Today in Basque History: King of Nafarroa, Aberri Eguna, Bombing of Iparralde, Basque Music, Basque Guerrilla in Philipines

1225: William, viscount of Bearn, Gabarret, and Brulhois and lord of Moncada and Castelvieil, signs an agreement with the future Theobald I of Nafarroa, Count of Champagne, to ensure him the throne of Nafarroa on the death of his uncle, Sancho the Strong.

1932: The first Aberri Eguna, or Basque National Day, is celebrated in Bilbao, in conjunction with the gold anniversary of the PNV — Partido Nacionalista Vasco. It consists of various commemorative acts, of both folkloric and political character. There is no rally at this first Aberri Eguna, though a banquet was held in the Artxanda casino.

1944: The US Air Force, in Liberator aircraft, bomb Biarritz and Anglet, targeting the airport of Parma and the railway station. However, most of the victims are civilians: 90 dead in Biarritz and 41 in Anglet. This is the most tragic event of World War II in Iparralde.

1976: The iniciative 24 ordu euskeraz is celebrated in the Anoeta velodrome in San Sebastian. More than 10,000 people attend. It is organized by Herri Irratia with participation by the Artze brothers, Bedaxagar, Lete, Knörr, Laboa, Lertxundi, Lupe, Mendibil, Oskarbi or Peio and Pantxoa and the trikitixa of Sakabi and Egañazpi, among other activities.

1981-03-271981: Higinio Uriarte Zamacona, guerrilla captain of World War II and hero of the Philipine resistance against Japanese occupation, dies. His parents were from Bizkaia. The Japanese placed a bounty on him for 100,000 pesos, dead or alive. He fought with guerrillas in the mountains until he saw an American tank with the sign “Fighting Basques”, commanded by a soldier from Idaho, originally from Leiketio.

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