Rafael Alberti

Rafael Alberti Merello (1902 - 1999) was a Spanish poet, a member of the Generation of '27. Alberti published his first books of poetry towards the end of the 1920s: Marinero en tierra ('Sailor on Dry Land', 1925), La Amante ('The Mistress', 1926) and El alba del alhelí ('The Dawn of the Wallflower', 1927). 

During the 1930s Alberti's work became overtly political, beginning with Con los zapatos puestos tengo que morir ('I Have to Die Wearing my Own Shoes', 1930). The establishment of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931 pushed Alberti towards Marxism and he joined the Communist Party of Spain. His poetry from this militant period is collected in Consignas ('Orders', 1933), Un fantasma recorre Europa ('A Ghost Stalks Europe', 1933), 13 bandas y 48 estrellas ('13 Stripes and 48 Stars', 1936) and El poeta en la calle ('Poet in the Street', 1938).

A Loyalist in the Spanish Civil War, Alberti fled to Argentina following the victory of Franco in 1939. Here he continued writing and painting. His work in exile is full of nostalgia for Spain, notably the poetry collection Entre el clavel y la espada ('Between Carnation and Sword', 1941). He also published collections inspired by various themes, including painting (A la pintura ('On Painting', 1945))--Alberti had briefly been a painter before turning to writing--and the sea (Pleamar ('High Tide', 1944), Oda marítima ('Maritime Ode', 1953)). His autobiography, La arboleda perdida ('The Lost Grove') was published in 1942.

After living in various European cities, including Paris and Rome, he returned to Spain in 1977. Shortly after his return Alberti was elected deputy for Cadiz in the constituent Congress of the Spanish parliament on the Communist Party Ticket.

In 1983, he was awarded the Premio Cervantes, the Spanish literary world's highest honour. He was also awarded Lenin Peace Prize for the year 1964 and Laureate Of The International Botev Prize in 1981. He died at the age of 96 from a lung ailment. He was married to the writer María Teresa León.