Yolanda González Martín (Bilbao, 20 January 1961 - Madrid, 1 February 1980[1]) was a Spanish student and communist militant murdered by two members of New Force.[2]
Yolanda González | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | January 20, 1961 |
| Died | February 1, 1980 (aged 19) |
| Cause of death | Murder |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | Student |
| Organization | Worker's Socialist Party (Spain) |
Biography
editOriginally from Deusto, González moved to Madrid to study electronics.[3] To fund her education, she worked as a cleaner.[4] She became the student representative of the vocational training school where she studied. She was also a member of the Workers Socialist Party. In February 1980, she was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by some members of New Force. Her body was found on a roadside near Madrid. The organization Batallón Vasco Español claimed responsibility for her murder.[3] On the same day the organisation also murdered Jesús María Zubikarai Badiola in Eibar.[5]
The perpetrators of González' murder were Emilio Hellín and Ignacio Abad Velázquez, who were arrested and sentenced to prison terms.[3] Hellin was sentenced to 43 years in prison, of which he served only 14. In February 2013, El País reported that Hellin, under a false name, was working in communications technology for the Spanish security forces.[6]
Legacy
editOn more than one anniversary of her murder, the relatives and neighbours of González have led calls for further justice and reparation.[7][8] In 2014 Isabel Rodríguez directed the documentary "Yolanda en el País de los estudiantes", which recounts the kidnapping and subsequent murder of González by the Batallón Vasco-Español.[9]
In 2018 Carlos Fonseca wrote No te olvides de mí: Yolanda González, el crimen más brutal de la Transición. This book brought together a range of sources to focus on her murder.[10]
Both a garden and a public square have been named in her honour. In 2015, the garden Jardines de Yolanda González Martín was named after her in Madrid.[11] In 2018 the sign for the gardens was defaced by fascists.[4] In 2016 there a small square in Deustu was named in her honour.[12][13][14]
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Square in Deustu, Bilbao -
Deustu sign -
Gardens in Madrid
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References
edit
- ^ "Yolanda González fue asesinada en la carretera de San Martín de Valdeiglesias - Archivo Linz de la Transición española". www.march.es. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "Yolanda González en la memoria, 40 años después de último asesinato del franquismo". www.publico.es. 2020-01-30. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ a b c "Canal Historia". amcselekt.es. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ a b Mateo, Juan José (2018-12-07). "Killing the memory of Spanish activist Yolanda González". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "Efemeridea: The body of young Yolanda González Martín de Deusto appears in Madrid after the kidnapping, torture and death of paramilitary groups BVE". Argia. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ Moreno, Federico (2021-02-01). "Spanish State: The assassination of Yolanda González. No forgetting, no forgiving". International Socialist League. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "Egia, justizia eta erreparazioa eskatu dituzte Yolanda Gonzalez hil zuteneko urteurrenean". Berria (in Basque). 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "Yolanda Gonzalez omendu dute, eskuin muturrak hil eta 35 urtera". Berria (in Basque). 2015-02-02. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "Un documental recoge el secuestro y asesinato de Yolanda González". EITB (in Spanish). 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "Carlos Fonseca: "Es complicado, por no decir imposible, que se aclaren todos los elementos del asesinato de Yolanda"". www.elsaltodiario.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ SL, TAI GABE DIGITALA (2015-06-15). "La deustuarra Yolanda González ya cuenta con plaza propia en Madrid". naiz (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ EP (2016-02-26). "Yolanda González ya tiene una plaza con su nombre en Deusto". Deia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "Recordando a Yolanda González, la activista asesinada que representó la lucha por las libertades y la democracia". www.lasexta.com (in Spanish). 2020-02-02. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "Yolanda Gonzalez zenari plazatxo bat eskaini diote Bilbon". Berria (in Basque). 2016-02-26. Retrieved 2024-03-06.