Edward Christopher Rees (5 January 1931 – 1 December 2001), known as Chris Rees, was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...

nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Th ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, ...

. Rees grew up in

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the C ...

and joined

Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom. Plaid wa ...

at an early age. In 1951, he refused to do

National Service National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939. The ...

, on the grounds that he was Welsh, and was sentenced to a year in prison. While imprisoned again later, he stood for the party in Gower at the 1955 general election, taking just over 10% of the vote. He later stood at the 1963 Swansea East by-election, and again in the seat in 1964 and

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo ...

, then in

Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after T ...

in 1970, but was never elected.Knut Diekmann, ''Die Nationalistische Bewegung in Wales'', p.640 In 1964, Rees was elected as Vice President of Plaid, unexpectedly beating Elystan Morgan, who was seen as the more conservative candidate. In 1966, Rees instead became the first Chairman of the party, serving until 1970. Although Rees grew up in an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

-speaking family, he learned

as an adult, and it became his main language. He became a college lecturer, and by 1970 was Director of Policy for Plaid. In this role, he produced a detailed language policy which was adopted by the party. In 1973, Rees adapted the

Ulpan An ulpan ( he, אולפן), plural ''ulpanim'', is an institute or school for the intensive study of Hebrew. Ulpan is a Hebrew word meaning "studio", "teaching", or "instruction". The ulpan is designed to teach adult immigrants to Israel the b ...

system of language learning for Welsh learners, renaming it

Wlpan Wlpan is the name of an intensive Welsh course for beginners used by some Welsh for Adults courses in Wales. On the course, basic patterns are taught in as short a time as possible. The first ''Wlpan'' course was organized by the Extramural Dep ...

, and from 1975, he focused on running the Centre for Teaching the Welsh Language to Adults, based at what became

Cardiff University , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...

. He died in Cardiff in December 2001 at the age of 70.Ancestry: Mr Edward Christopher Rees in the England and Wales, Death Index, 1989-2018
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rees, Chris 1931 births 2001 deaths 20th-century Welsh criminals Academics of Cardiff University Plaid Cymru politicians Politicians from Swansea Welsh conscientious objectors Welsh politicians convicted of crimes Welsh-speaking politicians