Antonio Escobar Huerta (14 November 1879 – 8 February 1940) was a Spanish military officer.
Biography
Escobar was a Catholic and a conservative. At the outbreak of the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
, he was a
colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
of the
Spanish Civil Guard in the city of
Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
. He remained loyal to the republican government and on 19 July with his 800 men aided decisively to the defeat of the
''coup'' in Barcelona. Later he was promoted to General, and in January 1939, he led the Republican forces in the failed
Valsequillo Offensive. On 16 February 1939, he was one of the officers who said to the Prime Minister
Juan Negrín that further military resistance was impossible. In March 1939, he was the commander of the
Extremadura Army, supported
Casado's coup and crushed the Communist resistance in
Ciudad Real
Ciudad Real (, ) is a municipality of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha, capital of the province of Ciudad Real. It is the 5th most populated municipality in the region.
It was founded as Villa Real in 1255 as a ro ...
.
On 26 March 1939, he was captured by the
Nationalists and executed on 8 February 1940 in Barcelona.
[ :es:Antonio Escobar Huerta] He was buried in the
Montjuïc Cemetery, Barcelona.
See also
*
List of people executed by Francoist Spain
Notes
References
*Beevor, Antony. (2006). ''The Battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939.'' Penguin Books. London.
*Jackson, Gabriel. (1967). ''The Spanish Republic and the Civil War, 1931-1939.'' Princeton University Press. Princeton.
*Thomas, Hugh. (2001). ''The Spanish Civil War.'' Penguin Books. London.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Escobar Huertas, Antonio
1879 births
1940 deaths
People from Ceuta
Spanish army officers
Spanish military personnel of the Spanish Civil War (Republican faction)
People executed by Francoist Spain
People executed by Spain by firing squad
Executed military leaders
Executed Spanish people
Spanish Roman Catholics