Political career of Domenech i Montaner
He is known by his illustrious career as modernist architect, but Domenech i Montaner had an active facet, no less known, was able to politics, which was clung with the idea of “catalanisme”. Many historian of current catalanisme, said that Domenech i Montaner was first of all politic, thing that supplementary with his most famous and spectacular career in architecture.
Began his interests about politics influenced by his family which predominated the Renaixença spirit, a current of Catalonia for s. XIX, that it was started with the will to want promote the use of the Catalan language and got a big politic current.
His personality erudite, the full dedication to work, strict technical preparation, deep love for Catalonia and the devote consideration to the historic events of Catalonia were parallel to his politic vocation.
His politic performance began since he was young:
Participating at 1870 with 21 years as integrant of association like “Jove Cataluña” or “Centre Català” which he was the president at 1882. Belonging to conservatives ideas, a group of intellectuals, like the writer Angel Guimera and our starring among themselves, made a new organization called: Lliga de Cataluña, which Domenech i Montaner was president at 1888. This association did among others things a much important communicate destined to Queen Maria Cristina, the Alfonso XII’s wife, with reason of his stay in Barcelona cause the Universal Exposition made by the city at 1888. The message said this:
We wish that the Catalan nation return to have hers General Courts, vote the budgets of the Cataluña and the amount which our country have to contribute in the general overheads of Spain. That Cataluña be the lady of the within government and point out the contingent of the army for the Principate, not by draw and to haven’t to present in it, but using the volunteer soldiers that emerge and with pay. And that catalan be official in Cataluña for all demonstration to the life of this nation, that it use for education of Cataluña; that be Catalans the justice tribunals; that the boss of the government come to Cataluña to swear his fundamental constitution.
Lliga de Cataluña
If we stop to value and analyze this message, we can say that have had contents, which now a days have been got:
-Cataluña today has his own Generals Courts and Self-government on the maxim institution called: Generalitat de Cataluña.
-The budgets on Cataluña are determinate in part by the central government and other part by La Generalitat; thing which have got incompletely.
-Catalan has established like official language in Cataluña with Spanish, and is applicable in all public scopes, demonstration, education, communication…
-Catalan tribunals for and by Cataluña.
La Lliga de Cataluña was an institution with leading popularity, uniting different ideology down the central idea of “catalanisme”.
At the same time, while promoted politic catalanista with La Lliga de Cataluña, Domenech i Montaner, participated in other association like La Unió Catalanista which he was president at 1892. This association pretended to unite all sources catalanistas under the principality with the end to be stronger for the cause catalanisme.
This organization made an active participation in the formulation a new project of Estatut per Cataluña creating the Bases de Manresa, which was wrote in Manresa at 1892. In a magazine called “l’Avenç” were explicit Domenech i Montaner’s opinions about Bases de Manresa. Montaner narrate here a group of explanations of politics (his title is: Politics study) and the why of this project, with a point of view patriotic, thing that Domench I Montaner wanted to emphasize.
Also have to outstanding the actuation of Domenech i Montaner on the Ateneu Barcelonès. It was an association with character catalanista as the other institution said, and Domenech I Montaner was the president 7 times, and this represented to be president and drive the opinion and voice about de catalanisme that Domenech I Montaner used of active way to influence still more, those stronger current of national politics. He bought the building that still today is seat of Ateneu Barcelonès. According to Domenech I Montaner, Ateneu Barcelonès was a politic organization but never would be used with purpose partisan, and this, many historian consider that was a virtue: his desire to call for his native land, but running away of chains that imposed partisan politics, wasn’t dependent to any rigor, and this things went Domenech I Montaner to break ties with some organization like La Lliga de Cataluña at 1904, the same year that he left his politic career forever.
The culmination of Domenech I Montaner in the politic field was the moment which defending the identity of the country, he decided to present on the legislative elections on 19th of May at 1901, at the characteristic candidature called: “Els Quatre Presidents”:
-Bartumeu Robert
-Albert Rusinyol
-Lluis Domenech I Montaner
-Sebastià Torres I Planes
They gave his support and presented as one coalition: La Lliga Regionalista, a partisan borned to the fusion of La Lliga de Cataluña y El Centre Nacional Català, and furthermore was the partisan most voted, with 6.723 votes, representing 36,4% of the voters.
But finally his total commitment finished by several reasons at 1904:
Like before we say, the action that La Lliga Regionalista was influenced by partisan ideologies rights-wing, it was the reason because Domenech I Montaner decided to leave the partisan and consequent the politic.
But also influenced one act that happened that year, starring by Francesc Cambo, then councilor of La Lliga Regionalista. Cambo decided not to obey the will of boycott the King Alfonso XII’s visit to Barcelona, with a notification of a reunion with the king and transmitted a message which asked the autonomy for Cataluña:
“This city, Lord, does not feel happy. Your Majestic would deceptive if believes that joy prove, since we have you on the throne, show your aspirations satisfied, that the graves problems that we have raised and the deep preoccupations have disappear.”
This act, disapproved of many personality of Lliga Regionalista, provoked the division of his members, and some like Domenech I Montaner, his whole dedication to politic forever.
Then Domenech I Montaner was dedicated to his architect career completely. He founded one magazine called: “ El Poble Català”. Received articles of kind catalanistic which around formed subsequently the organization called Esquerra Catalana. Also at 1881, Domenech I Montaner was remained, and was president at 1895, of one celebration called Jocs Florals, which was aside for promote the Catalan literature, and Catalan, principal symbol to culture of Catalonia.
Politic was a locked way for him, so Domenech I Montaner, obeyed one article write for him on a magazine called “In search of an national architect”, he tried to create a modernist architecture, but at the same time on the basis that catalanistic, that reflected a catalanistic character, try to identify a kind of architect with the native land that he loved. This was and still today is admired: The action that this architect had the skill to transform nostalgic history ideas of Catalonia in a continued progress on his work.
Domenech I Montaner died at 1923, with 73 years., Since this date until today, in Spain have happened much action like a civil war which won the franquista groups leaded by Franco. On the post war franquistas purposed to republicans among had all catalanistic sections and institution. Franquistas accused catalanistas to want the independent of Spain. Forty years repressed, took a catalanistic current much weak, in the clandestine. At 1975, Franco died, and Spain become in a Democratic estate. Since then, we have got the freedom of expression, and Catalonia had got demand many things still no forgotten with this activity to first of the century.
Now I’ll mention some of claims that Domenech I Montaner in his politic life asked, and that nowadays are officials on the Spanish Constitution or on the Estatut of Catalonia and some which haven’t got :
Factors have got
-First and more important, Catalonia has got own one Autonomic Estatut, approved at 2006, which Catalonia fix banks of self-government, institutional system organized by The Generalitat and laws and obligations of the Catalonia citizens, and linguistic regime, and other matters about financing.
-The Catalan language, the beginning of catalanista current at 1830, is now accepted, after the franquista dictatorship where catalan was censored, and is the language coofficial at Catalonia with Spanish. In education, catalan is the language used at the same that the Parliament of Catalonia and Courts.
-The legislative regional power is on hands to Generalitat of Catalonia, so this factor is other got.
-The army nowadays is forming by voluntary and no by called forced like before times.
-Some petitions reclaimed functions for the central government:
- Division of the estate in: Executive power (ministers), Legislative power (Generals Courts), that are compound by down chamber, Congress of Deputy; and high chamber, the Senate. And Judicial power, and whole of judges and tribunals of Spanish estate.
- The internationals relations are matters to the Minister of Exterior of the Spanish Government.
- The Maintenance of earth and air army is responsibility of the central government and the actions of defense and teach military.
Factors haven’t got
The only factors to the idea that had Domenech I Montaner, explicit on the Bases of Manresa, which have been got was that only catalan people can hold the public jobs and administrative offices, well the more clearly example is on the president to Generalitat fo Catalonia José Montilla who is from Cordova, on central region of Spain.
In conclusion, we can say that nowadays, see to make up all those corrents catalanitics because, fifteen of sixteen bases of Manresa are current, and the only one that isn’t it, no represented any problem. Now many of their demands give our a better society, that we have learned to value for the efforts of such people, like Domenech I Montaner, the wonderful architect and politic Domench I Montaner.
Politic career about Domenech I Montaner; by: Marcos Huertos Formariz.
Teacher: Sergio Vivas.
