"Despite the fact that the initiative is as broad, rich and of the best possible will, we have found a great wall. Only one political group, Bildu, has been willing to support the initiative. The rest of the groups have refused, for one fundamental reason: Political profile of Txillardegi. As you know, Txillardegi was one of the founders of ETA and that, in his eyes, cancels this initiative and leaves it blank. It is also known that Txillardegi left ETA in 1967, before starting to commit attacks on people’s lives, and that he was later critical of the armed struggle (among other things, when he participated in the founding of Aralar). Txillardegi lived a violent attack when he was a HB senator: In 1989, meeting at Hotel Alcalá deputies and HB senators, two gunmen shot the group and killed Josu Muguruza and seriously injured Iñaki Esnaola. Txillardegi was one of those who had to protect themselves under a table."

This is an excerpt from the letter published in the journal Berria, in which the Central Library of Donostia-San Sebastián is informed of the end of the process of naming the writer Txillardegi. It is a book written by Aitzpea Leizaola, BEÑAT Sarasola, Dani Goñi, Garbiñe Ubeda, Harkaitz Cano and Kepa Sarasola.

However, the initiative, launched in 2013 by 17 writers, has broad social support: About 1,500 signatures were collected. However, the support received by the society has not felt in the town hall and that is why they have decided to end the action: "After meeting with all the political groups of the City Hall, including the mayor, seeing that the initiative has received little support, we decided not to take it to the last and not to present it formally. It is not our will to participate in political competition, nor to stage conflicts. It would be appropriate for everyone to reflect on these issues."

"A recognition worth it"

None of the political groups present at the meeting have denied that Txillardegi's work in the Basque country and literature deserves recognition. Despite this, the City Hall of Donostia-San Sebastian has permanently blocked the possibility of naming the Central Library of Donostia-San Sebastián.

The writers of the letter are so concerned about Txillardegi’s scarce contribution to the Basque country and the Basque literature: "It gives the impression that the literary and Basque work is little compared to the political profile; that is, that the essential work that Txillardegi did for the creation of the Basque Country batua or everything he did to modernize the Basque literature were simple chiquilladas. It is much more important than that, depending on which political label we place the person. On the other hand, on the road to building a rigorous and just memory of the brutal history that this people have lived, the maniacal and restrictive image generated around Txillardegi does not bring anything good. If we are not able to scrutinize a real memory behind great headlines and pompous statements, if we do not have the will to know the realities and details of the authentic history that hide the coarse words, we will hardly build an open society".

Ten years ago Txillardegi died, writer, linguist, politician, Euskaltzale and Swiss militant.

So the letter ended: "We've stayed with a ray of hope. At the meetings we have had, they have told us on more than one occasion that it is still too early for such recognition. We want to believe that the initiative is open for the future. We hope that someday Txillardegi and the city of San Sebastian will receive the recognition they deserve."