Jose Perelló Torrens (Tormos, Alicante, 1885–1955) was a Republican politician in Spain and the Mayor of

Tormos Tormos is a municipality in the province of Alicante and autonomous community of Valencia, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ul ...

during the 1930s.

Biography

Jose Perelló Torrens was the first and only democratic mayor of the 20th century in Tormos prior to the restoration of democracy in 1978. It was on behalf of the party founded by Manuel Azaña,

Acción Republicana Republican Action ( es, Acción Republicana) was a Spanish left-wing republican party between 1930 and 1934. History The AR was founded in 1925 under the name ''Acción Política'' ("Political Action") by Manuel Azaña and José Giral. Political A ...

(AR) and

Izquierda Republicana The Republican Left ( es, Izquierda Republicana) was a Spanish republican party founded in 1934. History The party was founded in 1934 following the left's defeat in the 1933 election, by the merger of Manuel Azaña's Republican Action, part o ...

(IR). During the hard times of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) he had an exemplary performance and not allowed any violent deaths in the town of Tormos as well reflected in the "Causa General" or Franco judicial inquiry into the crimes in the "red zone" during the war. The most remarkable actión of José Perelló Torrens was to hide in a Tormos house the whole persecuted community of Carmelitas nuns arrived from Denia at the beginning of the Civil War. He also avoid the crimes of the parish priest and the town's richest owners facing himself the criminals of labour union CNT who wanted to kill them. After the Civil War the Major was accused by the local chief of the Falange party and sent to a prison. The parish priest and son of the village of Tormos, the escolapio Luis Ripoll Ginestar, was the only postrepublican authority of the town who intermediated in the liberation of the Mayor of the concentration camp of Porta-Coeli (Valencia), avoiding certain death. In November 2009 his great-grandson managed, in the framework of the law of historical memory of Spain (2007), a statement of moral reparation and personal recognition by the Ministry of Justice, awarded to those who unjustly suffered persecution or violence during the Civil war and Franco's dictatorship. They have also received the same recognition, among others,

Miguel Hernández Miguel Hernández Gilabert (30 October 1910 – 28 March 1942 ) was a 20th-century Spanish-language poet and playwright associated with the Generation of '27 and the Generation of '36 movements. Born and raised in a family of low resources, h ...

and

Lluís Companys Lluís Companys i Jover (; 21 June 1882 – 15 October 1940) was a Catalan politician who served as president of Catalonia from 1934 and during the Spanish Civil War. Companys was a lawyer close to labour movement and one of the most prominent l ...

. In November 2011 Tormos city council decided to give the name "Alcalde José Perelló Torrens" to a new street as an act of recognition to the labour of José Perelló Torrens. Other data of interest are that Jose Perelló Torrens emigrated to America, arriving at Ellis Island (New York) on February 14, 1917, aboard the ship "Antonio Lopez" that had left the port of Valencia. His son, José Perelló Ballester (1913–1939), enlisted in the battalion "Alicante Rojo" in August 1936, participated in the battle of Sigüenza (August–October 1936). Corps of the army was subsequently framed in the 71 ª mixed Brigade of the 12th Division of the IV, fighting in the Battle of Guadalajara (March 1937) against the

Corpo Truppe Volontarie The Corps of Volunteer Troops ( it, Corpo Truppe Volontarie, CTV) was a Fascist Italian expeditionary force of military volunteers, which was sent to Spain to support the Nationalist forces under General Francisco Franco against the Spanish R ...

sent by

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...

to Spain. He later formed part of the 113 ª mixed Brigade of 36 Division of the VII Corps of the people's Republic Army (EPR), fighting in Extremadura. He studied at the Popular School of war no.3 infantry located in Paterna (Valencia) reaching the rank of Lieutenant in campaign in August 1938.Centro Documental de la Memoria Histórica. Base de datos de militares republicanos con graduación. Diario Oficial del Ministerio de Defensa Nacional.Diario Oficial del Ministerio de Defensa Nacional.Año LI. Número 211.Tomo III. Barcelona 19 de agosto de 1938.Empleos en campaña.Página 211.Circular número 15.704. http://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/CDMH/BBDD_militaresRepublicanos.html

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Torrens, Jose Perello 1885 births 1955 deaths Spanish politicians

Biography

See also

References