Historia de Espana

Historia de Espana - Augustin Blanquez Fraile

Agustín Blánquez Fraile (Valladolid, Spain 1883 – Barcelona, Spain, 1965) was a Spanish scholar, Latinist, historian and librarian.  He studied at the Central University of Madrid where he got a degree in Philosophy and Literature, a Ph.D. in Philosophy and a Law degree. He also carried out doctoral work on the Leonese dialect, publishing his dissertation "Límites del dialecto leonés" in 1907. In 1911, he studied to become a member of the Faculty of Archivists, Librarians and Archeologists. He served in Palencia, Valencia, and then in Barcelona where he was appointed Head of Archives, Libraries and Museums; and also Head of Restoration Services in Girona. In this city, he reinstated the Museo de San Pedro de Galligants, and directed the Ampurias Museum.  In 1943, he was appointed director of the University Library of Barcelona, where he organised numerous exhibitions such as "El Libro Impreso en Barcelona", the "Centenario de los Reyes Católicos", "Libros de Mística", "Estampas y Grabados". In 1945, he began the publication of the catalogs of the Library with the Incunables de la Biblioteca Universitaria.  Blánquez became a professor of the School of Librarians of the University of Barcelona where he taught Latin language and literature until 1962. He was also honorary Professor of Philosophy and Literature at the University of Barcelona. He was temporary director of the Archive of the Audiencia Territorial of Barcelona.  He is the author of the Diccionario Latino - Español (Latin-Spanish dictionary, 1946), his best work, published by Editorial Sopena until 1997.