The homage to Miguel Hernandez, a poet who joined the Republican Band and was condemned to death by Franco’s War Council at the end of the Civil war, continues this week in Calasparra with evening concerts on Thursday and Friday.
Hernandez was condemned to death by Franco’s War Council and that sentence, coincidentally this very week, is subject to an application to the Supreme Court to “reconsider” the poet’s conviction under the Law of Historic Memory. However, the popular view is that the application will be refused.
The poet was born in Orihuela and was a shepherd by profession. However, despite his father’s fierce opposition he continued his studies. It was while he was in the mountains watching the sheep that he wrote his first poems.
Along with many other famous Spanish literary heroes, such as Frederick Lorca, he joined the Republican Movement when Civil War broke out. He was arrested in 1939 when he was at the point of publishinghis book of war poetry, “El hombre Acecha”, and just as Franco declared the Civil War had ended. One of dictator’s “Clean-Up” Commissions ordered the destruction of every copy of the new book, however, two copies survived permitting its international publication.
Hernandez was arrested trying to flee to Portugal and detained although a few months later he was inexplicably granted his freedom.
Only a year later he was arrested again in his home town of Orihuela and taken to the prison of the Count of Toreno in Madrid. It was here he was condemned to death, amongst other intellectual friends, although his sentence was commuted to 30 years following the intervention of influential allies. He was transferred to various different prisons before, in 1941, he became ill at the Adult Reformatory in Alicante. He died on March 28, 1942, at a mere 31 years-old.
This week in Calasparra there are two poetry and musical events as part of the Days of Homage to the Poet. The first includes poetry, voice and guitar and the second offers a classical concert and choir. Both concerts are free of charge. Full details in Cultural Events in the Town Hall section.
