1930s fascism in Catalonia

The common narrative of the 1930s is that the Spanish Second Republic came into existence without sin in 1931 via a form of constitutional virgin birth, governed a paradise on earth for five years, and was destroyed by a fascist coup because destroying peace and happiness is what fascists do, especially when they can have a go at peaceful, democratic Catalans.

Needless to say, it was a lot more complicated than that. In fact, the 30s saw a rise of fascism in Catalonia. The nationalists of Estat Català made contact with Mussolini for advice. This is the organisation that ultimately developed into the separatist party ERC that now governs Catalonia.

Catalan Escamots in Barcelona

Catalan nationalists rebelled twice against the Republic, once in 1931 almost immediately after it began, and again in 1934 when they piggybacked on the socialist revolution in Asturias. On that occasion, the Guardia Civil disarmed the Mossos (Catalan police) and arrested them. Many Catalans would like to see that happen again. By tomorrow lunchtime please.

The political literature and imagery was unambiguous.

Racism was rife.

Spaniards out of Catalonia. We Ourselves! [This name is the meaning of the Irish Sinn Féin and was adopted for that reason.]

We Ourselves!

Catalonia First. We Ourselves!

Against Spain and the Spaniards. We Ourselves!

For a Catalan army. We Ourselves!

Xarnegos is the insulting name given by Catalan nationalists to people from other parts of Spain.

Stop immigration. Catalonia for the Catalans. Youth wing of Estat Català. [Note that the Catalonia shown in this map includes part of France, Andorra, the Spanish Mediterranean coast of Valencia and the Balearic Islands.]

How you brutes arrived in Catalonia. And how you’ll go back if you don’t integrate. Xarnegos out!

Preserve our ethnic identity. Youth wing of Estat Català.

The German student. Fight for Führer and People. To the team of the National Students Union.
Join the young patriots. Youth wing of Estat Català

The association with Nazi Germany was clear.

We Ourselves! Young people. For a fighting ethic.

Free Catalonia. United Europe. PNSC [Catalan National Socialist Party]

Anti-Marxist patriots, PNSC [Catalan National Socialist Party]

PNSC [Catalan National Socialist Party]

Sources

Very many works in English deal with this period of history, covering the historical facts that are readily available but are widely ignored by those who find that they clash with their preferred narrative.

The history of the Republic is described in:

Stanley G. Payne, The Collapse of the Spanish Republic, 1933-1936: Origins of the Civil War

These histories of the Civil War have been well received:

Hugh Thomas, The Spanish Civil War

Paul Preston, The Spanish Civil War

Antony Beevor, The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939

(The author of these lines has not read Beevor’s work.)

George Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia is a journalistic description of his personal experience. It is a work of great importance and interest for the insights that it contains, but it does not in itself constitute a full or reliable account of the Republic or of the Civil War.

This blog:

An old-school Catalan racist

Spying on schoolchildren