José Giral y Pereira (22 October 1879 – 23 December 1962) was a Spanish politician, who served as the 75th Prime Minister of Spain during the Second Spanish Republic.

José Giral
Prime Minister of Spain
In office
19 July 1936 – 4 September 1936
PresidentManuel Azaña
Preceded byDiego Martínez Barrio
Succeeded byFrancisco Largo Caballero
Minister of State
In office
17 May 1937 – 5 April 1938
Prime MinisterJuan Negrín
Preceded byJulio Álvarez del Vayo
Succeeded byJulio Álvarez del Vayo
Minister of the Navy
In office
18 February 1936 – 22 August 1936
Prime MinisterManuel Azaña
Santiago Casares Quiroga
Preceded byAntonio Azarola Gresillón
Succeeded byFrancisco Matz Sánchez
In office
14 October 1931 – 12 June 1933
Prime MinisterJuan Negrín
Preceded bySantiago Casares Quiroga
Succeeded byLluis Companys
Member of the Congress of Deputies
In office
16 March 1936 – 31 March 1939
ConstituencyCáceres
In office
14 July 1931 – 9 October 1933
ConstituencyCáceres
Personal details
Born22 October 1879
Santiago de Cuba
Died23 December 1962 (aged 83)
Ciudad de Mexico

Life edit

Giral was born in Santiago de Cuba. He had degrees in Chemistry and Pharmacy from the University of Madrid. In 1905 he became professor of chemistry in the University of Salamanca. He founded Acción Republicana with Manuel Azaña. During the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera he conspired against the regime, and was imprisoned three times. When the Second Republic was declared, he was named director of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and advisor of State. Between 1931 and 1933 he served as Minister of the Navy.

After the failure of Diego Martínez Barrio to form a government to restrain the military revolt of 17 July 1936, Azaña ordered Giral to form a new government constituted exclusively by republicans. This 133rd Prime Minister government lasted from 19 July to 4 September 1936. Then, with the fall of Talavera de la Reina and the Army of Morocco within reach of Madrid, Giral was forced to cede power to Francisco Largo Caballero.[1]

After the end of the Spanish Civil War he went to France, then to Mexico. In 1945 he succeeded Juan Negrín as prime minister of the Spanish Republican government in Exile until 1947.[2]He died in Mexico.

He married María Luisa González y de la Calle.

Cabinet edit

Members of Giral's cabinet of 19 July 1936 – 4 September 1936 were:[3][4]

MinistryStartEndOfficeholderParty
Premier19 July 19364 September 1936José GiralRepublican Left
State (Foreign Affairs)19 July 19364 September 1936Augusto Barcía TrellesRepublican Left
Justice19 July 19364 September 1936Manuel Blasco GarzónRepublican Union
War19 July 19366 August 1936General Luis Castello PantojaArmy
6 August 19364 September 1936Juan Hernández SaraviaArmy
Navy19 July 193622 August 1936José GiralRepublican Left
22 August 19364 September 1936Francisco Maíz Sánchez
Interior19 July 19364 September 1936General Sebastián Pozas PereaArmy
Finance19 July 19364 September 1936Enrique Ramos RamosRepublican Left
Industry and Commerce19 July 19364 September 1936Plácido Álvarez-Buylla LozanaRepublican Union
Communications and Merchant Marine19 July 19364 September 1936Bernardo Giner de los RíosRepublican Union
Public Works19 July 19364 September 1936Antonio Velao OñateRepublican Left
Agriculture19 July 19394 September 1936Mariano Ruiz-Funes GarcíaRepublican Left
Education and Fine Arts19 July 19364 September 1936Francisco Barnés SalinasRepublican Left
Labor, Health and Planning19 July 19364 September 1936Joan LluhíRepublican Left of Catalonia

References edit

Sources edit

  • Beevor, Antony (2006). The Battle for Spain: the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-303765-X.
  • Pike, David Wingeate (2011). France Divided: The French and the Civil War in Spain. Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-84519-490-1. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
  • Urquijo y Goitia, José Ramón de (2008). Gobiernos y ministros españoles en la edad contemporánea. Editorial CSIC - CSIC Press. ISBN 978-84-00-08737-1. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of the Navy
1931–1933
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of the Navy
1936
Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of Spain
1936
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of State
1937–1938
Succeeded by