Companys Jover, Luís

Born June 21, 1882, in Tarros, Lérida Province; died Oct. 15, 1940, in Barcelona. Spanish political figure, one of the leaders of the Catalan left-wing nationalists; a lawyer.

In March 1931, Companys Jover participated in the creation of the Left Republican Party of Catalonia. In 1933–34 he was president of the autonomous government of Catalonia (Generalidad). In October 1934 he announced Catalonia’s break with the reactionary government of A. Lerroux, but together with other members of the Catalan government he was arrested (he remained in prison until February 1936). After the victory of the Popular Front in the 1936 elections he again became president of the Generalidad (until the establishment of the Franco regime in 1939). In 1939 he emigrated to France; in 1940 he was handed over to Franco’s authorities and shot.