euskalkultura.eus

Tomorrow, Wednesday, the book The Odyssey of Xabiertxo: the last Steamer written by Koldo Ordozgoiti and published by Ekin Basque publishers in Buenos Aires will be presented in Basque city of Tolosa (Gipuzkoa) in the plenary room at city hall.  The work tells the true story of a group of refugees who randomly met on the Groix, the last steamer that sailed from Bordeaux to Buenos Aires on June 12, 1940.

Donostia-San Sebastian.   This is the history of a group of Basques in Europe and America constructed on real memories, with a promoting the message that “solidarity makes us strong.”

The book by Koldo Ordozgoiti tells the true story of a group of refugees, fourty three people, the majority of which were Basques, who met randomly on the Groix, the last steamer that traveled from Bordeaux to Buenos Aires on June 12, 1940, a few days before the fall of France to the hands of the Nazis.  The trip was to take 15 days, but turned into an odyssey of seven months, full of adversity, from bombings, to torpedoes at sea, passing through retention for 149 days at the port of Casablanca, experienced with the fear of being turned over to Franco’s dictatorship.

In this situation, united by necessity and in solidarity, was this heterogeneous group of refugees.  To a great degree, it was a family emigration, eleven families made up of thirty five people, and nearly two thirds of the passengers were women and children, ranging in age from 13 months to 76 years old.  Among them were cultural personalities such as Aita Miguel Altzo; from the world of politics and civil governor of Gipuzkoa from July 18, 1936, Jesus Artola; General Fernando Martinez-Monje Restoy military chief in Valencia when the civil war began; two deputies from the Courts of the Republic, socialists Tomas Alvarez Angulo, and Manuel Cordero Perez; mother, sister and nieces of Manuel de Irujo; wife and children of Ixaka Lopez-Mendizabal, as well as civil servants, gudaris, and members of the Republican marines and army.

In this story, Basques from both side of the ocean, Euskadi and Argentina appear intimately linked.  The important role played by the “Pro-Basque Immigration Committee” in Argentina comes to light and that of Lehendakari Agirre, the Basque Government and its delegations, especially situated in Buenos Aires, during that tragic moment in the world to provide shelter to thousands of Basque citizens.

The book includes the efforts and the political relationship that develops so that the expedition of the Groix comes to fruition.  The fundamental role of the Pro-Basque Immigration Decree, by Argentine President Ortiz that authorizes, in the middle of World War II, the admission to the Argentine Republic of Basques of various origins, and places of residence, under a single moral and material warranty in each case, in the Pro-Basque Immigration Committee.

It also represents the round trip of Xabiertxo the children’s encyclopedia by Ixaka Lopez Mendizabal illustrated by Txiki Zabalo, one of the main children’s Books in Basque of the 20th century.  It also shows the work done to refuge the Basque culture done at that time in Argentina, through institutions like Ekin, who now publishes this work.  The book shows the Basque cultural renaissance of Euskal Pizkundea that jumped to America to take root with fruits like those aforementioned at Ekin created by Ixaka Lopez-Mendizabal and Andres Irujo.

The Odyssey of Xabiertxo: the last Steamer will be presented tomorrow, June 8 at 7pm at the Plenary Room at Tolosa’s City Hall.