January 24th marks 40 years since the death of the Argentine poet Oliverio Girondo.
As a leader of the avant garde in 1920s Buenos Aires, Girondo wrote a manfesto in the fourth issue of the literary magazine Martín Fierro in which he railed against the literary establishment of the day, the “impermeabilidad hipopotámica del ‘honorable publico’“. Girondo joined forces with others to create a new publishing venture for young writers that they called “Sociedad Editorial Proa”.
A brief chronology
Girondo was born August 17, 1891 in a house on calle Lavalle. (The house was on a block later demolished to make way for Av 9 de Julio). From a wealthy family Girondo first traveled to Europe when he was nine. Later, Girondo traveled extensively, making many return trips to Europe.
While living in Paris in 1922 Girondo produced his first book of poetry, Veinte poemas para ser leídos en el tranvía. Girondo republished the book a couple of years later in Buenos Aires. After again traveling and living in Europe, Girondo returned to Buenos Aires in 1932.
Buenos Aires of 1932 was very different from the city that he left a few years earlier. The late 1920s and early 1930s was a period of uneasiness, a military coup in 1930 brought in a new government led first by General Jose Uriburu who was replaced by another general, Agustin Justo, in 1931. (Question: I just noticed today that Girondo’s mother was a Uriburu; I wonder if he was related to the general/president?)
In 1932 Girondo published one of his most famous works, Espantapájaros, which had a rather infamous publicity campaign.
In 1943 Girondo finally married his longtime lover Norah Lange, much to the disgust of Girondo’s chief rival Jorge Luis Borges.
Throughout the 1940s Girondo continued to serve as a mentor to young Argentine writers.
In 1956 Girondo published what some call his landmark work En la masmédula.
1961, Girondo was leaving a cinema on Av Sante Fe when he was struck by a car. The accident left him with diminished capacity for the remainder of his life.
Died January 24, 1967 at age 75.
February 16th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Hi!
It is my first visit to your blog. I entered after Mercedes Stuart’s advice, who recommended your blog as one of the best about Baires from an expat’s viewpoint. I only read a couple of posts and, surprisingly, I found one about Oliverio Girondo.
As you probably have already noticed, we share one surname. My comment here is just for clarification on one doubt you put in your post.
The Uriburu family is one and only one in Argentina. The origin is well traced and documented, dating from the 1780’s. My intention is not to make a biography here, and I’m not even the one to do it.
The first consequence of the previous paragraph is that Oliverio was indeed a relative of the General Uriburu. I think I can perceive the nature of your doubt. However, it is worthwhile noticing that the Uriburu family has provided to the country with the largest number of public personalities to our (admittedly weak) democracy. Besides from one revolutionary president (Gen. José Félix Uriburu, Coup d’Etat in 1930), there has been one constitutional president (probably you walked along Uriburu St, in La Recoleta, named after José Evaristo Uriburu, president in 1895-1898, and an uncle of J. Félix). Apart from him, many MP’s, both at a Provincial (Salta and Buenos Aires) and National levels, judges of the Supreme Court of Justice, provincial governors, and so on. There even was the case that simultaneously the presidents of the Senate and of the Lower Chamber were Uriburu’s.
Not many people know what I’m telling, but believe me it’s true. This tradition, however, has ended early last century.
One more comment: if you take the 101-bus instead of the 17-bus, you’ll get to Puente Uriburu, in Saenz Ave., Nueva Pompeya. This bridge is, surprisingly, named after General J.F. Uriburu. However, it is maybe not that surprising. There are other similar cases in BA of paying tribute to revolutionary generals by naming streets after them: Juan D. Perón St., two streets off Corrientes Ave., is the most conspicuous example.
Hoping not having been a burden, I remain yours.
Marcelo Uriburu Quirno
Buenos Aires
February 16th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Hi Marcelo,
Thanks for confirming that Girondo was related to General Uriburu. Also, thanks for the history of the Uriburu family…very interesting!
March 3rd, 2007 at 6:02 pm
I stumbled across your welcome blog while looking for some pictures of Norah Lange.
Having just finished Williams’ biography of Borges I was interested in seeing some clearer photos than the ones in the book.
However no luck…do you know of other sources?
March 3rd, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Hi Nigel,
Unfortunately, I don’t know of any clearer photos of Lange on the Web other than those that can be found via a Google search.
In Buenos Aires bookstores I have seen a nice photo book of Girondo and Lange, but I doubt if the book is available outside of Buenos Aires.
December 15th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
[…] On display were many examples of books by Oliverio Girondo, one of Argentina’s most important poets of the 20th century. Books by his wife Norah Lange were also on display. Many of the items on display came from the collection of their niece Susana Lange. This year marked the 40th anniversary of Girondo’s death. […]