Politicians and Public Officials

Epalza López de Lerena, Domingo

Politician, born in Bilbao on 26 October 1884. He died in Donibane Lohitzune (San Juan de Luz) on 18 March 1956.

He studied law at the University of Deusto and obtained a doctorate in Philosophy and Letters at the University of Madrid. Apart from his professional activities, both in the Bank of Bilbao, where as managing director (1915-1937), he made a powerful contribution to bringing the Bank closer to the country, and helped many new companies, and in the Ferrocarriles del Norte, of whose Board of Directors he was vice-president, and in the Saltos del Duero, one of the organisers, he had been involved in his youth in movements in defence of the Catholic religion. Together with  José María de Urquijo, a personal friend of his and the Bishop of Malaga, Monsignor Ángel Herrera, he was involved in founding the Madrid newspaper El Debate.

As PNV candidate for the district of Barakaldo in 1918, he was a resounding success. A year later, he ran again for the same district, defeating Fernando de Ybarra, who received the title of Marquis of Arriluce de Ibarra from King Alfonso XIII in compensation for the many troubles and expenses that that failed election had caused him. This did not prevent the election from being annulled by the Government. His performance in Congress is remembered for his presentation of the foundations of Basque nationalism (the most radical speech of the Basque minority, much to the displeasure of the non-Basque parliamentarians, especially Romanones), and his defence of his fellow members of the minority, following the telegram sent by him and them, congratulating the US President, Mr. Wilson, for his policy in favour of the emancipation of oppressed peoples (25-10-1918). He worked very hard to preserve the Basque language, which, although he was a Basque speaker, he spoke perfectly well. Following the war, he sought asylum in Haltsou (Laburdi). When the Germans occupied France, Epalza was interned in the Gurs Concentration Camp (1940).

His remains are buried in Haltsou, where he spent his years in exile, and where his wife, Doña María de Aranzadi, daughter of Estanislao Aranzadi Izcue, also died.