Federico García Lorca was no stranger to the growing political tension that was invading Spain and that culminated in the uprising against the Republic in July 1936. The violence between left and right in Madrid preluded the outbreak of the Civil War. Although Lorca avoided direct partisan commitment, he supported more than ever, through his public events, the ideas of renewal brought by the Second Republic.
His activity does not suffer. In January the first edition of Blood Wedding appears in Ediciones del Árbol, and of First Songs, in the magazine Héroe by Manuel Altolaguirre and Concha Méndez. He participates in the tribute to Rafael Alberti and María Teresa León, and shortly after in the tribute to Luis Cernuda and Hernando Viñes. In May he signs the adhesion that the Popular Front dedicates to André Malraux, Jean Cassou and Henri Lenormand. In June he concludes Yerma and writes the first act of the third comedy that was to complete the cycle of Granada chronicles, The Dreams of my Cousin Aurelia.
Federico defined Granada in an interview as “A land of the ‘chavico’ (alms) where the worst bourgeoisie of Spain is currently agitated”, which may have influenced his tragic end upon his return to the city.
However, since the climate of violence in Madrid was increasing, as were rumors of a military coup, Federico decided, on July 13, 1936, the same day of the assassination attempt against José Calvo-Sotelo, to leave Madrid and go to Granada to celebrate his name day and that of his father at the Huerta de San Vicente (San Vicente Farmhouse) as was customary in the family. That day he visits the offices of Cruz y Raya where, not finding José Bergamín, he left him a note and the manuscript of Poet in New York, which was published after his murder.
Before leaving for his homeland, in an interview with Luis Bagaría appearing in El Sol, he made a definition of Granada that may have influenced his tragic end: “A land of the chavico (alms) where the worst bourgeoisie of Spain is currently agitated”.