On 31st May 1938 Granollers was bombed by Italian fighter planes who were supporting Franco’s forces in the Civil War. I want to write about that nearer the anniversary but today I saw some news I thought was interesting.
A court in Barcelona has ordered that there should be an investigation into crimes against humanity when civilian areas of Barcelona were bombed earlier that year, also by Italian forces. Because of the 1977 law of amnesty that guarantees members of Franco’s regime immunity from prosecution there have been no opportunities to challenge whose who committed crimes in the Civil War. But because the bombing of Barcelona (and Granollers) was done by foreign troops(although clearly with the approval of Franco) it is possible to slip past this legal muffler of truth. Here is an article in Spanish with a lot more information.
There is always the question – is it better to move on and let tragic sleeping or dead dogs lie? Or is it important to open up old wounds so that they can be cleansed and heal?
It is all so recent. Living memory. People who were victims of the bombing are still alive. And those who bombed – many of them too are still alive. Although quite old. But does that make them innocent? Personally I have always thought it important to get things out into the open – but it also depends on whether is is done with the intention of healing and moving on or of punishment. It’s such a big question and one I expect that will be discussed here a lot while the process unfolds.
My father was fighting in the civil war, he had 18 years old… he told me about the terrible bombigs of the italian and german aviation over them in the front de l’Ebre, near Tortosa. After, when the legal Republicain governememt surrended, he was treat ill by the gendarmes in the concentration camp on the beaches of the south of France (Catalunya Nord-Rosselló) .
I think is a good think to know the truth, and to apologise for the crimes against beings (not only humans) but for the spanish civil war, now pearhaps is too late.
As Pepsi says above, maybe it is too late (because so many of those responsible for crimes against humanity at that time are now dead.)There is the possibility of some kind of justice for relatives still, but it would take more effort from governments at all levels and Mas and Rajoy have undermined the efforts of preious Socialist attempts to deal with mass burial sites. Garzon’s removal has also damaged the process.
Yes, too late for many people and yet – is it ever too late to open up dark cupboards of history to let in some light? All these secrets continue to affect everyone who is now living in the aftermath. There must be a lot of fear to make the government so determined to silence people like Garzon. I see it as a kind of stuck energy that blocks creative flow in a country – even if justice is not possible, it seems to me better to take a look at the painful past, talk about it, grieve for it and then let it go and move on. I am only starting to learn about the Civil War but I do know about how individuals start healing from traumas.
This is certainly a topic which divides. As you say in your last post there’s a definate feeling of an undercurrent of resentment which may act as a kind of creative block. But it is not just the civil war from the Franco era that stands out, there’s the terrible stories of thousands of babies being stolen throughout the country which also implicates the church. There’s many people who want to keep the closet closed for fear of how deep all this goes but it could do with a good airing in my opinion.