A life dedicated to the cause of the ordinary people, one of our own, Angel Pestana Nunez, born in poverty in Ponferrada, Spain, on Feb 14, 1886,
he was politically active throughout his life. At the age of 15 he
was imprisoned for his part in a political rally. After travelling to
North Africa and France, he settled in Catalonia and became involved
in the local anarchist group. In 1918 he became editor in chief of
the newspaper Solidaridad Obrera. During his editorship the paper ran
a powerful campaign against the local police force. In April 1919
after Catalonia was subject to massive protests, he was detained and
the paper banned. On returning from a visit to Russia he was again
detained. Pestana was also victim to an assassination attempt by the
Spanish authorities, while giving a speech in Manresa. In October
1936, with the start of the Spanish Civil War, he was appointed
general sub-commissioner for war, but resigned shortly after this due
to ill health, he died December 11, 1936.
