León, Maria Teresa (1903–1988)

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León, Maria Teresa (1903–1988)

Spanish novelist and essayist. Name variations: Maria Teresa de Leon; Maria Teresa León Goyri. Born Oct 31, 1903, in Logrono, Spain; died Dec 13, 1988, in Madrid; dau. of Angel León and Oliva Goyri; niece of Maria Goyri (the 1st woman in Spain to obtain a doctorate in philosophy); MA in philosophy and letters; m. Gonzalo de Sebastián, 1920 (div. 1929); m. Rafael Alberti (writer), 1932; children: (1st m.) Gonzalo and Enrique.

Was active in Spanish Communist Party, secretary of the Alliance of Antifascist Writers, and served as director of Teatro de las Guerrillas during Spanish Civil War; helped to save Spanish art treasures during conflict; with 2nd husband, often collaborated and founded the magazine Octubre (1933); lived in exile for 38 years (1939–77); writings include Cuentos para soñar, Cuentos de la España actual (1937), Contra viento y marea (1941), Morirás lejos (1942), Las peregrinaciones de Teresa (1950), and Fábulas del tiempo amargo (1962); later works focus on social injustice.