Feature
Far from forgotten
This coming year looks as if it will be another 12 months packed full of anniversaries and commemorations, at home in Catalonia but also internationally
A new year brings 12 months of events to look forward to. Yet a new year also brings anniversaries and commemorations, from the births of famous figures to the end of wars, from the founding of institutions to the publication of classic books. What follows is a taster of some of the important dates coming up this year.
At home
Catalonia will celebrate many famous births in 2018, with the 150th anniversary of Catalan linguist, Pompeu Fabra, first among them. The man who reformed the Catalan language also wrote Gramàtica Catalana, the official grammar book for the language published 100 years ago. Fabra’s importance can be seen in how often his name crops up, not least the university named after him.
Another key birth centenary is that of writer Manuel de Pedrolo. Best known for his classic sci-fi novel, Mecanoscrit del segon origen (Typescript of the Second Origin), Pedrolo was a prolific author of many styles, including narrative, poetry and drama.
It is also the centenary of the birth of poet and translator Montserrat Abelló, who was awarded the Saint Jordi Cross in 1998. Praised for her poetry collections, Abelló is also well-known for her translations of English-speaking writers like Sylvia Plath, and her English translations of key Catalan writers, such as poet Salvador Espriu.
As for commemorations of famous deaths, one example is the 100th anniversary of the death of poet, playwright and visual artist, Joan Brossa. A founder member of the influential Dau-al-Set artistic movement, Brossa was not only one of Catalonia’s leading postwar poets, but a creative force, embracing many diverse aspects of the arts.
Another writer who will be remembered this year died 550 years ago. Joanot Martorell, the Valencian author of the medieval chivalric romance, Tirant lo blanc, died in 1468. His famous book, one of the first of its kind in Catalan, heavily influenced the development of the western novel.
Abroad
Internationally, there is no shortage of key dates to remember. Here are a few. The Internet and the digital age may seem relatively new, but it has been 20 years since two students at Stanford University, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, founded online giant Google.
There are also plenty of famous births and deaths to commemorate. One is the centenary of former South African President Nelson Mandela, who oversaw the dismantling of apartheid. While this year is also the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Another man who changed the world by inventing Communism, German philosopher Karl Marx, was born 200 years ago. Meanwhile, it also the 100th anniversary of the death of Austrian artist Gustav Klimt, who is perhaps best-known for his mega-famous painting, The Kiss.
Last but not least, it is the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, as well as the 200th anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
Anniversaries in 2018