Sonia Foroudastan, Ranni Tewfik, and Emily Williams

Summer 2013

Human Rights, Democracy, and Historical Memory in

Spain

1936 – 1941Republicans – loyal to the Spanish RepublicNationalists – loyal to Franco’s ideology and

regime

Spanish Civil War (Cazorla-Sanchez 65)

2003 – U.N. included Spain in human rights violation for all that were forced to disappear (Sanchez)

2nd highest number of forced disappearances in the world, after Cambodia (Sanchez)

Post-Civil War and Franco

“We must look into the past to understand the present.” – Bonifacio Sánchez

“This [Spain] is the only country in the world that does not look into its past and has made no attempt to confront the past.” – Bonifacio Sánchez

“Democracy’s duty is to give closure to the

past.” – Soledad Luque

Fight for Historical Memory

A common theme found throughout this course was the combination of politics and religion

Many of the unjust acts carried out during the Franco Regime were done in the name of the Catholic Church

Politics and Religion

Mass graves were common throughout the Spanish Civil War and Franco’s Regime

The existence of mass graves was essentially

unknown during Franco’s rule

Basically no records were kept on the identities of the graves or where they were located

Mass Graves (Garces)

Mass graves did not give family members of those who had died a chance to morn

Death and morning should be public and visual, however this was not an option for families

Mass Graves (Garces)

“The dead demand of us…that we keep alive for all the generations the lessons of History thus making the blood they so generously spilt fecund,…that their blood be the last shed in wars among Spaniards.”- Franco (Valis 425)

Spain’s new government attempted to reconcile the country and honor those who died on both sides of the war (Valis 425)

Valley of the Fallen

Bodies were moved from other mass graves to the Valley of the Fallen without family member’s permission or knowledge

Many are upset that Republicans, murdered for fighting for their beliefs, are buried in the same place as Franco

People still attempting to remove Franco’s grave from the Valley of the Fallen

Controversy over monument (Garces)

At entrance inside, two arch angels that were placed to protect and warn over the church

The long walk to Franco’s grave creates a solemn atmosphere and anticipation

Jose Antonia Primo de Rivera’s tomb, founder of the Falange Party, found opposite Franco

Valley of the Fallen

Clear Catholicism influence – crosses, Christian images, statues of Christ, Mary, angels

Political controversy over Republicans being buried next to Franco

Many are currently fighting for historical memory for those fallen

“The question arises: ‘Is it best to leave the structures in their spaces, or would it be better to remove them?’ Those in favor of the removal of these testimonies to the past argue that they only serve to ‘perpetuate the discrimination between winners and losers’ of the civil war.” (Stofleth 12)

Religion and Politics at the monument

The Stolen Children of Spain

Franco dictatorship after coup in July 1936

National Catholic ideology in Spain – you´re Spanish and you´re Catholic

Niños robados – children who are alive but stolen and given to other families

1940´s to 1990´s: ~300,000 stolen children

Spain during the Franco regime (Luque)

Scientific investigation – believed dominant Republican gene needed to be researched and eradicated – Dr. Antonio Vallejo-Nájera

Religious salvation – Church needed to save children from ungodly Republican families

Women were believed to be against Franco ideology and did not deserve to have children

Justification for kidnappings (Luque)

~30,000 stolen children

Children could be adopted by families of Franco ideology – within Spain or abroad

Others put into orphanages

Families aware that children were being taken

1940 to early 1950´s (Luque)

Peak of kidnappings

Women were not aware of children being stolen

Believed children died right after birth or were still-born

Positions of power (doctors, nurses, nuns) were responsible for facilitating kidnappings – manipulation of powerful against powerless

Late 1950´s to 1970´s (Luque)

Mothers entered hospital alone – men not allowed

Children taken away right after birth to another room to receive ¨medical attention¨

Always moment where doctor would announce the baby´s death

Children were separated from parents for long periods – allowed time to arrange transfer to other families

Baby boom during economic prosperity – many opportunities to kidnap

How was this possible? (Luque)

If parents insisted to see dead baby, they were informed that it was already cremated/buried, or they were shown a frozen baby that had already been dead

If questions continued, the medical staff would increase intimidation to prevent further investigation

Families would feel that something was wrong and doctors would say that they suffered from a mental breakdown

Refusal to accept the ¨truth¨ (Luque)

Stealing of children did not end after Franco´s death in 1975

2008 – children learn from adoptive parents on deathbeds about their origins

Children begin to investigate biological parents but not sure if they are niños robados

Sense of solidarity in society - all children robbed are also my children

Government forced to recognize the stealing of children in Spanish history

Breaking the silence (Luque)

Documents and DNA tests may help uncover truth, but high costs and distrust of government

No one has been prosecuted for kidnappings

Government does not see connection between stolen children and crimes of Franco regime

Justice system adopted from Argentina to label kidnappings as crimes against humanity

Association for Recuperation of Historical Memory works with other human rights organizations and 52 local governments to seek legal justice

Seeking justice for the families (Luque)

Bibliography1) Cazorla-Sanchez, Antonio. At Peace With the Past: Explaining the Spanish Civil War in the Basque

Country, Catalonia, and Galicia. New York: Modern Languages Association,2006. Print.

2) Garces, Marcela. “Legacy of Mass Graves in 21st Century.” Guest Speaker. Madrid, Spain. 05 May 2013. Lecture.

3) Luque, Soledad. Guest Speaker. Association for Recuperation of Historic Memory. Madrid, Spain. 05 May 2013. Lecture.

4) Sanchez, Bonifacio. Guest Speaker. Association for Recuperation of Historic Memory Madrid, Spain. 05 May 2013. Lecture.

5) Stofleth, Daniel. Memory Politics in Spain: The Law of Historical Memory and the Politics of the Dead. Syracuse University, 2012. Print.

6) Valis, Noel. Civil War Ghosts Entombed: Lessons of the Valley of the Fallen. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2007. Print.