote unity in Europe after the war. He also helped create the Pro-socialist People's Congress. This group brought together many African and Asian national liberation movements.

From 1953 to 1981, Solano worked for Agence France Presse. In 1975-76, the POUM faced problems. Solano did not agree with dissolving the party. He wanted Tribuno Socialista to become the POUM's main magazine. He supported bringing together different revolutionary Marxist groups.

Later Years and Legacy

In the 1980s, Wilebaldo Solano helped start the Fundació Andreu Nin. This foundation worked to clear the name of Andreu Nin, a communist politician. They also wanted to find out how he died. The foundation also supported revolutionary Marxism. They encouraged talks with all parts of the socialist labor movement.

Solano wrote a book about Nin's life. He also wrote a history of the JCI. He wrote many essays about the POUM. He wrote about Spanish revolutionaries in France. He also wrote about the fall of the USSR. He was a main advisor for films like Ken Loach's Land and Freedom. He also helped with the documentary Operación Nikolai.

In 1999, Solano's book, El POUM in la Historia. Andreu Nin y la revolución española, was released. It was about the POUM and Nin's role in the Spanish revolution. It was a personal look at a time and political group that was not well understood. Some people say it is one of the most important books about the POUM.

His personal papers are kept at the Pavelló de la República CRAI Library at the University of Barcelona. They include his writings, documents from political groups, and newspaper clippings.

See also

In Spanish: Wilebaldo Solano para niños