Galician Literary Voices in Exile (1936-1950)
Galician Literature of Exile (1936-1950)
London, Mexico, Venezuela, and above all, Buenos Aires were the destinations for Galician exiles fleeing Franco’s repression. They established cultural initiatives, publishing magazines like Vieiros, founding publishers such as Citania, and broadcasting on Radio Portugal for immigrants.
This period highlights dramatic and poetic genres, influenced by the avant-garde and the prose style of Celso Emilio Ferreiro. Common themes include protest-oriented sentiments and intimate reflections, particularly nostalgia. This literature was fostered through Galician centers and tertulias (social gatherings), playing a crucial role in preserving the written language from disappearing and stimulating cultural activity in Galicia.
Poetry
- Luís Seoane: Works like In bretema e cicatrices explore historical themes.
- Lorenzo Varela: His work Lonxe addresses homesickness, the lack of land for exiles, and mythical-historical themes centered on the Civil War.
- Emilio Pita: Known for Cantos de nenos, which exhibits an avant-garde aesthetic, and Os camiños da xente, a work of social poetry.
Narrative
Narrative works from this period primarily focus on the 1936 Civil War and the nostalgia caused by exile.
- Ramón Valenzuela: In Non agardei por ninguén, he explores the marginalization of rural life, social injustice, and the Galician nationalist struggle.
- Antón Alonso Ríos: His works, such as Saudade and Amor, arte e…, follow the line of the “Nós” group and “Voces Ceibes,” emphasizing attachment to the land and profound nostalgia.
- Silvio Santiago: Silencio derribado depicts the tragedy experienced by many Galicians during the war, serving as a tribute to unsung heroes and a quest for freedom.
Theater
Cult Theater
Written by expatriates, this genre embodies modern aesthetics and dramatic techniques to elevate the quality of theater. It appeals to reason and intellect to raise Galician nationalist awareness.
- Alfonso Rodríguez Castelao: In Os vellos non deben de namorarse, Castelao modernizes the stage, addressing aspects like costumes, lighting, and decoration, showing influences from Russian theater.
- Luís Seoane: A soldadeira is set during the Irmandiño revolts and features three contemporary peasants.
- Eduardo Blanco Amor: His farces incorporate modern techniques and reveal the social and cultural situation of Galicia in the postwar period.
Popular Theater
Directed by immigrants, this form of theater is closer to tradition, appealing to emotions and feelings to foster Galician nationalist awareness. It aimed to ensure Galicians maintained their consciousness of their land, country, and pride in being Galician. Notable authors include Ricardo Flores and Isaac Díaz Pardo.
This genre primarily focuses on patriotic sentiment, as the writers in exile initiated a political struggle against the repression in Galicia.
- Alfonso Rodríguez Castelao: Sempre en Galiza is considered the most important patriotic essay in Galicia. It is a text composed of heterogeneous materials, written at different times, but always marked by the condition of exile. It approaches the history of Galicia, proposes federalism for the reconstruction of Spain, and clarifies concepts such as nation and state. Castelao passionately advocates for Galician identity.
- Luís Seoane: His Comunicacións mesturadas includes screenplay texts for radio broadcasts aimed at Galician immigrants. He also wrote essays on art and painting, and texts on art and design.
- Other authors include José Núñez Búa, Lois Tobío, and Gerardo Fernández Albalat.