Calle de Joaquín Bau

Behind the sign is a man from Tortosa who handled the money of a war. Joaquín Bau Nolla (1897-1973) grew up in a Catalan family made comfortable by the olive oil trade and entered politics early: at barely twenty-eight he became mayor of his city, where he improved streets, fixed schools and set up a permanent fire brigade. His roots were Carlist, those of monarchist traditionalism. Under the Republic he was a deputy in 1933 and 1936. Once the Civil War broke out, he became a key piece of the rebel side, heading the Commission of Industry, Commerce and Supplies of the State Technical Council, a post ranked with that of minister: he managed the currency and foreign trade of the Nationalist zone. His star faded at the war’s end, but rose again from 1958 until he presided over the Council of State. The calle de Joaquín Bau was born in the development of Nueva España, in Chamartín. Decades later it appeared on the list of streets the city council considered renaming for their links to Francoism.