Marcelino de Ulibarri y Eguilaz (1880–1951) was a Spanish politician and civil servant. He is best known as head of repressive institutions of early Francoism: Delegación Nacional de Asuntos Especiales (1937–1938), Delegación del Estado para Recuperación de Documentos (1938–1944) and Tribunal Especial para la Represión de la Masonería y el Comunismo (1940–1941). Politically he was a longtime supporter of the Carlist cause. He briefly presided over the regional Aragón party branch (1933) and was member of the Navarrese regional executive (1936–1937), but during the Civil War he assumed a Francoist stand. During 4 terms he was member of the Falange Española Tradicionalista executive, Consejo Nacional (1939–1951), and during three terms he served in the Francoist Cortes (1943–1951).

Family and youth

The Basque family of Ulibarri (spelled also Ullibarri, Ulíbarri or Uribarri)Ullibarri, Ulibarri entry, [in:] Blasonari. Genealogia y Heráldica service, available here. Also in case of Marcelino his surname might have appeared in different spelling versions, for "Ulíbarri Eguilaz" see e.g. Avisador Numantino 13.09.39, available here, for "Ullibarri Eguilaz" see e.g. El Progreso 13.09.39, available here was first recorded in the Medieval era; over the centuries it became very branched, also in America, and produced a number of recognized personalities.e.g. Juan Ruiz de Ulibarri was a copista who in the late 16th century copied Poema del Cid, Juan Ruiz de Ulibarri y Leyva entry, [in:] Real Academia de Historia service, available here Marcelino's forefathers formed part of the Navarrese hidalguia; his most distant ancestor identified was the great-grandfather Domingo, recorded in the late 18th century.Domingo de Ulibarri in 1776 married Francisca Mélida, Domingo de Ulibarri entry, [in:] Geneanet service, available here His son and Marcelino's grandfather, Juan Ciriaco de Ulibarri Mélida (died 1883),he married Florencia Hita y Pérez de Lizasoain, Florencia Hita y Perez de Lizasoain entry, [in:] FamilySearch service, available here, also Marcelino de Ulibarri Eguilaz entry, [in:] Geneanet service, available here. Florencia died 1869, La Esperanza 13.02.69, available here was noted as "rico propietario" in Muez, a hamlet in the central Navarrese zone known as Tierra Estella.El Eco de Navarra 15.05.13, available here His son and the father of Marcelino, Ignacio de Ulibarri HitaMarcelino de Ulibarri Eguilaz entry, [in:] Geneanet service, available here (died after 1916),he was last mentioned in the press in 1916, Diario de Navarra 16.09.16 served as the mayor of Muez in the mid-1880s.Lau-buru 20.08.85, available here In sources he was also named "rico propietario de Muez"Diario de Navarra 22.05.08, p. 4 and mentioned in relation to a multi-faceted agricultural business,El Eco de Navarra 23.09.97, available here though in 1915 the press referred to him also as "comerciante".Diario de Navarra 05.09.15, p. 3 The Ulibarri house in Muez, named "la casa de la Parra",María Isabel Ruiz de Ulíbarri, [in:] Fundación Ignacio Larramendi service, available here was considered to have been "la principal del pueblo".“la casa de Ulíbarri, la principal del pueblo después del palacio de Guendulain, pero la primera en rigor por hallarse el palacio derruido”. Pedro Madrazo y Kuntz, España. Sus monumentos y artes – su naturaleza é historia, Barcelona 1886, pp. 218-219

At unspecified time, though probably in the 1870s, Ulibarri Hita married Hilaria Eguiláz PérezMarcelino de Ulibarri Eguilaz entry, [in:] Geneanet service, available here, see also Hilaria Eguilaz entry, [in:] FamilySearch service, available here (died after 1909),in 1909 she was listed as signatory of an open letter, protesting alleged anti-religious policy, Diario de Navarra 30.09.09 a girl from the nearby village of Guirguillano.in 1965 she was listed as based in Guirguillano, El Pensamiento Español 08.09.65, available here The couple had at least 7 children, almost all boys,the only daughter was Isabel (1884–1971). For her birth date see Ysabel Aquilina Ulibarri Eguilaz entry, [in:] FamilySearch service, available here, for death date see Diario de Navarra 31.07.71 with Marcelino born as the third oldest son.named Demetrio, Isabel, Jose, Marcelino, Eusebio, Flaviano, and Miguel, Marcelino de Ulibarri Eguilaz entry, [in:] Geneanet service, available here It is not clear what language was spoken at home, as at the time Muez was at the borders of the Basque-speaking zone,Compare the map of Basque dialects, available :es:Louis Lucien Bonaparte#/media/Archivo:Bonaparte euskalki mapa.jpg yet it is known that all siblings were raised in very pious way.see accounts of Marcelino's niece, who was referring to his sister and the entire family, María Isabel Ruiz de Ulíbarri, [in:] Fundación Ignacio Larramendi service, available here; the "abuela" mentioned in the account is Marcelino's mother, Hilaria Eguilaz. For open letters she signed (or was listed as signatory, since at the time she was either a child or a teenager) in support of religious initiatives, see El Pensamiento Español 08.09.65, available here None of the sources consulted provides information on education of the young Marcelino, though some later episodes suggest he frequented a Piarist college, most likely in Pamplona.one work mentions his "trato estrecho con los escolapios", Juan Iturralde, La guerra de Franco, Madrid 1978, p. 387 It is neither clear whether and if yes when and where he pursued an academic career, especially given very complex specialized, administrative, and bureaucratic tasks he would perform in the future; some press notes from his early 20s mention him in relation to ZaragozaDiario de Avisos de Zaragoza 03.11.04, available here and some suggest a juridical background.in 1910 he represented Pascual Comín during the sitting of Junta de Censo in Zaragoza; he protested alleged electoral irregularities, Congreso de los Diputados. Diario de las sesiones, Madrid 1910, p. 17