The mortal remains of the Canarian scientist Blas Cabreraconsidered “the father of Spanish Physics”, they will arrive today in La Laguna from Mexico, to be buried in the San Luis cemetery. Thus, the motion presented by the mayor of La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, to the plenary session of the City Council to repatriate the remains of Blas Cabrera, as a recognition “for his great contribution to scientific culture and his consideration as the main figure of physics in Spain in the 20th century”.
The burial of the remains of Blas Cabrera will take place next Saturday, at 11:30 a.m., in a simple ceremony in the San Luis cemetery to which the citizens of La Laguna are invited to attend.
“The return of Blas Cabrera to his land represents a historical reparation, 85 years after his exile,” says Luis Yeray Gutiérrez. “An act of justice by the adoptive city of him with whom he has been one of the most important Spanish scientists in history,” says the mayor. The repatriation process, assumed by the Laguna City Council, has been carried out “at all times respecting the wishes of his family, who showed interest and gave their authorization for the remains of Blas Cabrera to be transferred from Mexico City to The lagoon”.
This act joins the set of actions that the University of La Laguna, through its Physics section, has been carrying out in recent years in favor of recovering the memory of Blas Cabrera, which includes the placement of commemorative plaques , the preparation of informative panels and other dissemination of the life and work of the most universal Canarian scientist among students as well as among teachers and researchers of the institution.
To this is added the tribute held on May 19 in the Auditorium of the University of La Laguna, organized by the Faculty of Sciences, in collaboration with the Royal Canary Academy of Sciences and the City Council of La Laguna itself.
With the recovery of the remains of Blas Cabrera, the motion presented by the mayor to the plenary session in September, which was unanimously supported, is fulfilled. The agreement recognized the figure of Blas Cabrera, for his contribution to scientific culture and his consideration as the main figure of Physics in Spain in the 20th century, and to proceed, with the help of the Mexican consulate, “to the repatriation of the remains of Mr. Blas Cabrera, and his relatives, and his subsequent burial on municipal public land, in the San Luis cemetery.
A childhood and youth lived in the streets of La Laguna
Although born in Arrecife in 1878, Blas Cabrera Felipe spent his entire childhood and youth in La Laguna, until he moved to Madrid, where he received his doctorate in Physical Sciences. His contribution was remarkable, since between 1910 and 1934 he published hundreds of works and established scientific laws. He not only carried out research work, but also popularization and dissemination of modern physical theories. His enormous work was recognized internationally, hosting Albert Einstein on his famous visit to Spain in 1923.
He was rector of the Central University of Madrid, president of the Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences, member of the Spanish Society of Physics and Chemistry and member of the Spanish Academy. As a result of the outbreak of the Civil War, Blas Cabrera was forced into exile, like so many Spanish scientists, and moved first to France and, later, to Mexico, where he was a professor.
