- A chronicle in literary style. Or a novel without fiction. It is not easy to classify Xabier Mendiguren’s new work, but he explains that “it is not history, it is not essay and it is journalistic work”. Following the line of Rodolfo Walsh and Truman Capote, he has created a nonfiction novel to talk about the murder of zizurkildarra Joxe Arrangi.
History takes place between 6 and 16 February 1981. During this time, the Civil Guard arrested, tortured and killed Arrangi and young people rescued her body. For Mendiguren, many of those who lived the time are looking back at the political transition of 1975, “more than from nostalgia,” because there is something to be told.
And that month of the year, let's not say: ETA(m) kidnaps and murders the former chief engineer of the Lemoiz nuclear power plant; Karlos Garaikoetxea welcomed the kings of Spain at the Casa de Juntas de Gernika and at the event the representatives of the HB sang Eusko Gudariak; on 23 February Tejero tried the final coup in Madrid; and at the end of the month.
Outline of the political conflict
Mendiguren explains that at that time a “political-psychological scheme” arose, which lasted until 1989-1992. He explains that in this “scheme” the “HB world” believed that victory was possible: that one should suffer, that one should do “ugly and hard” things, but that a “culture of resistance” emerged that would allow victory. On the contrary, the ETA environment (pm), convinced of the impossibility of defeating the state, would welcome democracy, further deepening this path. All these events of that month reinforced positions, and perhaps there is the importance of counting the terrible Arrangi event.
Upon learning that Arrangi's body was buried, several young men took him out of the ground and photographed him to learn what happened. Among these young people were Juan Kruz Unzurrunzaga and Bixente Ameztoi. For the novel mixes the lives of Arrangi, Unzurrunzaga and Ameztoi to give a photo of the time. The late Arrangi and those who “rose”.
The work therefore has a great religious symbolism. Not in vain, the subtitle of the novel is the passion, heritage and resurrection of Joxe Arrangi. And cover Christ died of Andrea Mantegna.
Joxe Arrangi’s words were “It’s been very hard,” when three political prisoners asked him what they had done. After years without institutional recognition. These words became “nailed” in a generation. This generation is now looking back, and those that could not be counted at the time of the rescue, or those that had been forgotten yet. Unfortunately, torture continued for years “systematically applying it”.