Father José María Arizmendiarrieta Madariaga (22 April, 1915-29 November, 1976) was a Catholic priest and founder of the Mondragón cooperative movement in the Basque Country. Arizmendiarrieta, whose name is often shortened to Arizmendi, was born in Barinaga, Markina, Biscay, the eldest son of a family of modest means. At the age of twelve, he entered a theological preparatory school. When the Spanish Civil War began, he supported the Republican cause against Francisco Franco like many Basques; other Basques (tradicionalistas) fought against the Republican Government. He had lost an eye in a childhood accident so could not be a soldier. Instead he was a journalist for Basque language newspapers. His actions caused him to be arrested after the war and he was sentenced to death for his activi