Rafael Sánchez Mazas

Rafael Sánchez Mazas was a Spanish writer and a leader of the Falange, a right-wing political movement created in Spain before the Spanish Civil War.

Sánchez Mazas was born in Madrid on February 18, 1894, and received a degree in law at the Real Colegio de Estudios Superiores de María Cristina, El Escorial.

In 1915 he published "Pequeñas memorias de Tarín". He wrote in the magazine "Hermes" and in the newspapers "ABC", "El Sol" and "El Pueblo Vasco". In 1921 he worked in Morocco as a correspondent for "El Pueblo Vasco" and in 1922 in Rome for "ABC".

Sánchez Mazas lived in Italy for seven years and married Liliana Ferlosio. He identified with the fascist movement that was developing at that time.

Sánchez Mazas returned to Spain in 1929 and became an advisor for José Antonio Primo de Rivera, the main ideologist of the Falange. In 1933, he helped to create the weekly newspaper "El Fascio", which was banned by the authorities after its second issue was published.

After the creation of "Falange Española" on October 29, 1933, Sánchez Mazas was appointed a member of the Council, and he remained an active member up until the breakout of the Civil War (July 1936-April 1939). In February 1934, he wrote "Oración por los muertos de Falange". He also co-wrote "Cara al Sol", the anthem of "Falange Española".

Sánchez Mazas was arrested and imprisoned in Madrid in March 1936, as the Falange was outlawed. He was given a short leave on the occasion of the birth of his fourth son, but he failed to report back and instead took up political asylum at the Chilean Embassy in Madrid. In 1937 he attempted fleeing the country, but was arrested in Barcelona in November. He was confined in the prison-ship "Uruguay" until January 24, 1939, when he was taken for execution with about 50 other inmates to the Monastery of Santa María del Collel in Girona (Northern Catalonia).

The execution was carried out on January 30, but as the squad was firing at the prisoners Sánchez Mazas managed to leap out of the group and run into the forest. A manhunt was organised and Sánchez Mazas was found hiding under some bushes shortly after. However, the loyalist soldier who found him decided not to report him and spare his life. After a few days Sánchez Mazas joined again the nationalist lines.

In 1940 he was appointed a member of the Real Academia Española de la Lengua, but he failed to attend his inauguration ceremony.

He inherited a fortune and had many political appointments.

Sánchez Mazas died in Madrid on October 1966.

His life story inspired Javier Cercas to write Soldados de Salamina. A movie of the same name was directed by David Trueba. His sons Rafael Sánchez Ferlosio and Chicho Sánchez Ferlosio and his grandson Máximo Pradera are known artists.