Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España, S. A. Operadora traces its foundational origins to 1927, when Horacio Echevarrieta established the company. This entrepreneur expanded the mining interests inherited from his father, Cosme Echevarrieta, into a vast industrial portfolio spanning shipbuilding, real estate, and the merchant marine, marking his trajectory as a major figure in Spanish commerce during the early twentieth century.
Political and Industrial Scope
Echevarrieta served in the Congress of Deputies from 1910 to 1918. During his tenure as a politician, he purchased the newspaper El Liberal in 1916. His business activities were equally diverse, including a significant stake in The Niágara Spanish Aerocar Co., Limited, which opened the Spanish Aerocar in Niagara Falls, Ontario, in 1916. Following his involvement in the 1917 general strike, Echevarrieta faced house arrest and subsequently resigned from his position at the Chamber of Commerce and his parliamentary seat, which Indalecio Prieto assumed.
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Following the Battle of Annual in 1921, which resulted in the deaths of 10,000 to 12,000 Spanish troops, Echevarrieta served as a mediator. He negotiated the release of 300 captured Spanish soldiers from Abd el-Krim. Reports suggest he declined an offer of a title from King Alfonso XIII for his services. His estate in Malaga frequently hosted prominent figures, including Alfonso XIII, General Miguel Primo de Rivera, and Wilhelm Canaris, who served as head of the Abwehr.
Naval Contracting and the E-1 Submarine
In 1925, Echevarrieta entered a contract with Walter Lohmann to provide the German Reichsmarine with torpedoes and a submarine for training purposes. The resulting vessel, the E-1, was a prototype for the Type IA class. Because of Echevarrieta's financial insolvency, the German Naval Command provided the necessary funds and eventually sold the completed submarine to Turkey, where it was renamed the Gür.
Shipyard Operations and Nationalisation
Echevarrieta owned a major shipyard that functioned as the primary employer in Cádiz, with a workforce of 2,500 people. On 18 August 1947, the Cádiz Explosion destroyed the facility. The company remained largely idle until it was nationalised by the state in 1952. Steady industrial activity did not return to the site until 1956.
Fast facts
- Born: 1870, Bilbao
- Died: 1963, Barakaldo
- Citizenship: Spain
- Founded Iberia: 1927
- Congress of Deputies: 1910-1918
- Cádiz Explosion: 18 August 1947
Questions readers ask
What major airline did Echevarrieta start?
He founded Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España, S. A. Operadora in 1927.
Why was the E-1 submarine sold to Turkey?
The German Naval Command sold it as the Gür to recover the costs of building the vessel after Echevarrieta became bankrupt.
