Championship History The pre-war championships (1935-1936)

BRIEF HISTORY OF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
The pre-war championships (1935-1936)

There are three, clearly defined, periods in the history of the Bertsolari National Championships: the pre-war championships, those organised by the Euskaltzaindia (The Basque Academy of Language and Letters), and the contests organised by the bertsolaris' association known as the Bertsozale Elkartea.

Organised by the Euskaltzaleak association and the Basque nationalist youth organisation, Eusko Gaztedi, whose members transcribed the bertsos sung in the championships held in 1935 and 1936 in the Poxpolin and Victoria Eugenia theatres in Donostia-San Sebastián. 20 bertsolaris from all over Euskal Herria attended the first, where no preliminary heats took place. Amongst them was Ignacio Eizmendi, Basarri, a regular columnist with the daily newspaper, Euzkadi. He was the literate bertsolari of the time and of great value to Basque nationalism. He was the first champion.

During the second championship some 30 bertsolaris competed for the 10 places in the final. One of them was a regular of those dens of iniquity, a rustic Bohemian and a genius of improvisation, Jose Manuel Lujanbio, known as Txirrita, from Hernani, and who was relegated in the first championship. Txirrita was the link to the XIX century bertsolari, he had heard Xenpelar singing, he had competed with Pello Errota and Otaño, and he had been some sixty years drinking and singing from town to village and publishing satirical ballad sheets of rare elegance and exquisite form. He was a living legend and, despite representing the antithesis of the model which the organisers were trying to present, they could not deny him his merit. Beginning to age, built like a tank, unable to read or write, he was simply a rural genius before the public. He was voted champion.

History of National Championships: Introduction The championships organised by Euskaltzaindia (1960-1982)