Rizal and Unamuno. The October 1936 Incident at the Universidad de Salamanca.

Jose Rizal (1861-1896) & Miguel de Unamuno (1864-1936)

In his "Epilogo" for Jose Rizal's biography written by Wenceslao E. Retana, Spanish poet/philosopher Miguel de Unamuno mentioned about the possibility of him having seen Rizal, that their paths must have crossed each other many times in the Universidad Central de Madrid, where both have been students. Unamuno wrote: 

"Rizal estudió Filosofía y Letras en Madrid por los mismos años en que estudiaba yo en la misma Facultad, aunque él estaba acabándola cuando yo la empezaba. Debí de haber visto más de una vez al tagalo en los vulgarismos claustros de la Universidad Central, debí de haberme cruzado más de una vez con él mientras soñábamos Rizal en sus Filipinas y yo en mi Vasconia.”

Translation:

"Rizal studied Philosophy and Letters in Madrid during the same years I attended the same Faculty, although he was finishing his studies when I was just beginning mine. I must have seen the Tagalog scholar more than once in the venerable cloisters of the Central University. We must have crossed paths several times, each of us dreaming—Rizal of his Philippines and I of my Basque country."

October 1936 Incident at Universidad de Salamanca

On October 12, 1936, in a gathering to celebrate "Dia de la Raza" inside the walls of the Universidad de Salamanca, Unamuno then rector of the said university, found himself in a heated debate against a formidable front of Spanish Falangists, supporters of Gen, Francisco Franco among them were former Spanish Army officer José Millán-Astray y Terreros, Falangist writer José María Pemán, included also was the wife of Francisco Franco. The confrontation started after a speech of the Falangist, praising Fascism as the only hope of Spain. To this, Unamuno rose to his feet, gave an impassioned speech rebuking José Millán-Astray and his group. In that speech, he also mentioned Jose Rizal. 

According to one account of the incident, Unamuno prepared a speech for the gathering. But when he found out that this event will be graced by Falangists and when statements came praising the movement. Unamuno suddenly improvised and added the praise to Rizal.

"You are waiting for my words. You know me well, and you know that I am incapable of remaining silent. Sometimes, to remain silent is to lie, because silence can be interpreted as acquiescence. I want to make some comments on the speech of Professor Maldonado, who is with us. There has been talk here of an international war in defense of Christian civilization. But no, ours is simply an uncivil war. It is not a war of Spaniards against others, but a war of one Spain against herself—a collective suicide. I was born lulled by a civil war; I know what I am saying. To win is not to convince, and it is essential to convince. But you cannot convince with hatred, which leaves no room for compassion, that hatred of intelligence, which is critical and differentiating, inquisitive... but not inquisitorial.

There has been talk of Catalans and Basques, calling them anti-Spain. Well, by the same reasoning, they could say the same of you. And here is the bishop—whether he likes it or not, he is Catalan, born in Barcelona, and he is here to teach the Christian doctrine that you do not want to know. I myself was born in Bilbao and have spent my entire life teaching the Spanish language, which you do not know.

Today, we do not celebrate the festival of race but rather the day of language, an empire—the Spanish language, spoken by Rizal, as Spanish as his executioners. Defeated, yes; converted, perhaps; but not convinced.

I just heard the necrophilic and foolish cry, “Long live death!” This sounds to me like “Death to life!” And I, who have spent my life composing paradoxes that have aroused the anger of some who did not understand them, must tell you, as an expert in the field, that this ridiculous paradox seems repellent to me. In an excessive and tortuous way, it has been proclaimed in homage to the last speaker, as a testimony that he himself is a symbol of death.

General Millán-Astray is an invalid. Let it be said without any disparaging undertone. He is a war invalid. So was Cervantes. But extremes do not serve as a norm: they avoid it. Unfortunately, in Spain there are currently too many mutilated. And, if God does not help us, soon there will be many more. It pains me to think that General Millán-Astray could dictate the norms of the psychology of the masses. That would be appalling. An invalid who lacks the spiritual greatness of Cervantes will be comforted by seeing how the number of the mutilated around him increases. General Millán-Astray wishes to create a new Spain in his own image—a negative creation, without a doubt. And for that reason, as he unwittingly made clear, he wishes to see Spain crippled.

This is the temple of intelligence, and I am its high priest! You are desecrating its sacred precinct. I have always been, no matter what the saying goes, a prophet in my own country. You will win, because you have brute force. But you will not convince, because to convince, you need to persuade. And to persuade, you will need something you lack: reason and right. It seems useless to ask you to think of Spain... I have spoken."

General Jose Millan Astray interrupted Unamunno, shouting.... "puedo hablar?..puedo hablar?..(can I speak,, can I speak..) The speech was interpreted as an insult to Millan Astray because he fought in the Philippines serving the Spanish forces during the 1896 revolution and one of the prominent victims of the Spanish military was Rizal; whom they sentenced with a firing squad. But Jose Millan Astray could not interrupt Unamuno. When the general noticed that he could not get the attention of Unamuno , he then shouted these words that became famous: "¡Muera la intelectualidad traidora! (death to the traitorous intellectuality), probably a shout of threat against intellectuals, support us or else... A prelude of how things will be for the intelligentsia in Francoist Spain?

The gathering was becoming unruly, Unamuno decided to leave, and while heading outside the halls, there were still shouts of insults and threat from the Falangist group. He had to be escorted out by people that includes Franco's wife. Ten days later, Franco removed him as rector of the Universidad de Salamanca. Unamuno died the last day of that year, 31. December 1936.

Unamuno being escorted out of the halls of the Universidad de Salamanca. October 12 1936.

Francisco Franco with Jose Millan Astray