Academics and their works

Synopsis

Txomin Peillen was born in the bohemian Paris neighbourhood of Montmartre, in 1932. His parents were from Zuberoa and perhaps for this reason, he took an interest in Basque literature from an early age, mainly because he knew Basque nationalists in exile in Paris. These included Andima Ibinagabeitia from Elantxobe. Andima subsequently left for South America and began to publish texts in Basque from there, as in the Spanish Basque Country this was impossible. At that time, Peillen met several pioneers of modern literature in Basque: Jon Mirande, Gabriel Aresti and Txillardegi, as well as embracing Spanish literature. In the Paris neighbourhood of Odéon, Spanish anarchist refugees organised talks and debates at the bookshop La Española. Txomin Peillen was therefore familiar with three cultures and languages: Basque, French and Spanish. He wrote his poems in these three languages. Now, in this publication and thanks to the pertinent translations, each of his poems is presented in the three languages, ordered by the topics they deal with.