Associations

Emakume Abertzale Batza

The development and activities carried out during these five years were such that few similar organizations can be compared to this one of the emakumes. The work was done during the march, since the entity had to be organized in all the towns of Euzkadi and especially in Alava and Navarra. Everything was focused on reopening the old centers and creating new ones, all of which required a large number of meetings, conferences and parties. On January 11, 1932, the center of Barcelona was opened. These organizations were joined by other complementary children's organizations such as "Poxpoli as", "Gaztetxus" and "Neskames" also allied. In the cultural sphere, special attention was devoted to the Basque schools or ikastolas such as those inaugurated in Bilbao in 1932 in Belosticalle and the one in Errotatxueta, with two hundred students each. Likewise, the Euzko Ikastola Batza was founded, to whose Board two delegates from the emakumes belong and which in 1935 already had 13 ikastolas. Complementing this work, they also organize various classes in catechism, Basque, geography, history, reading, Basque songs, writing, grammar, shorthand, typing, accounting, music theory, piano, etc. In the social order, it organizes domestic servants and teachers, and women's unions attached to Solidaridad de Trabajadores Vascos, and Labor Exchanges and Mutual Societies. Emakume Abertzale Batza is not content with this union organizing work, he devotes himself with great enthusiasm to addressing urgent social problems such as alleviation of pressing needs, relief for the needy in general, hospital patients, prisoners, unemployed solidarity, "gabon" of solidarity, health care, nursing, first-aid kit and dispensary, care at the "Osakolea" institution and at home, etc. On February 18, 1934, he held a Social Assistance Congress, founded "Gexozaak", "Association of Nurses" or "Basque Red Cross", also created "Aurtzaintoki", or "Children's Clinic", gave nursing courses and opens the office called "Osakolea". In full growth and expansion, in full bloom, and when the organization promised its best fruits and its extension to other activities, the war of 1936 ensues. the newly created gudaris. In the occupied towns, the most outstanding emakumes were shaved heads and paraded through the streets to be the object of laughter and mockery by Carlists and Falangists. In addition, fines were applied to them that they generally paid in prison, they were forced to sweep the public streets and official centers. Mondragón was one of the hardest hit places. Forty-four children of the town were shot, among them the archpriest and his two coadjutors, noted for their humility and Christian brotherhood, but among all of them stands out the figure of Paula Méjica, 44 years old, married and great patriot, woman, according to those who knew her, of great talent and extraordinary dedication to the cause. The war produced a rapprochement of all those attacked, until then irreconcilable political enemies. The emakumes gave everything they could in rendering services and especially in humanizing and helping the gudaris. For this purpose they prepared 17 portable altars.

Original text: Bernardo Estornés Lasa