Main video (English)- two parts- 5-6 min total.

Zati bat- Behin-behineko bideoak.

Two forgotten women. From refugee girls to Basque engineering pioneers.

Who were Araceli Sánchez Urquijo and Laura Irasuegi Otal? Why did they go to Russia? How did they become engineers?

Summary Key Events

• Spanish Civil War
• First Basque Government
• Jose Antonio Agirre
• The journey: from Santurtzi to Russia
• The «Russian Children»
• The Second World War
• The SIege of Leningrad
• The university in Russia
• Engineering degree (Interactive content)
• Laura and Araceli: women in STEM

Spanish Civil War

The Spanish Civil War was a war that took place in Spain between 1936 and 1939.

It began with a coup d’état by some military officers of the Spanish Army against the democratic government of the Second Republic.

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First Basque Government (1936)

The first Basque Government was the first autonomous government to administer the Basque Country.

It was established on October 1, 1936, through a statute approved by the Spanish Parliament.

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Jose Antonio Agirre

José Antonio Agirre Lekube (Bilbo, Bizkaia, 1904 – Paris, France, 1960) was a Basque nationalist politician.

He was the first Lehendakari (President) of the Basque Government and played a key role in organising the evacuation of the Basque children to Russia.

The journey: from Santurtzi to Russia

In 1937, after the bombing of the basque town Gernika, many children were evacuated to other countries.

Araceli Sáchez, Laura Irasuegi and other children were sent to Russia. The took first a ship to France, the SS Habana, and from there they traveled to Leningrade in the SS Sontay.

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The «Russian Children»

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The Second World War

The SIege of Leningrad

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The university in Russia

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Laura and Araceli: women in STEM

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