Maurício Grabois
Encyclopedia
Maurício Grabois was a Brazilian politician of Jewish descent, founder of the modern Communist Party of Brazil
and one of its leaders until his death in 1973.
, a city on the northeast coast of Brazil. His parents were Agustin and Dora Grabois. He graduated from the State Gymnasium of Salvador, an elementary school in his city. At the age of 19 he moved to Rio de Janeiro
to study at the Realengo Military College (which would later become the Academia Militar de Agulhas Negras
). There he became an adherent of Marxism-Leninism
and spread communism in the military college.
, and Recife
.
After the failed uprising, he became the editor of an underground Communist newspaper, A Classe Operária (the Working Class). He was arrested in 1941 and released the following year. The overthrow of Getúlio Vargas
resulted in the legalization of Communist organizations of Brazil. In 1945 Maurício Grabois was elected federal deputy and became a member of the Foreign Relations Committee of Brazil.
. In 1966 the Communist Party of Brazil decided that revolutionary tactics were necessary to overthrow the dictatorship and establish a Communist regime in Brazil. In 1967 Grabois started recruiting guerilla combatants in Pará
. After a series of clashes with government forces Maurício Grabois was killed in 1973. Contemporary reports claim he was executed by Major Sebastião Curió; a military report places the date of his death at December 25. His death has yet to be officially recognized by the government.
Communist Party of Brazil
The Communist Party of Brazil is a political party in Brazil. It has national reach and deep penetration in the trade union and students movements. PCdoB dispute with the Brazilian Communist Party the title of "oldest political party in Brazil"...
and one of its leaders until his death in 1973.
Biography
Maurício Grabois was born on October 2, 1912 in Salvador, BahiaSalvador, Bahia
Salvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...
, a city on the northeast coast of Brazil. His parents were Agustin and Dora Grabois. He graduated from the State Gymnasium of Salvador, an elementary school in his city. At the age of 19 he moved to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
to study at the Realengo Military College (which would later become the Academia Militar de Agulhas Negras
Academia Militar de Agulhas Negras
The Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras is the biggest among several schools of formation of combatant officers of the Brazilian Army...
). There he became an adherent of Marxism-Leninism
Marxism-Leninism
Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology, officially based upon the theories of Marxism and Vladimir Lenin, that promotes the development and creation of a international communist society through the leadership of a vanguard party over a revolutionary socialist state that represents a dictatorship...
and spread communism in the military college.
Activism
In Rio de Janeio Grabois joined the Communist Youth of Brazil, and at the age of twenty-two became its leader. After joining the National Liberation Alliance (Aliança Nacional Libertadora), an organization which gathered anti-fascist military officers he became one of the leader of the unsuccessful Communist uprising of November, 1935 in Rio de Janeiro, NatalNatal, Rio Grande do Norte
-History:The northeastern tip of South America, Cabo São Roque, to the north of Natal and the closest point to Europe from Latin America, was first visited by European navigators in 1501, in the 1501–1502 Portuguese expedition led by Amerigo Vespucci, who named the spot after the saint of the day...
, and Recife
Recife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
.
After the failed uprising, he became the editor of an underground Communist newspaper, A Classe Operária (the Working Class). He was arrested in 1941 and released the following year. The overthrow of Getúlio Vargas
Getúlio Vargas
Getúlio Dornelles Vargas served as President of Brazil, first as dictator, from 1930 to 1945, and in a democratically elected term from 1951 until his suicide in 1954. Vargas led Brazil for 18 years, the most for any President, and second in Brazilian history to Emperor Pedro II...
resulted in the legalization of Communist organizations of Brazil. In 1945 Maurício Grabois was elected federal deputy and became a member of the Foreign Relations Committee of Brazil.
Death
After the Brazilian coup d'état of 1964, Grabois became a proponent of armed struggle to overthrow the dictatorshipDictatorship
A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
. In 1966 the Communist Party of Brazil decided that revolutionary tactics were necessary to overthrow the dictatorship and establish a Communist regime in Brazil. In 1967 Grabois started recruiting guerilla combatants in Pará
Pará
Pará is a state in the north of Brazil. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Roraima. To the northwest it also borders Guyana and Suriname, and to the northeast it borders the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Belém.Pará is the most populous state...
. After a series of clashes with government forces Maurício Grabois was killed in 1973. Contemporary reports claim he was executed by Major Sebastião Curió; a military report places the date of his death at December 25. His death has yet to be officially recognized by the government.