Virgulino Ferreira da Silva

Virgulino Ferreira da Silva

Virgulino Ferreira da Silva (born June 4, 1898 in Serra Talhada , Pernambuco ; † July 28, 1938 in Poço Redondo , Sergipe ) was probably the most famous leader of a Brazilian cangaceiro gang in Sertão . He owes his nickname Lampião , also Lampeão , (Portuguese for "lamp") to the bright flash of his rifle during the fighting against the police.

Life

Silva's father was murdered by the police after a feud with a landowner. He and his brother then swore revenge and went to the Sertão to join one of the notorious gangs of outlaws (called cangaceiros). Around 1920 he became the leader of such a gang. He was feared because of his cruelty. With his gang, which comprised between 15 and 50 men, he roamed the hinterland of Pernambuco , Paraíba , Alagoas and Ceará . During his lifetime he became a myth about which many stories and songs were spread throughout the northeast. In 1929 Maria Bonita joined his gang, who became his lover and later his wife.

death

Through protection agreements with influential landowners and in the midst of an otherwise frightened population, the Cangaceiros finally became reckless, and envy and jealousy also moved in among them. A traitor's tip allegedly led to the gang's core being captured by a group of Sergipe police officers early one morning in July 1938 , killing Lampião, his wife Maria Bonita, and nine other members. Their severed heads, preserved in brine, were shown around in an exhibition and remained in the medical institute of Salvador da Bahia until 1969 , when relatives could have them buried. The last survivor of the cangaceiros, who stood out for a while through acts of revenge against the police, was also killed in 1940.

Armament of the Cangaços

In addition to the Winchester 73 and Winchester 92 (both in cal. 44), the most popular rifles were also artfully decorated carbines from Mauser (7x57), FN 1895 (7x57) and single-shot Comblains rifles (caliber 11 mm). When Lampião died, he carried a Luger 08 pistol (9 mm) with him, but Smith and Wesson and Colt revolvers were also common .

Act

Despite his brutality, Lampião is considered a popular hero in Brazil. He is also sometimes called the Brazilian Robin Hood .

The Brazilian film O Cangaçeiro (1953) is based on the life story of Lampião and his gang and was broadcast by many European and American TV stations.

Inseparable from the person Virgulino Ferreira da Silva and the film "O Cangaceiro" is the "hymn" of the Cangaceiros " Mulher Rendeira ". A. was sung by Joan Baez .

literature

• Patricia Sampaio Silva: Sur les traces de Virgolino, un cangaceiro dit "Lampião". Fragilités, violences et légalité (Brésil XIXe-XXe siècle) . Diss. Université de la Sorbonne, Paris 2000.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The King of Bandits - Part 1 ( Memento of the original from December 8, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ↑ The King of Bandits - Part 2 ( Memento of the original from May 23, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
3. ↑ External link about the weapons of Cangaços (port.)
4. ↑ History of Lampião and his legendary Cangaceiro gang
5. ^ Report on the film work on O Cangaceiro (port.)