Matilde Landa (1904-1942) was a famous militant of the PCE (Spanish Communist Party) who fought in the Spanish Civil War against Franco’s dictatorship. When the war was over, she was arrested and incarcerated. Since she was a well-known public figure, the fascist regime decided to make an example of her. They tried to force Matilde—a communist and an atheist—to be baptized, threatening to starve the children of her fellow inmates if she didn’t accept. While she wanted what was best for the children, she also couldn't abandon her ideals and everything she believed in. On September 26th, 1942, everything was ready in the Palma de Mallorca Prison for her baptism. Instead she committed suicide, throwing herself from the prison rooftop to the courtyard below. The ecclesiastic authorities present baptized her in "articulo mortis." The poet Miguel Hernandez wrote the poem "A Matilde" in dedication to her.
Printed at the worker-owned Stumptown Printers, Portland, OR.
This is #91 in the Celebrate People’s History Poster Series.
Un Mundo Feliz is a Spanish design project directed by Sonia Díaz and Gabriel Martínez. They aim to create and catalog reusable design elements in order to formulate common vocabulary for visual activism.
