Enrique Múgica Herzog, a Spanish Jewish politician has died from COVID-19, aged 88.
He was one of the leaders of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), opposing the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. After the restoration of democracy, he served as congressman, justice minister and ombudsman.
In an obituary of Mr. Múgica Herzog in El Pais, Isaac Querub Caro, President of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain (FCJE), the country’s EJC affiliate wrote:
“Enrique Múgica Herzog was a good man, intelligent and educated. He always spoke fondly of his triple condition as a Jew, a Basque and a Spaniard. He was also a brave man. As an activist in the PSOE, he worked to bring democracy and freedom to Spain, advocated for the country’s entry into the EU, for the establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and Israel and for the right to be different, unequivocally condemning racism and antisemitism.
Between 1988 and 1991, he served as Minister of Justice and as head of the Ombudsman’s Office from 2000 to 2010. In 1997, the government of José María Aznar appointed him as president of the commission of inquiry into gold and commercial transactions between Spain and the Third Reich during World War II.
I met Enrique on March 3, 1980 at Max Mazin’s house in Madrid, a few minutes after the latter had been targetted for an attack by a branch of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The businessman Eduardo Cotelo Villareal, father of nine children was assassinated in the attack, having been confused with Mazin.
That morning I had the opportunity to listen to Enrique and learn about his political views. Later, on the day of the the 1981 Spanish coup d’état attempt, I met with him at the Miguel Angel Hotel and introduced him to Samuel Hadas, who would later be named Israel’s first ambassador to Spain.
Despite our age difference, I developed a beautiful friendship with Enrique, who was a witness at my wedding in 1981. Months later, he introduced me to his mother and brother Fernando, for whom I had tremendous respect. Fernando was tragically murdered by ETA on February 6, 1996 in San Sebastián, with a shot to the neck in front of his son José María. The incident was a turning point in Enrique’s life and views when he declared: “I will neither forget nor forgive the murderers.” He condemned exclusive nationalism, fanaticism, and violence as a means of achieving political goals.
He was an old-school socialist, a supporter of freedom and dialogue, proud of his roots, who never saw any conflict between his different loyalties and who deeply believed in a free, plural and diverse Spain.”
