Eusko Gudariak (originally spelt Euzko Gudariak, "Basque Soldiers") was the republican anthem of the Eusko Gudarostea, the army of the Basque Autonomous Government during the Spanish Civil War. The song used to refer to the defense of the Basque country within the Republic of Spain against the nationalist Spain army.
It is also used as an anthem by ETA [1] and the organizations orbiting the Basque National Liberation Movement.
The music is a traditional Basque tune from Araba, named Atzo Bilbon nengoan. [2] The lyrics were composed in 1932 by José María de Gárate, an officer of the EAJ-PNV. During the war, Captain Alejandro Lizaso Eizmendi added some verses.
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"Eusko Abendaren Ereserkia", also known as "Euskadiko Ereserkia", is the official anthem of the Basque Country in northern Spain. The lyrics were written by Basque nationalist writer Sabino Arana, and its melody is based on an old Basque tune. The anthem was originally used for the Basque Nationalist Party (BNP/PNV), and it was adopted by the first Basque Government in the 1930s. Its re-proclamation by the Basque Parliament on 14 April 1983 was opposed by several parties that deemed it still to be bound to the PNV rather than to the rest of the Basques.
Basque nationalism is a form of nationalism that asserts that Basques, an ethnic group indigenous to the western Pyrenees, are a nation and promotes the political unity of the Basques, today scattered between Spain and France. Since its inception in the late 19th century, Basque nationalism has included Basque independence movements.
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Euzko Gudarostea was the name of the army commanded by the Basque Government during the Spanish Civil War. It was formed by Basque nationalists, socialists, communists, anarchists and republicans under the direction of lehendakari José Antonio Aguirre and coordinating with the army of the Second Spanish Republic. It fought the troops of Francisco Franco during 1936 and 1937. It surrendered to the Italian Corpo Truppe Volontarie at Santoña, while the rest of the Republican army kept fighting until 1939. This event is called the Santoña Agreement, Pact of Santoña, or Treason of Santoña by some Spanish leftists.
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Arturo Alcoceba Isusi is a Spanish politician with a Basque nationalist ideology belonging to the Basque Nationalist Party, former president of the PNV in Güeñes.