Alvaro Cunhal

From Philosopedia

Alvaro Cunhal (10 November 1913 - 13 June 2005)

Àlvaro Barreirinhas Cunhal was born in Coimbra, the third child of Avelino Henriques da Costa Cunhal (28 October 1887 – 19 December 1966) and Mercedes Simões Ferreira Barreirinhas (5 May 1888 - 12 September 1971).

His father was a lawyer in Coimbra, Seia, and Lisbon. His mother was a devout Catholic who wished her son had also been of her faith.

Cunhal studied Law at the University of Lisbon, where in 1931 he joined the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), then an illegal organization, in 1931. He visited the Soviet Union for the first time in 1935 to attend the Seventh World Congress of the Comintern in Moscow. He joined the Central Committee of the PCP in 1936 at the age of 24. His first arrest occurred in 1937.

From 1961 to 1992, Cunhal served as the secretary-general of the Portuguese Communist Party, during which time he supported Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) world policies including the intervention in Czechoslovakia in 1968. Even when succeeded by Carlos Carvalhas, Cunhal was influential in his country's politics.

Using the pseudonym Manuel Tiago, he wrote several neo-realistic novels. His drawings, made while in prison, revealed his artistic talent, and he translated Shakespeare's King Lear edited in his last years, and originally written under the female pseudonym Maria Manuela Serpa).

Cunhal died in Lisbon in 2005, after several years away from public eye. His funeral, on 15 June 2005 attracted thousands and took place in Lisbon.

Works

• IV Congresso do Partido Comunista Português — O Caminho Para o Derrubamento do Fascismo.
• Duas intervenções numa reunião de quadros.
• Rumo à Vitória - As Tarefas do Partido na Revolução Democrática e Nacional.
• A Verdade e a Mentira sobre a Revolução de Abril.
• Acção Revolucionária, Capitulação e Aventura.
• O Partido Com Paredes de Vidro.
• A Revolução Portuguesa - O Passado e o Futuro.
• Fracasso e Derrota do Governo de Direita do PSD/Cavaco Silva.
• O 1º Governo PSD e a Resistência Democrática.
• Falência da Política de Direita do PS (1983-1985).
• Os Chamados Governos de Iniciativa Presidencial.

Manuel Tiago

Under the pseudonym Manuel Tiago, he wrote other works. He also made the drawings for the original edition of Soeiro Pereira Gomes book Esteiros.

• Até Amanhã, Camaradas (adapted to television series in 2005).
• Five Days, Five Nights (novel)|Cinco Dias, Cinco Noites (adapted to film in 1996).
• A Estrela de Seis Pontas.
• A Casa de Eulália.
• Lutas e Vidas. Um conto.
• Os Corrécios e outros Contos.
• Um Risco na Areia.
• Fronteiras.