Juan Santamaría
Juan Santamaría (born August 29, 1831 in Alajuela , † April 11, 1856 in Rivas ) was a Costa Rican soldier who served as a drummer in the Army of Costa Rica. By self-sacrifice, the army was able to win the Second Battle of Rivas and maintain the country's independence. He has since been considered the country's national hero .
history
Juan Santamaría was born on August 29, 1831 in Alajuela , Costa Rica . He grew up in modest circumstances. Santamaría joined the army of Costa Rica as a drum boy when they tried to counter the invasion of the American William Walker and his mercenary troops. The second battle of Rivas took place. The mercenaries had holed up in an old hacienda. The troops of Costa Rica managed to defeat the invaders on April 11, 1856 in a short time. During the fight, Juan Santamaría managed to set fire to the opponents' barricades. He was killed in the process.
Commemoration
In Costa Rica, Juan Santamaría is still regarded and honored as a national hero today. Well-known institutions such as the Museo Juan Santamaría and the Juan Santamaría International Airport are named after him.
April 11th is a public holiday in Costa Rica and was introduced in honor of Juan Santamaría.
literature
- Rafael Ángel Méndez: Imágenes del poder. Juan Santamaría y el ascenso de la nación en Costa Rica (1860-1915) , San José / Costa Rica (EUNED, Ed. Univ. Estatal a Distancia) 2007. ISBN 978-9968-31-541-8 . ISBN 9968-31-541-9
Web links
- Website of the Juan Santamaria Historical and Cultural Museum
- Documentation by Costa Rican television (Teletica Canal 7) about the campaign of the Costa Rican troops against William Walker in 1856 including the Battle of Santa Rosa and the Second Battle of Rivas, on youtube.com
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Santamaría, Juan |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Costa Rican national hero |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 29, 1831 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Alajuela |
| DATE OF DEATH | April 11, 1856 |
| Place of death | Rivas (Nicaragua) |