Associations

Emakume Abertzale Batza

The loss of the war brought the emakumes into exile in France, Belgium, England, while others settled in Catalonia, which was in the hands of the Republicans. There too, in full anti-religious fury of anarchists, communists and socialists, they gave the Christian note, opening a chapel and with it, resuming worship in the "red" zone. The new house of the emakumes was called "Gure-Etxia". The Board of Directors appointed in such dramatic circumstances was the following: President: Concepción de Azaola; Vice President: Mar to Teresa Salcedo; Secretary: Angeles Zuazagoitia; Deputy Secretary: Martina Bernal de Azurmendi; treasurer: Garbi e de Urresti; vice treasurer: Mar a Elosua de Irizar; Members: Sponsorship Alava de Miremón, Mar a Olondo de Etxebarria, Miren Irujo, and Miren de Guerricagoitia. Together with her, the commissions for propaganda, culture, home, worship, charity and work were constituted. And they still had the courage to organize a Basque course while vigorously promoting subscriptions for the gabón, baskets of umetxus, etc. There were two chapels because they also installed another one in the "Euzkadi Hospital" created there. Later they set up and founded "El Hogar" to find accommodation for Basque women from shelters in various towns in Catalonia, assisting them financially and morally. It also collected Basque religious men and women who lived clandestinely. They ed them at the Home and provided them with a passport to go to France. The task of assisting Basque refugees was immense and difficult. Even there arose groups of gorularis, dantzaris and poxpoli as well in order to provide a certain joy to so many dispersed children. The attention of Basque women reached numerous hospitals, asylums, children's colonies and other centers. Another of the activities was providing placement and work to a large number of Basque refugees in Catalonia, even starting up their own workshop and a Wardrobe. The emakumes made news in Barcelona, above all, with their attempts to restore the public worship that they already practiced privately in the two aforementioned chapels. For this they had the Basque minister D. Manuel de Irujo. With the loss of Catalonia, the emakumes embarked on a new phase of the Basque ordeal. It goes without saying that the Organization of Emakume Abertzale Batza branched out throughout the world of exile, establishing itself in Chile, Uruguay, Argentina and, above all, in Arrecifes, Rosario and Tandil. Ref . Larra aga, Policarpo: Emakume Abertzale Batza (Editorial Au amendi).

Original text: Bernardo Estornés Lasa