Domènec Batet i Mestres | |
|---|---|
 Domingo Batet photographed in 1931 | |
| Born | (1872-08-30)August 30, 1872 Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain |
| Died | February 18, 1937(1937-02-18) (aged 64) Burgos, Castile and León, Spain |
| Allegiance |  Spain (1887–1931) Spanish Republic (1931–1937) |
| Years of service | 1887–1936 |
| Rank | General |
| Battles / wars | Cuban War of Independence Events of October the 6th Spanish Civil War |
| Awards | Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand |
Domènec Batet i Mestres (Spanish:Domingo Batet Mestres; August 30, 1872 – February 18, 1937) was aSpanishmilitary man who became general of theSpanish Army.[1]
Starting as a lieutenant, Batet quickly escalated ranks during theCuban War of Independence. After theDisaster of Annual, as acolonel, Batet took part in the investigation of the defeat taking part in the drafting of thePicasso File. During theSecond Spanish Republic, Domènec Batet was designated chief of the IV Organic Division inCatalonia and crushed theCatalan Uprising of October the 6th. With the outbreak of theSpanish Civil War Batet remained loyal to the Republic and was deployed inBurgos, where his subordinates betrayed him and captured him for theNationalists. After months of captivity,Franco ordered the execution of Batet.[2]
Domènec Batet i Mestres started his career in theSpanish Army as a volunteer lieutenant in theCuban War of Independence. During the war, he received decorations and was promoted multiple times. He also developed apacifist ideology.
After that, during theRif War, as a colonel he was one of the instruction judges who wrote the Picasso Files, areport directed byJuan Picasso González that pointed out the corruption of the African deployed Spanish officers, includingFrancisco Franco.[2][3]
Shortly after the proclamation of theSecond Spanish Republic, Domènec Betet was deployed inCatalonia as chief of the IV Organic Division. In that position Batet was always deferent with theGeneralitat of Catalonia, treated the soldiers well and promoted the use of theCatalan language between them.[2]
In 1932, Batet led the repression of thegeneral strike of the Alt Llobregat. Instead of using terror tactics, ordered byManuel Azaña, he acted quickly and avoided unnecessary bloodshed.
Batet then played a most important role during the Republican years with the successful suffocation of theEvents of October the 6th, a Catalan attempt at secession in 1934. The Catalan uprising was fuelled by multiple issues, the most important: the inclusion of anti-republican ministers of theCEDA, a right wing Spanish political party that won the1933 elections, and the cancellation of the Law of Contracts of Cultivation (Llei de Contractes de Conreu). This law was approved by the government ofLluís Companys and later on banned by the Spanish government, arguing that it exceeded theStatute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 1932. The Law of Contracts of Cultivation protected thepeasants and when the Spanish government banned it infuriated the Catalan working class.[4]
On October 5, 1934, ageneral strike collapsed several cities of Spain. The following day, Lluís Companys decided to declare theCatalan Republic and numerous heavily armed squads occupied the streets ofBarcelona and other towns, supporting the initiative and capturing public offices. Lluís Companys also telephoned Domènec Batet, asking for support, but Batet remained loyal to the central government and gained some time demanding a written request. While Companys wrote the request, Batet prepared the Army,Guardia Civil, andGuardia de Asalto troops and directly attacked thePalau de la Generalitat de Catalunya. He was able to avoid any major confrontation with the militias in armed revolt andMossos d'Esquadra, because they were ordered not to attack until they were told to do so. Batet managed to surround the building, breaking the Catalan government chain of command, and shoot multiple warning shots with ahowitzer. After 10 hours, isolated from the militiamen and Mossos d'Esquadra (who could not receive orders from the rebel Catalan leadership), Lluís Companys was forced to surrender.[5][6]
Acting as he did, Batet minimised any casualties that might have been caused and used minimal force to fulfil the orders of the official Spanish government. Some sources say that in order to avoid further fights against his own people, Batet asked to be redeployed somewhere else; while others claim that he was ordered to a change of position as a punishment for his passivity during the confrontation.[7] In any case,Niceto Alcalá-Zamora transferred him toBurgos.
On June 13, 1936, Batet was transferred to the Organic Division ofBurgos, where the generalEmilio Mola, leader of theNationalist faction, was also deployed. When theSpanish Civil War started, Batet was betrayed by his own men and they imprisoned him. While Mola, who respected Batet as a military man, was the leader of the Nationalists, Batet was kept in prison. WhenFranco became theGeneralissimo of the Nationalist forces he ordered the execution of Batet, according to leftist sources, in retaliation for thePicasso Files, where Batet accused Franco of corruption during the Rif War.[2][3]
