Joxe Azurmendi

Joxe Azurmendi, 2006

Joxe Azurmendi Otaegi (born March 19, 1941 in Zegama, Basque Country ) is a native of Euskara , d. H. Basque writer, philosopher, essayist and poet who wrote the Basque language. He has published numerous articles and books on subjects such as ethics, politics, philosophy of language, technology, Basque literature and general philosophy.

Joxe Azurmendi is director of the Jakin irakurgaiak series of publications , in which over 40 books have been published under his direction. He has also contributed to the translation of philosophical works into Basque for the Klasikoak publishing house . He was one of the founders of the Basque Summer University Udako Euskal Unibertsitatea . He currently holds the Chair of Modern Philosophy and teaches at the Basque University of Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea . In 2010 he was made an honorary academic member of the Euskaltzaindia Basque Language Academy . For many, Joxe Azurmendi is one of the most brilliant and accomplished thinkers in the Basque Country.

biography

Joxe Azurmendi studied philosophy and theology at the Basque University as well as in Rome and Münster .

At the beginning of the 1960s, Azurmendi joined the cultural movement around the Jakin magazine . He was the director of the magazine when it was first banned by the Franco regime . Azurmendi has been a permanent contributor to the magazine since its resumption. In the early 1970s he devoted himself to the dissemination of basic texts in Basque on subjects discussed in the Basque Country: nation , socialism , internationalism , etc. In the 80s he began teaching at the Basque University . In 1984 he presented his dissertation on Jose Maria Arizmendiarrieta , founder of the Mondragón Cooperative Movement . In it Azurmendi takes the thesis that Arizmendiarrieta intended with this project to bring the individual and society together in an organization in which socialism and French personalism can unite.

In 1992 he published Espainolak eta euskaldunak [Spaniards and Basques], his most famous work. It was a reaction to a text by Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz which states: “The Basques are the last to be civilized in Spain; Compared to all other peoples, they lack a thousand years of civilization ... They are rude, simple people who also consider themselves sons of God and heirs to his kingdom of heaven. They are nothing more than non-Romanized Spaniards. ”In his work, Azurmendi refuted the stereotypes of some Spanish intellectuals about the Basques.

At the beginning of the 21st century his work reached its climax with the trilogy Espainiaren arimaz [The Spanish Soul] (2006, Elkar), Humboldt. Hizkuntza eta pentsamendua [Humboldt. Language and Thinking] (2007, UEU) and Volksgeist. Herri gogoa (2008, Elkar). This trilogy reflects the most significant aspects of his thinking.

His thinking

Azurmendi's work originates and develops in an era of cultural, political and value crises that he does not see as something negative but as an opportunity. His entire thinking revolves around the defense of freedom in all areas, but above all freedom of conscience and freedom of thought.

Consequently, his work is not about escaping this crisis; rather, Azurmendi ponders how one can live in such a situation. In doing so, he uses a relativistic approach and, after modernity has robbed people of any solid foundation, he fights against the remnants of dogmatism to which a crisis society tends. He criticizes the modern state , which he accuses of being the new church that controls consciousness, as well as the instrumentalization of morality and the politicians who, instead of solving the problems in their respective areas of responsibility, take refuge in the field of morality to hide their responsibility under the guise of supposedly absolute principles.

Of great importance is his contribution to the questioning of canonical perspectives on certain topics. His interpretation of Azurmendi's of the German Enlightenment , which is based on his well-founded studies in Germany, should be emphasized . With it he refutes the apparent contradiction between the French Enlightenment and German Romanticism and opens up a new perspective on the various aspects of this contradiction. Unlike some Spanish and French intellectuals like Alain Finkielkraut , he argues that nationalism arose in France ( Montesquieu , Voltaire , Rousseau , Ernest Renan ) and was then reinterpreted by the German Enlightenment and Romanticists. In doing so, he questions the way in which authors such as Goethe , Schiller , Herder or Humboldt are ascribed a metaphysical nationalism.

Azurmendi also devoted a not insignificant part of his work to Basque thinkers, whom he brought from oblivion, reinterpreted and whose reception he freed from various stereotypes. Here are u. a. his work on Jon Mirande, Orixe and Unamuno called.

Joxe Azurmendi is a writer who thinks out of and for Basque culture. Linguistically, he was influenced by the Basque authors of the post-war period. In the field of language, he has also carried out research on authors such as Heidegger , Wittgenstein , George Steiner and Humboldt . The fact that he wrote his extensive work in the Basque language is in complete coherence with his thinking, which is also expressed in his poems:

"Man is poor,

if, to begin to be human,

he needs a declaration of human rights.

Man is really poor

when the revelation of God

to be truth a church requires

as a guard.

What are you! We don't even know

each other

Face to face.

Creature of the dying

Nature,

Human.

You! I call you.

Because I am not a term

I am not a person.

No definition gave me

given existence.

I'm just me

cut out all around. "

- The poor Prometeus (1968)

“But being free

is a terribly difficult thing

for the unhappy people,

that had no Marx

or no 1789.

What will it pay for?

-----

But we want to be free.

What can I do about it?

And if they are us now too

like a fake blank check

invent a tree by Gernika,

as if the will to freedom were sin

like we need titles

we just want to be free.

We want. That's all.

The last deception on us is namely:

They made us believe from outside beforehand

now also from inside that we

justify the will to freedom. "

- Belated Manifesto (1968)

plant

The database of the Basque Scientific Community Inguma contains over 180 Azurmendi publications.

Essays

• Hizkuntza, etnia eta marxismoa (language, ethnicity and Marxism) (1971, Euskal Elkargoa)
• Kolakowski ( Kołakowski ) (1972, EFA). In collaboration with Joseba Arregi
• Kultura proletarioaz (On Proletarian Culture) (1973, Jakin EFA)
• Iraultza sobietarra eta literatura (The Soviet Revolution and Literature) (1975, Gero Mensajero)
• Gizona Abere hutsa da (Man is nothing but an animal) (1975, EFA)
• Zer dugu Orixeren against? (What speaks against Orixe?) (1976, EFA Jakin)
• Zer dugu Orixeren alde? (What speaks for Orixe?) (1977, EFA Jakin)
• Artea eta gizartea (Art and Society) (1978, Haranburu)
• Errealismo Sozialistaz (Socialist Realism) (1978, Haranburu)
• Mirande eta kristautasuna (Mirande and Christianity) (1978, GAK)
• Arana Goiriren pentsamendu politikoa (The Political Thought of Arana Goiri ) (1979, Hordago Lur)
• Nazionalismo Internazionalismo Euskadin (Nationalism Internationalism in the Basque Country) (1979, Hordago Lur)
• PSOE eta euskal abertzaletasuna (The PSOE and Basque Patriotism) (1979, Hordago Lur)
• El hombre cooperativo. Pensamiento de Arizmendiarrieta (The cooperative man. The thinking of Arizmendiarrieta ) (1984, Lan Kide Aurrezkia)
• Filosofía personalista y cooperación. Filosofía de Arizmendiarrieta (Personalist Philosophy and Cooperation. The Philosophy of Arizmendiarrieta ) (1984, EHU)
• Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Spengler, Miranderen pentsamenduan ( Schopenhauer , Nietzsche , Spengler in Mirandes Thinking) (1989, Susa)
• Miranderen pentsamendua (The Thinking of Mirandes) (1989, Susa)
• Gizaberearen bakeak eta gerrak (Peace and War of the Beastman) (1991, Elkar)
• Espainolak eta euskaldunak (The Spaniards and the Basques) (1992, Elkar)
• Karlos Santamaria. Ideiak eta ekintzak (Karlos Santamaria. His thoughts and actions) (1994, Gipuzkoako diputazioa (Unpublished))
• La idea cooperativa: del servicio a la comunidad a su nueva creación (The cooperative idea: From service to society to its redesign) (1996, Gizabidea Fundazioa)
• Democratak eta biolentoak (Democrats and violent criminals ) (1997, Elkar)
• Teknikaren meditazioa (reflections on technology) (1998, Kutxa Fundazioa)
• Oraingo gazte eroak (The crazy youth of today) (1998, Enbolike)
• El hecho catalán. El hecho portugués (The Catalan reality. The Portuguese reality) (1999, Hiru)
• Euskal Herria krisian (The Basque Country in Crisis) (1999, Elkar)
• La violencia y la búsqueda de nuevos valores (Violence and the search for new values) (2001, Hiru)
• La presencia de Nietzsche en los pensadores vascos Ramiro de Maeztu y Jon Mirande (The presence of Nietzsche in the Basque thinkers Ramiro de Maeztu and Jon Mirande) (2002, Euskalerriaren Adiskideen Elkartea)
• Etienne Salaberry. Bere pentsamenduaz (Etienne Salaberry. His thinking) (1903–2003) (2003, Egan)
• Espainiaren arimaz (The Spanish Soul) (2006, Elkar)
• Folk spirit. Herri gogoa (2007, Elkar)
• Humboldt. Hizkuntza eta pentsamendua ( Humboldt . Language and Thought) (2007, UEU)
• Azken egunak Gandiagarekin (The Last Days with Gandiaga) (2009, Elkar)
• Bakea gudan (Peace at War) (2012, Txalaparta)
• Barkamena, kondena, tortura (forgiveness, punishment, torture) (2012, Elkar)
• Karlos Santamariaren pentsamendua (The Thinking of Karlos Santamarias) (2013, Jakin / EHU)
• Historia, arraza, nazioa (history, race, nation) (2014, Elkar)
• Gizabere kooperatiboaz (About the cooperative human animal) (2016, Jakin)
• Hizkuntza, Nazioa, Estatua (language, nation, state) (2017, Elkar)
• Beltzak, juduak eta beste euskaldun batzuk (Blacks, Jews and other Basques) (2018, Elkar)
• Pentsamenduaren historia Euskal Herrian (Thought history in the Basque Country) (2020, EHU-Jakin)

poetry

• Hitz berdeak [Immature Words] (1971, EFA)
• XX. mendeko poesia kaierak - Joxe Azurmendi (2000, Susa), [Booklets of 20th century poetry - Joxe Azurmendi] Edition by Koldo Izagirre.

Articles in magazines

• Article in Jakin magazine
• Article in the journal Anaitasuna
• Article in the magazine RIEV

Awards and recognitions

• 1976: Andima Ibiñagabeitia , literature prize, for the work Espainolak eta euskaldunak
• 1978: Irun Hiria , literary prize, for the work Mirande eta kristautasuna [Mirande and Christianity].
• 1998: Irun Hiria , literature prize, for the work Teknikaren meditazioa [considerations on technology].
• 2005: Juan San Martin Prize, for the work Humboldt: Hizkuntza eta pentsamendua [Humboldt: Language and Thinking].
• 2010: Euskadi Literatura Saria Basque Literature Prize in the Essays category, for Azken egunak Gandiagarekin [The last days with Gandiaga].
• 2012: Eusko Ikaskuntza Prize of the Society for Basque Studies.
• 2012: Award Dabilen Elea
• 2014: digitization of the entire work of Joxe Azurmendi by the Council of Gipuzkoa
• 2015: Euskadi Literatura Saria Basque Literature Prize in the Essays category, for Historia, arraza, nazioa [history, race, nation]

literature

• Aizpuru, A. (coord.): Euskal Herriko pentsamenduaren gida , Bilbo: Udako Euskal Unibertsitatea, 2012 ISBN 978-84-8438-435-9 .
• Aizpuru, A .: Suak erhko ez balu. (I) In: hAUSnART. 3 (2013), pp. 102–121.
• Altzibar, X .: "XX. Mendeko euskal literatura: saiakera" in Mari Jose Olaziregi, Euskal literaturaren historia , Donostia: EIZEI, 2011 ISBN 978-84-615-0546-3 . English edition: Olaziregi, Mari Jose (2012). Basque Literary History , Reno, Center for Basque Studies / University of Nevada ISBN 978-1-935709-19-0 (pbk.)
• Arrieta, A .: "Eranskina: Joxe Azurmendiren Azken egunak Gandiagarekin " in Arimak eta balioak , Donostia: Jakin, 2013 ISBN 978-84-95234-48-3
• del Olmo, K. 2013: "Joxe Azurmendi: Espainolak eta euskaldunak (1992)" in Egungo euskal saiakeraren historia , Bilbo: EHU. ISBN 978-84-9860-829-8
• Hegats. Literature aldizkaria . No. 45, ISSN  1130-2445 .
• Sudupe, P .: 50eko Hamarkadako Euskal Literatura II , Donostia: Utriusque Vasconiae, 2011 ISBN 978-84-938329-5-7

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Klasikoak ( Memento of the original from June 14, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Collection of translations of the classics of thought (website of the University of the Basque Country) 
2. ↑ Altzibar, X.: "XX. Mendeko euskal literatura: saiakera "In Mari Jose Olaziregi, Euskal literaturaren historia , Donostia: EIZEI, 2011
3. ↑ Iturriotz, A. 2010: "Zergatik Azurmendi?" Hegats , 45: 9-17
4. ↑ foreword by Gandiaga in Azurmendi: Hitz Berdeak . EFA, Oñati 1971.
5. ↑ Azurmendi: Arana Goiri-ren pentsamendu politikoa . Hordago Lur, Donostia 1979, p. 1.
6. ↑ Andoni Olariaga: Joxe Azurmendi. Askatasunaren pentsalaria in Alaitz Aizpuru: Euskal Herriko pentsamenduaren gida . UEU, Bilbao 2012, ISBN 978-84-8438-435-9 , p. 149.
7. ↑ Azurmendi: Espainolak eta euskaldunak . Elkar, Donostia 1992, ISBN 84-7917-205-3 , p. 17.
8. ↑ Interview with Azurmendi in: Hegats (45), p. 209.
9. ↑ Azurmendi: Barkamena, kondena, tortura . Elkar, Donostia 2012, ISBN 978-84-9027-007-3 .
10. ↑ Azurmendi: Volksgeist. Herri gogoa . Elkar, Donostia 2008, ISBN 978-84-9783-404-9 , p. 129.
11. ↑ Azurmendi: Euskal Herria Krisian . Elkar, Donostia 1999, ISBN 84-8331-572-6 , p. 119.
12. ↑ Azurmendi: Unamunors atarian. In: Alaitz Aizpuru: Euskal Herriko pentsamenduaren gida . UEU, Bilbao 2012, ISBN 978-84-8438-435-9 , p. 29.
13. ↑ Azurmendi: Bakea gudan . Txalaparta, Tafalla 2012, ISBN 978-84-15313-19-9 .
14. ↑ Azurmendi: Kierkegaard-en egunkari ezkutua. In: JL Ormaetxea: Txillardegi lagun giroan . UEU, Bilbao 2000, ISBN 84-8438-007-6 .
15. ↑ Alaitz Aizpuru: Suak erhko ez balu (I). In: HAUSNART 3 (2013), pp. 102–121.
16. ↑ Azurmendi: Hitz berdeak . EFA, Oñati 1971.
17. ↑ Azurmendi: XX. Mendeko poesia kaierak . Susa, Zarautz 2000.
18. ↑ Joxe Azurmendi , website of the UEU
19. ↑ Jakingunea.
20. ^ Anaitasuna on the Euskaltzaindia website .
21. ↑ RIEV 48. ( Memento of the original dated November 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
22. ↑ Anaitasuna 328.
23. ↑ UEU website ( Memento of the original from March 26, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
24. ^ Basque Government website .
25. ^ Website of Eusko Ikaskuntza
26. ↑ Website of the Basque Language Publishers Association ( Memento of the original from March 3, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
27. ↑ Website of "Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundia" ( Memento of the original from December 19, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
28. ↑ Website of the Basque Government ( Memento of the original from November 23, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 

Web links

Wikiquote: Joxe Azurmendi  - Quotes

• Literature by and about Joxe Azurmendi in the catalog of the German National Library
• Belated manifesto
• A monument of respect and love. Humboldt on the Basque landscape (PDF; 108 kB)
• The democrats and the violent (PDF; 270 kB)
• Joxe Azurmendi on the jakingunea website
• Joxe Azurmendi in the literature portal Literaturaren Zubitegia
• The poem Prometeo mixerablea , music by Imanol Ubeda.
• Interview by Elkarri with Joxe Azurmendi.
• The thinking of Karlos Santamaria .
• Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Spengler in Mirande's Thinking (1989, Susa)
• Booklets of 20th Century Poetry - Joxe Azurmendi (2000, Susa)
• Joxe Azurmendi on the Lapiko Kritikoa website