Federico Baraibar y Zumárraga (28 May 1851 – 25 February 1918) was a Spanish academic and politician. He translated several Greek classics into Spanish and laid the foundations for modern archaeology in the province of Álava. As a politician, he served as the first 20th-century mayor of Vitoria and as President of the Deputation of Álava.[1]

Federico Baraibar
Baraibar in an undated photo
President of the Deputation of Álava
In office
1909–1913
Preceded byEduardo Velasco [eu]
Succeeded byBenito Yera
Mayor of Vitoria
In office
1897–1903
Personal details
Born
Federico Baraibar y Zumárraga

(1851-05-28)28 May 1851
Vitoria, Spain
Died25 February 1918(1918-02-25) (aged 66)
Vitoria, Spain
Alma materUniversity of Zaragoza

Biography

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Federico Baraibar was born in Vitoria in 1851. He spent most of his youth in other cities of Northern Spain such as Logroño and Burgos, but graduated from highschool in Vitoria. In 1870 he obtained a degree in law from the University of Zaragoza. He then returned to Vitoria, and in 1871 obtained a degree in philosophy and philology from the local Literary University. He served as an interim professor in that university until its closure in October 1873.[2]

Upon his return to Vitoria, he became a prominent member of the city's cultural circles, giving conferences and promoting the local cultural heritage. In 1876, he became professor of Spanish and Latin in the local highschool, succeeding Julián Apraiz Sáenz del Burgo (father of architect Julián Apraiz [es]). He also served as director of the highschool from 1909 until his death. He authored a grammar of Latin, and translated numerous works from Ancient Greek into Spanish. As a philologist, he compiled several word lists documenting the dialectal vocabulary used in Álava.[2] He was a candidate for membership in Euskaltzaindia (the Basque language academy), but died before becoming a member.[3]

As an amateur archaeologist, he made important contributions to the field in the province of Álava. He was the first to excavate the Sorginetxe dolmen [es] in 1879,[4] which he bought and donated in 1913 to the Deputation [es] to avoid its dismantling.[2]

As a politician, he served as mayor of Vitoria from 1897 to 1903 and as President of the Deputation from 1909 to 1913, with support from the conservatives.[4] During his time as mayor, he promoted several construction projects in the city.[1] These included a new marketplace which opened on 31 December 1899,[5] and a permanent building for the Lantern Museum.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Estornés Lasa, Bernardo. "Baraibar Zumarraga, Federico". Auñamendi Encyclopedia (in Spanish). Eusko Ikaskuntza. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Ortiz de Urbina Montoya, Carlos. "Federico Baraibar y Zumárraga". Real Academia de la Historia (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Euskaltzaindia dedicará homenajes a Kardaberaz, Baraibar e Intxauspe". El País (in Spanish). 15 January 2003. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  4. ^ a b Cancho, Rosa (28 February 2018). "Federico Baraibar, el sabio amable". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  5. ^ Vega Pérez de Arlucea, Ana (5 May 2022). "Los recelos de la plaza de Abastos de Vitoria". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  6. ^ "El edificio del Museo de los Faroles". Cofradía de la Virgen Blanca (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2022.
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