Joseba Elosegi

Joseba Elosegi was a Basque nationalist who self-immolated trying to embrace dictator Franco during a pelota game in San Sebastián September 19 1970. He did it as a protest against the fascist Bombing of Gernika in 1937.
As a young "Gudari" (Patriot in Euzkera, name of the Basque military forces during the Spanish Civil War) Mayor he stayed in Gernika for three hours while the city was burning. After the war he became an active member of the nationalist resistance against Franco (He tied an Ikurriña, the forbidden by the dictatorship Basque flag, on Donostia's Cathedral the 18 July of 1946). Granada Television made a documentary in 1974 on the attack, narrated by Joseba's wife. With the coming of democracy he became an active member of Basque politics and managed the peace conversations with ETA in the 80's. He wrote a biography telling his youngster experiences during Gernika's bombing and explaining his action.

Biography

*Joseba Elosegi : Quiero morir por algo (I Want to Die for Something), Esplugas de Llobregat, Barcelona : Plaza & Janés, 1977 "In Spanish"