Anna Murià


Anna Murià i Romaní was a Spanish narrator, translator, literary critic, and journalist of Catalan descent who wrote short stories, novels, children's literature, and essays. A feminist activist, Murià i Romaní served as secretary of the Institució de les Lletres Catalanes, was a founding member of the Grup Sindical d'Escriptors Catalans, and was an Honorary Member of the Associació d'Escriptors en Llengua Catalana.

Early years

Born in Barcelona, Murià i Romaní was the daughter of the journalist and filmmaker, Magí Murià i Torner. She attended religious schools before studying commerce, accounting and English at the l'Institut de Cultura i Biblioteca de la Dona.

Career

Murià i Romaní was a relevant political female writer. She was involved with Acció Catalana, but joined Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya in 1932, where she helped with the collection of signatures in favor of the adoption of the Statute of Autonomy of 1932. In 1932, she organized the "Front Únic Femení Esquerrista" together with other relevant female activists and writers of the time such as Rosa Maria Arquimbau. In 1936, she joined the central committee of the Estat Català. Along with Ana María Martínez Sagi, Murià i Romaní was also a member of El Club Femení i d'Esports de Barcelona.
During the Spanish Civil War, she was an official of the Generalitat of Catalonia, where she acted as secretary of the Institució de les Lletres Catalanes, collaborated in publications such La Dona Catalana, La Rambla, La Nau, Meridià and Diari de Catalunya. She was also a member of the Women's Union of Catalonia and a co-founder of the Grup Sindical d'Escriptors Catalans. While she wrote several novels, Aquest sera el principi is considered her major opus.

Personal life

Murià i Romaní met her husband, the poet Agustí Bartra, in 1939, and they went into exile together. They had two children, a son, the anthropologist, Roger Bartra, and a daughter, the philosopher, Eli Bartra. Before returning to Catalonia, Murià i Romaní and Bartra traveled through the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Mexico. Muria i Romani died in Terrassa in 2002; she was a close friend of the writer, Mercè Rodoreda.

Selected works