The history of the printing in Artemisa The history of the printing in Artemisa comes from the year 1901 because in its ends Artemisa could count amount its industries with a printing works. In this year Artemisa began to be shown on prime development located in all orders.

On October 6, 1901 began to edit the first newspaper to be published in Artemisa by the name of “El Ideal”. The five first numbers were printed in Guanajay because here wasn’t even a printer. But the sixth edition of the newspaper appeared on Sunday November 10, 1901, and was increased to six pages where at the bottom of its last page appeared the followed note:
Print:” El Trabajo”, General Goméz 45, Artemisa.

In this way was announced the installation of the first print shop in Artemisa, introduced by José Salás de la Peña.

The number 19 of the newspaper “El Ideal” come on February 9,1902 reported that Salás was moving his print shop to Havana; leaving Artemisa again without this industry such necessary for its cultural and economic development.

For the typographic employees of both newspapers and a commercial or individual nature had to move to Guanajay or The Havana.

The second print shop and with a longer duration that came up in Artemisa was called “La Libertad”, founded by the doctor Francisco Robainas Arquimbau who had arrived to the territory in 1901 as a pharmaceutical in what he was graduated, but because of the necessity of do the printed matters for his pharmacy and edit his literary works, because he was also a prolific author, an acclaimed poet and journalist with easy and pleasant prose; he established a print shop that was located in the same building of the pharmacy located in República 35.

The printing work only counted with a Liberty 3 and 4 machine moved with a kick-start pedal and there were not graphic workers in the town, that’s right the first ones were made for Rogelio Ernánd Núñez, who later was the attorney, and Robainas and his wife; till he got the services of Alejandro Más Mañé as typographer. Alejandro was qualified in the profession and together with others operators taught the trade to young apprentices that were multiplied themselves till formed the long list of typographic workers that gave to Artemisa the fair fame of be an excellent producer of books, magazines and printed matters in general.

The installation of this print shop favoured at maximum the publication of magazines and newspapers. Were edited the newspapers “La Libertad” and “La Bulla” and the magazines” Atomos” and “Artemisa” that were good to emphasized the culture of our town.
Later between 1922 and 1923 was managed by Antonio Robainas, adopting the commercial name of “Robainas” that preserved till the end.

Its last owner was Francisco Robainas Ortega and the Friday October 10, 1963 was acquired by the Minister of Industries of The Revolutionary Government and passed to be part of the Consolidated Company of Graphic Arts unifying the other print shops.

During the 57 years of existence of this print shop were born and die countless of newspapers and magazines, even in Artemisa as in the neighbouring towns.

The third print shop called ”La Popular” was the smallest and the one with less equipments and materials, there aren’t enough data about this print works from 1910 to 1913.

The fourth print shop received the named of “El Combate”, created in 1914 and managed by Francisco Cuenca García and his wife Amelia Cuenca, both journalists and exponents of the “Al Poesía” where they edited their newspaper ”El Combate.”

The fifth print shop was named”La Comercial”. In the year 1923 when it was managed by the experienced printer Amelio Prieto, in that place was where for the first time started working women at a local printer in a stable way. In the year 1928, the owner decided to remove the print shop from Artemisa, and moved it to The Havana City where worked for many years.

The sixth print shop named ”La Nueva” founded in 1928 constituted in society by Manuel M. Bernal and Federico Peñarredondo was the printing works with better equipment till the present day. Here came up the newspaper “El Pueblo” that for its fighting spirit was involved in several politics campaigns and with information nature, creating to the owners many inconvenient till they moved away from the business and left Pedro Portales García at the head of the business till, in the year 1935, began to lurch this printing.

The seventh print shop was named “Universal” was brought in 1930 having a long history because passed from hand to hand and equipped itself of fewer materials that turned Artemisa into a producer market of printed matters of outstanding presentation and finish.
The eighth print shop called” Los Hermanos Trujillo” that started the Saturday May 13th , 1944; at the beginning produced only newspapers but with the acquisition of new and modern machines started to publish books obtaining a distinguished renown.

The ninth print shop was designated “Hermanos Ponce”, created in 1951, here was published a valiant manifesto of the students of Artemisa where was denounced the rejection with which the people of Cuba have received the coward action of the coup of Batista. Its owner José Ponce Díaz, commander of the revolutionary forces appeared among the names of martyrs and heroes of the heroic assault to the Moncada Garrison, for that reason took his place at the printing works a brother that years later made the donation of the print shop to the revolutionary government.

The tenth print shop was the “Consolidated Company of Graphic Arts” that started working in May 10th, 1963 and as a responsible had to Francisco Ponce Díaz.

Were innumerable the contributions that this printing works, which still exists, gave to the development of the revolution. The targets of productions have been surpassed months after months with flying colors, its workers have said present in every mobilization, and they are identified with the country people participating in every voluntary work. They counted in their assets with the orders: Héroes Del Moncada (Moncada’s Heroes), Primero de Mayo (First of May) and Guerrillero Heroico (Heroic Guerrilla).

The eleventh print shop and the last one was “El Cartel” opened in 1965 and prepared for produce urgent printed matters that this center needs to do.

Here were published different newspapers and bulletins that have published the revolutionary organizations of the region and the town.

In 1906 was when the press had a wide development in Artemisa and this one had to be with the print shop “La Libertad” settled by the doctor Francisco Robainas Arquinbau who together to other prominent fellows were prepared to maintain latent the cultural spirit and the journalistic combat. We have to emphasize the work of Mr Manuel Isidro Méndez Rodríguez, who made meritorious publications that have published and that have relation with Artemisa having written the most documented and true, that he hopes to publish and that he called himself, history of Artemisa.

“El Ideal” was the first newspaper that Artemisa had; in its pages there are valuable works that reflect the struggle of the liberators and patriots and the sacrifice of the Cuban people. It opposed to the ones that were trying to smuggle the triumph of the Cuban forces, and preferred in their hatred of the nation or for their own good, give the island to the Nascent Yankee Imperialism before see it emerges governed by its own sons.

In 1002 appeared the first magazines from Artemisa called “La Golondrina” and “Átomos”, and three more newspapers “El Combate”, “La Bulla” and “El Vueltabajero”; in the economic society Friends of the Country from The Havana, there are a collection of their copies. Some time later appeared the newspaper “El Tiempo” and the magazine “Artemisa”, with an exquisite typographic work.

Other newspapers appeared in the town were: El Diario, El Pueblo, El Villa Roja, La Realidad, El Mosquito, La Juventud Artemiseña, El Redentor, La Justicia, La Avispa, El Amigo de La Familia, El Duende, El Sport, El eco semanal, El cuerdo loco, Pluma libre, El Paladín, El Heraldo, La buena nueva, Verdún and many others.

Besides books and pamphlets were published in Artemisa among which are: Martí y la mujer, Recordando a Antonio Maceo, Luz Perpetua, La sonrisa de la madre, Canto a los brigadistas and many others of notable importance and transcendence.

By Susana Rodríguez

Translated by Lorenzo Raúl Alonso López