José Giral

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.

The Most Excellent José Giral OIC
Prime Minister of Spain
In office 19 July 1936 – 4 September 1936
Preceded by	Diego Martínez Barrio
Succeeded by	Francisco Largo Caballero
Minister of State
In office 17 May 1937 – 5 April 1938
Prime Minister	Juan Negrín
Preceded by	Julio Álvarez del Vayo
Succeeded by	Julio Álvarez del Vayo
Minister of the Navy
In office 18 February 1936 – 22 August 1936
Prime Minister	Manuel Azaña Santiago Casares Quiroga
Preceded by	Antonio Azarola Gresillón
Succeeded by	Francisco Matz Sánchez
In office 14 October 1931 – 12 June 1933
Prime Minister	Juan Negrín
Preceded by	Santiago Casares Quiroga
Succeeded by	Lluis Companys
Member of the Congress of Deputies
In office 16 March 1936 – 31 March 1939
Constituency	Cáceres
In office 14 July 1931 – 9 October 1933
Constituency	Cáceres
Personal details
Born	22 October 1879 Santiago de Cuba
Died	23 December 1962 (aged 83) Ciudad de Mexico

Life

Pereira 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

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

Ministry	Start	End	Officeholder	Party
Premier	19 July 1936	4 September 1936	José Giral	Republican Left
State (Foreign Affairs)	19 July 1936	4 September 1936	Augusto Barcía Trelles	Republican Left
Justice	19 July 1936	4 September 1936	Manuel Blasco Garzón
War	19 July 1936	6 August 1936	General Luis Castello Pantoja
	6 August 1936	4 September 1936	Juan Hernández Saravia
Navy	19 July 1936	22 August 1936	José Giral	Republican Left
	22 August 1936	4 September 1936	Francisco Maíz Sánchez
Interior	19 July 1936	4 September 1936	General Sebastián Pozas Perea
Finance	19 July 1936	4 September 1936	Enrique Ramos Ramos	Republican Left
Industry and Commerce	19 July 1936	4 September 1936	Plácido Álvarez-Buylla Lozana	Republican Union
Communications and Merchant Marine	19 July 1936	4 September 1936	Bernardo Giner de los Ríos	Republican Union
Public Works	19 July 1936	4 September 1936	Antonio Velao Oñate	Republican Left
Agriculture	19 July 1939	4 September 1936	Mariano Ruiz-Funes García
Education and Fine Arts	19 July 1936	4 September 1936	Francisco Barnés Salinas
Labor, Health and Planning	19 July 1936	4 September 1936	Joan Lluhí

References

1. Beevor 2006, p. 144.
2. Beevor 2006, p. 423.
3. Urquijo y Goitia 2008, pp. 128-129.
4. Pike 2011, p. 272.

Sources

• 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.