Inventory of the Javier Benedet papers

Finding aid prepared by Hoover Institution Library and Archives Staff

Hoover Institution Library and Archives

434 Galvez Mall

Stanford University

Stanford, CA 94305-6003

hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu

URL: http://www.hoover.org/library-and-archives

Title: Javier Benedet papers

Date (inclusive): 1900-1977

Collection Number: 2013C11

Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives

Language of Material: The collection is in Spanish with some materials in English

Physical Description: 22 manuscript boxes, 10 oversize boxes, 1 oversize folder (14.8 Linear Feet)

Abstract: The Javier Benedet papers contain significant materials relating to the Spanish Civil War and to fundraising efforts in Northern California on behalf of the Republican side in that conflict. The papers also provide documentation on the plight of Republican refugees in the aftermath of the Civil War and on the political life of the Spanish anti-fascist diaspora in France, Mexico, and other countries.

Creator: Benedet, Javier, 1904-1990

Creator: Acción Demócrata Española

Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Access

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Use

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Acquisition Information

Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2012.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Javier Benedet papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Biographical Note

1904	Born, Siete Iglesias, Valladolid, Spain
1910-1925	Lives in Mexico and is apprenticed as a bullfighter
1925-1969	Works as a waiter in San Francisco, California
1930s-1970s	Secretary, Acción Demócrata Española. Active in fundraising on behalf of the Spanish Republic
1969-1985	Works as a bartender in Mill Valley, California
1990	Died

Scope and Content of Collection

The Javier Benedet papers contain significant materials relating to the Spanish Civil War and to fundraising efforts in Northern California on behalf of the Republican side in that conflict. The papers also provide documentation on the plight of Republican refugees in the aftermath of the Civil War and on the political life of the Spanish anti-fascist diaspora in France, Mexico, and other countries. In terms of volume, the Benedet papers presently constitute the second largest collection (after the Burnett Bolloten papers) in the archives pertaining to the Spanish Civil War.

In the 1930s, Benedet was a founding member of Acción Demócrata Española, a political organization based in San Francisco and comprised largely of Spanish expatriates and immigrants. During the civil war that engulfed Spain in 1936-1939, the organization campaigned on behalf of the Spanish Republic and against the rightwing forces headed by Francisco Franco. By means of public appeals, festivals, and concerts, Acción Demócrata Española raised money that was sent to Republican Spain in aid of children affected by the war and, when the conflict was over, on behalf of Spanish refugees in France and elsewhere. Affiliated with the Sociedades Hispanas Aliadas, Acción Demócrata Española participated in the political life of the Spanish emigration in North America, maintaining a general anti-fascist orientation amidst the often bitter divisions among Spanish Republican factions. Its fundraising activities continued into the 1970s.

As secretary of Acción Demócrata Española in San Francisco, Benedet played a key role both within the organization and as its public representative within the Hispanic community of Northern California. The organizational records series includes correspondence, minutes of meetings, and publicity materials used in the fundraising efforts of Acción Demócrata Española. There are a small number of writings by Benedet in the speeches and writings series. In addition to a number of monographs and pamphlets relating to Spanish politics, the large printed matter series contains copies of the many journals and newspapers received by Benedet before, during, and after the Spanish Civil War. These materials reflect a wide spectrum of political thought on the Republican side and include anarchist, socialist, communist, and independent publications. Also included in this series are numerous issues of España libre, the newspaper of the Sociedades Hispanas Confederadas in the United States and a major forum for Spanish Republican opinion after the end of the civil war.

The collection also contains a number of posters relating to the Spanish Civil War and to various fiestas in Northern California organized by Acción Demócrata Española. There is also an original artwork by a child depicting a scene of aerial combat during the civil war.

Arrangement

The collection is organized into 6 series: Organizational records; Speeches and writings; Photographs; Printed matter; Oversize materials; Oversize folder.

Related Materials

Burnett Bolloten papers, Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Leo Eloesser papers, Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Spain -- History -- Civil War, 1936-1939

Spaniards -- United States

Spain -- History -- Civil War, 1936-1939 -- Refugees

Spain -- Emigration and immigration

Organizational records 1932-1976

Scope and Contents note

Contains correspondence, financial records, minutes of meetings, publicity materials, and reports relating to Acción Demócrata Española and other organizations

box 1, folder 1

Comité de Acción Republicana Española, minutes of meetings and printed matter 1932-1933

Acción Demócrata Española

Correspondence and financial records 1942-1968

General 1939-1965

box 1, folder 2

1939-1942

box 1, folder 3

1950-1965

box 1, folder 4

Eimil, Segundo 1968

box 1, folder 5

Eloesser, Leo 1947-1965

Fundraising records and publicity materials 1961-1974

box 1, folder 6

1961

box 1, folder 7

1963

box 1, folder 8

1964

box 1, folder 9

1973

box 1, folder 10

1974

Minutes of meetings 1942-1945

box 2, folder 1

1942

box 2, folder 2

1943

box 2, folder 3

1944-1945

Correspondence, financial records, and reports 1939-1976

box 2, folder 4

1939-1940

box 2, folder 5

1940-1970

box 2, folder 6

1940-1973

box 2, folder 7

1943

box 2, folder 8

1956-1976

box 2, folder 9

Printed matter 1946-1972

Correspondence, financial records, and reports 1936-1973

box 3, folder 1

1936-1938

box 3, folder 2

1939-1940

box 3, folder 3

1942

box 3, folder 4-5

1944-1945

box 3, folder 6

1946-1947

box 3, folder 7

1949

box 3, folder 8

1965-1973

Sociedades Hispanas Aliadas 1938-1940

box 3, folder 9

Minutes 1938-1939

box 3, folder 10

Correspondence 1938-1940

box 4, folder 1

Minutes 1937

box 4, folder 2

Correspondence 1938-1941

Acción Demócrata Española 1937-1968

Brochures, leaflets, newsletters, and programs 1939-1949

box 4, folder 3

1939

box 4, folder 4

1943-1949

box 4, folder 5

Minutes 1946

box 4, folder 6

Reports and publicity materials 1937-1939

Correspondence 1939-1968

box 4, folder 7

1939-1947

box 4, folder 8

1943-1948

box 4, folder 9

1946-1948

box 4, folder 10

1967-1968

Financial records, minutes, and reports 1937-1950

box 5, folder 1

1937-1942

box 5, folder 2

1938-1946

box 5, folder 3

1939-1941

box 5, folder 4

1940-1941

box 5, folder 5

1947-1950

Correspondence 1938-1949

box 5, folder 6

1938-1947

box 5, folder 7

1941-1946

box 5, folder 8

1947-1949

box 6, folder 1

Leaflets and announcements 1942-1945

Correspondence 1938-1958

box 6, folder 2

1938-1958

box 6, folder 3

1939-1969

box 6, folder 4

1945-1946

box 6, folder 5-8

Miscellaneous programs and publicity materials 1930-1975

box 6, folder 9

Speeches and writings 1929-1960

Scope and Contents note

Contains articles and speeches by Javier Benedet

box 7, folder 1

Photographs 1940-1974

Printed matter 1900-1977

Scope and Contents note

Largely relating to the Spanish Civil War and Spanish politics, contains bulletins and newsletters; clippings; monographs; pamphlets; and serial issues

Bulletins and newsletters

box 7, folder 2

General 1937-1962

Spanish Newsletter 1951-1960

box 7, folder 3

1951-1956

box 7, folder 4

1957-1960

box 7, folder 5

Clippings 1931-1962

Monographs 1904-1977

box 7, folder 6-14

1904-1928

box 8, folder 1-11

1929-1937

box 9, folder 1-12

1937-1940

box 10, folder 1-8

1942-1944

box 11, folder 1-11

1946-1977

Pamphlets 1900-1975

box 12, folder 1

1900-1929

box 12, folder 2

1930-1935

box 12, folder 3

1936-1937

box 12, folder 4

1938-1939

box 12, folder 5

1940-1949

box 12, folder 6

1950-1952

box 13, folder 1

1953-1959

box 13, folder 2

1960-1961

box 13, folder 3

1962-1964

box 13, folder 4

1974-1975

Serial issues 1928-1975

General 1928-1960

box 13, folder 5

1928-1933

box 13, folder 6

1937-1938

box 13, folder 7

1939

box 13, folder 8

1942-1956

box 13, folder 9

1959-1966

box 13, folder 10

Acción Socialista 1957-1960

box 13, folder 11

CÉNIT 1957-1959

box 13, folder 12

Claridad 1929

box 14, folder 1-2

Comunismo 1933-1934

box 14, folder 3

Correspondencia internacional 1932-1935

box 14, folder 4

Democracía española 1938

box 14, folder 5-31

Documentos politicos 1928-1929

box 15, folder 1

España dia a dia 1939-1940

box 15, folder 2

España peregrine 1940

Estudios 1932-1937

box 15, folder 3

1932

box 15, folder 4-5

1933

box 16, folder 1-2

1934

box 16, folder 3

1935

box 16, folder 4

1936

box 16, folder 5

1937

box 16, folder 6-11

Estudios sociales 1945

box 17, folder 1

Facetas de actualidad 1938-1940

Hispano americano 1954-1961

box 17, folder 2-44

1954

box 18, folder 1-48

1955

box 19, folder 1-37

1956

box 20, folder 1-35

1957

box 20, folder 36

1961

box 21, folder 1

Ibérica por la libertad 1960-1962

box 21, folder 2

Internacional comunista 1933

box 21, folder 3

Liberación 1955-1957

box 21, folder 4

La Līberecana sīntezo 1938

box 21, folder 5

Masses & Mainstream 1952-1953

box 21, folder 6

Mundo obrero 1974-1975

box 21, folder 7

Nuestra bandera 1974-1975

box 21, folder 8

Nuestra España 1939-1940

box 21, folder 9

La Protesta 1929

box 21, folder 10

Punto crítico 1972

box 22, folder 1

Revista blanca 1930-1933

box 22, folder 2

Revista universal 1934-1935

box 22, folder 3

Tiempos nuevos 1935-1937

box 22, folder 4

Tierra y libertad (Mexico) 1956-1960

Oversize materials 1929-1976

Scope and Contents note

Contains serial issues, calendars, drawing, musical score, political button, posters and proclamations, and tickets

Serial issues 1929-1975

General 1929-1964

box 23, folder 1

1929-1939

box 23, folder 2

1946-1964

box 23, folder 3

Claridad 1935-1936

box 23, folder 4

CNT marítima 1935-1936

box 23, folder 5

Crónica 1938

box 23, folder 6

España nueva 1946-1950

Frente popular 1938-1939

box 23, folder 7

1938

box 23, folder 8

1939

box 24, folder 1

Heraldo de Madrid 1931

box 24, folder 2

Izquierda republicana 1957-1959

box 24, folder 3

Liberación 1946

box 24, folder 4

México antifranquista 1947-1948

box 24, folder 5

Nosotros 1930-1932

box 24, folder 6

Nuestra época 1932

box 24, folder 7

Nueva república 1955-1958

box 24, folder 8

Patria 1938

box 24, folder 9

Il Proletario 1936

box 24, folder 10

Revolución 1946-1948

box 24, folder 11

Le socialiste 1962

box 24, folder 12

Solidaridad 1948

box 24, folder 13

Umbral 1937

España libre 1942-1975

box 25, folder 1-95

1942-1950

box 26, folder 112

1951-1954

box 27, folder 1-88

1955-1957

box 28, folder 1-79

1958-1975

Adelante 1954-1959

box 29, folder 1

1954-1956

box 29, folder 2

1957-1959

box 29, folder 3

CNT 1956-1960

box 29, folder 4

Cultura proletaria 1938-1953

box 29, folder 5

España popular 1946-1948

box 29, folder 6

Faro 1937

box 29, folder 7

La Lucha 1934

box 29, folder 8

The Militant 1952-1957

Mundo obrero 1932-1938

box 30, folder 1

1932

box 30, folder 2

1933

box 30, folder 3

1934-1938

box 30, folder 4

La Nouvelle Espagne antifasciste 1938

box 30, folder 5

El Pueblo 1934-1935

box 30, folder 6

Renovación 1934

box 30, folder 7

El Socialista (Madrid) 1934

box 30, folder 8

El Socialista (Toulouse) 1958-1961

Solidaridad obrera (Barcelona) 1932-1938

box 31, folder 1

1932-1937

box 31, folder 2

1937-1938

box 31, folder 3

Solidaridad obrera (Mexico City) 1946-1962

box 31, folder 4

Solidaridad obrera (Paris) 1956-1960

box 31, folder 5

La Tierra 1932-1935

Tierra y libertad (Barcelona) 1937-1938

box 31, folder 6

1937-1938

box 31, folder 7

1938

box 31, folder 8

Tierra y libertad (Mexico City) 1945-1956

box 31, folder 9

Voz de los españoles 1939

box 31, folder 10

Voz de Madrid 1938-1939

box 32, folder 1

Calendars published by the Sociedades Hispanas Confederadas and Solidaridad Internacional Antifascista 1939-1948

box 32, folder 2

Child's drawing depicting a scene from the Spanish Civil War 1937

box 32, folder 3

"Himno de la República," musical score transcribed by Felipe Osta 1939

box 32, folder 4

Political button with slogan in support of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade 1937

Posters and proclamations 1936-1976

box 32, folder 5

1936-1937

box 32, folder 6

1938-1950

box 32, folder 7

1962-1976

box 32, folder 8

Tickets for fundraising events sponsored by Acción Demócrata Española and the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade 1948-1965

map_case case

Posters 1937-1943

Scope and Contents note

Contains five posters relating to the Spanish Civil War and a solidarity campaign in Mexico on behalf of Spanish refugees