Irene Polo
{{Short description|Spanish journalist, publicist, and translator}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Irene Polo Roig
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| birth_name = Irene Polo Roig
| birth_date = 27 November 1909
| birth_place = Barcelona, Spain
| death_date = {{dda|1942|04|03|1909|11|27|df=y}}
| death_place = Buenos Aires, Argentina
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| occupation = journalist, publicist, theater representative, translator
| language = Catalan, Spanish
| nationality = Spanish
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Irene Polo Roig (27 November 1909 – 3 April 1942) was a Spanish journalist, publicist, theater representative, and translator. She was one of the first women journalists in the Catalan press. Polo, who favored labor rights, participated in the creation of "l'Agrupació Professional de Periodistes" (Association of Professional Journalists). Because of the Spanish Civil War, she lived the last three years of her life in exile in Buenos Aires, where she committed suicide at the age of 32.
Early years and education
Irene Polo Roig was born in Barcelona, 27 November 1909. Her father, Antonio Polo, a policeman, died young. Her mother was Francisca Roig. Like many other women of the time, Polo did not have easy access to education or university studies, and had to learn on her own.{{cite web|title=Irene Polo (1909–1942) – Narrativa i pedagogia|url=http://sites.google.com/site/narracions/biografies-de-dones-catalanes/03-altres-professionals-esposes/06-irene-polo-periodista|website=Internet Archive WayBack Machine|publisher=BIOGRAFIES DE DONES CATALANES|accessdate=16 June 2017|language=Catalan|date=12 November 2010|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101112193657/http://sites.google.com/site/narracions/biografies-de-dones-catalanes/03-altres-professionals-esposes/06-irene-polo-periodista|archivedate=12 November 2010}}
Career
Before she made a career in journalism, she worked as head of publicity for the film production company Gaumont. Polo began her journalism career with the magazine Mirador in 1930, and worked professionally in Barcelona until 1936. The articles published during those years in Imatges, La Humanitat, La Rambla, L'Opinió, L'Instant, and Última Hora are characterized as an ironic and brilliant testimony of the society and politics of that time. There were articles on fashion, such as the introduction of women's trousers and the appearance of the neckline, to reports of denunciation of social life, begging in Barcelona, the poor living conditions of workers and immigrants, and political alertness, including the story in which she pretends to be a follower of the National Action Youth or the articles devoted to censorship, when she herself was a victim. As a special envoy, she reported on events such as the trial in Madrid of the Catalan Government for the events of October 1934, or the revolutionary strikes in the mines of Sallent and Súria. Polo favored labor right, and in the previous year, she participated in the creation of "l'Agrupació Professional de Periodistes" (Association of Professional Journalists).{{cite news|title=La Xirgu i la dissortada Irene Polo – Opinió – Diari de Girona|url=http://www.diaridegirona.cat/opinio/2008/04/13/xirgu-dissortada-irene-polo/259386.html|accessdate=16 June 2017|work=www.diaridegirona.cat|agency=Diari de Girona|language=Catalan}}
In 1936, Polo went to the United States, as a representative of Margarita Xirgu's theatrical company. When the company was dissolved in 1939, Polo could not return to Barcelona because of the Spanish Civil War. Instead, she lived in exile in Buenos Aires with her mother and sisters, who were able to flee the war.{{cite web|last1=Monge|first1=Jesús Mª|title=Irene Polo, La fascinació del periodisme. Cròniques(1930–1939). Reseña de Josefa Bauló|url=http://www.elpasajero.com/irenepolo.html|website=www.elpasajero.com|accessdate=15 June 2017|language=Spanish|publisher=Quaderns Crema|location=Barcelona|year=2003}} There, she worked as a French and English language translator for the publishers, Losada and Sopena, and she served as advertising director for Dana perfumeries, a job she did not like because of the long hours.{{Cite journal |last=Iribarren |first=Teresa |date=2024 |title=L'estela llatinoamericana d'Irene Polo |url=https://traces.uab.cat/record/130772 |journal=Els Marges |pages=120–121 |issn=0210-0452}} Polo fell into depression because her love for Xirgu was not reciprocated, and committed suicide at the age of 32, in Buenos Aires, 3 April 1942.
Bibliography
- {{Cite book |last=Polo |first=Irene |title=La fascinació del periodisme: cròniques (1930 - 1936) |last2=Santa-Maria |first2=Glòria |date=2003 |publisher=Quaderns Crema |isbn=978-84-7727-389-9 |edition=1st|series=D'un dia a l'altre |location=Barcelona|language=Catalan}}
- {{Cite book |title=Irene Polo, una reportera excepcional: recull dʼarticles (1930-1938)|first=Irene|last=Polo|editor=Anna Crespo|publisher=La Mar de Fàcil|year=2018|isbn=978-8494704277|language=Catalan}}
References
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External links
- [http://emilicasademont.blogspot.com/2009/08/irene-polo-i-margarida-xirgu-recordades.html Irene Polo i Margarida Xirgu, recordades] blog personal de Emili Casademont i Comas (in Catalán)
{{Portal|Biography}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Polo, Irene}}
Category:Suicides in Argentina
Category:20th-century Spanish women writers
Category:Writers from Barcelona
Category:Journalists from Barcelona
Category:Women writers from Catalonia
Category:20th-century Spanish journalists
Category:Spanish lesbian writers