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Wenceslao Retana

1862 – 1924

Spanish polymath

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About Wenceslao Retana

Lived 1862 – 1924 (aged 61). Wenceslao Retana was a Spanish journalist, publisher, writer, biographer, colonial administrator and historian.

Wenceslao Emilio Retana y Gamboa (28 September 1862 – 21 January 1924), also known as W. E. Retana or Wenceslao E. Retana, was a 19th-century Spanish polymath.

A civil servant, colonial administrator, biographer, political commentator, publisher, bibliographer, and Filipinologist, Retana was a "onetime adversary" of Philippine national hero José Rizal who later became an admirer who wrote the first biographical account of the life of Rizal, entitled Vida y Escritos del Dr. José Rizal (The Life and Writings of Dr. José Rizal). Rosa M. Vallejo described Retana as the "foremost" non-Filipino filipinologist.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Academy of Military Engineering of Guadalajara
Positions held
Civil governor of Albacete, Civil governor of Huesca‎, Member of the Congress of Deputies, Member of the Real Academia de la Historia
Also known as
Emilio Wenceslao Retana y Gamboa

People in Wenceslao Retana's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Wenceslao Retana's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Wenceslao Retana?

Spanish polymath (1862–1924)

When was Wenceslao Retana born?

Wenceslao Retana was born on 28 September 1862 in Boadilla del Monte.

When did Wenceslao Retana die?

Wenceslao Retana died on 22 January 1924 in Madrid.

What was Wenceslao Retana's occupation?

Wenceslao Retana was a journalist, publisher, writer, biographer, colonial administrator and historian.

What nationality was Wenceslao Retana?

Wenceslao Retana was Spanish.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Wenceslao Retana

· Wikidata: Q3543290

· DBpedia: Wenceslao Retana

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Wenceslao Retana. https://biography.guide/wenceslao-retana/

MLA: "Wenceslao Retana." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/wenceslao-retana/.

Chicago: "Wenceslao Retana." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/wenceslao-retana/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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