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José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza

1891 – 1963

Spanish lawyer, diplomat and politician; Minister of Foreign Affairs

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About José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza

Lived 1891 – 1963 (aged 72). José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza was a Spanish diplomat and politician.

José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza (30 January 1891 in Bilbao, Spain – 9 June 1963) was a Spanish lawyer, diplomat and politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1944 and 1945.

He had previously served as mayor of Bilbao between 1938 and 1939, during the Spanish Civil War. After the Nationalists won the war he was appointed ambassador to France between 1939 and 1944. He favored Nazi Germany during the Second World War, and wrote antisemitic reports about Prime Minister Édouard Daladier and his successor Paul Reynaud. Philippe Pétain later used de Lequerica as an intermediary to request an armistice from the Wehrmacht. During the last year of the war he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, and severed diplomatic relations with Imperial Japan in retaliation for the Manila massacre. He went on to serve as ambassador to the United States between 1951 and 1954, and was influential in the drafting of the Pact of Madrid. He next served as Spain's permanent representative to the United Nations between 1956 and 1963.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
University of Deusto
Positions held
Member of the Congress of Deputies, Mayor of Bilbao, Foreign Minister, Ambassador of Spain to the United States
Awards
Knight of the Legion of Honour; Grand Cross of the Order of Cisneros; Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice; Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ; Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III; Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic; Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru‎
Also known as
Jose Felix de Lequerica y Erquiza

People in José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza's

Frequently asked questions

Who was José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza?

Spanish lawyer, diplomat and politician; Minister of Foreign Affairs

When was José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza born?

José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza was born on 30 January 1891 in Bilbao.

When did José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza die?

José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza died on 9 June 1963 in Getxo, Bilbao.

What was José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza's occupation?

José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza was a diplomat and politician.

What nationality was José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza?

José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza was Spanish.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza

· Wikidata: Q3079819

· DBpedia: José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza. https://biography.guide/jose-felix-de-lequerica-y-erquiza/

MLA: "José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jose-felix-de-lequerica-y-erquiza/.

Chicago: "José Félix de Lequerica y Erquiza." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jose-felix-de-lequerica-y-erquiza/.

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