Avi Amadeu
Merchant (1896 -1967) Granollers, Barcelona

The son of merchants and born in Granollers, Amadeu Barbany i Pons began his career as a watchmaker, but always said that he "damaged more watches than he fixed." He was a poetry lover and worked as a correspondent for the newspaper El Diluvio. He was also a city councilor for culture during the Republic and is remembered for having acted as the lead actor in Ramon Dagà's film "Campeón Por Amor." He was also part of a small group of journalists sent to the USSR to document the situation in the new state. He explained that they were taken on a windowless train, and that when they stopped at a station, they were greeted with orchestras, dancers, and lavish meals. Little is known about the contents of the notes he took on that trip, as Grandma Margarita got rid of them, fearing they might cause trouble. When war broke out, his grandfather collaborated with the Red Cross by driving an ambulance that was none other than his own car, requisitioned by the CNT. After the war, she continued running the family business, a clothing store, and a knitting factory. We still treasure the notebook where she drew the patterns for her sweaters.