Yesterday, Spain rather quietly marked the 75th anniversary of the declaration of the Second Republic. There’s been some controversy about whether and/or how to celebrate this day. Those favoring celebration tend to fall farther left on the political spectrum, are not admirers of Franco and his dictatorship, and are content that the right-leaning Popular Party lost the national elections in 2004. Those who resist or outright oppose any celebration are largely more conservative, have (at least in private) mixed feelings about Franco and his legacy, and are not supporters of current Prime Minister Zapatero, who speaks often of his grandfather, a Republican who was killed by Franco’s Nationalists during the civil war (1936-1939) that followed the collapse of the Republic. In any case, I have spent much of one of my careers—a college professor—studying and writing about things related to the Republic and the civil war, and so yesterday's events interested me. I was traveling from Madrid to Asturias and didn’t get much news, but I did read that the head of the United Left party was attending a Republican flag-raising in Grado, not far from here. But it seems that the Republic’s banner was raised in just one other Spanish town. And Zapatero’s governing Socialist party appears to be making conciliatory gestures towards the PP on legislation that makes this the “Year of Historical Memory.” Editorials have appeared all week, both praising the Republic for its achievements and even pointing to it as the precursor of today’s democratic state, and criticizing the Republic for its many errors while suggesting that those who remember it fondly are given to nostalgic fantasy. How to make peace with the past? That's a never-ending question. All things considered, the Republic's anniversary seemed a bit understated. I'm not particularly sad about this, but I will tell you that the first time I saw a photograph that for me has come to symbolize the birth of the Republic—delirious throngs of people flowing through the Puerta del Sol on April 14th, 1931, as a brazen few hoist the new government’s banner, all enshrouded in an inexplicable mist--I was moved.
2 comments:
It's quite interesting reading this kind of things from someone foreign. You actually hit the point: how to make peace with the past. For me the Republic was made real in the face and the voice of my grandfather... the way he praised its achievements in education and social development are among the best ones in my life. He really felt that thanks to the Republic he could have an open mind, a global perspective on its time and its main ideals for a better future. It's difficult today to balance between this and the current regime, a monarchy (that, besides all posible political ideas, it's difficult to conciliate with democracy in its purest form), but I think the problem we have today is that many are trying to pay tribute to a regime (which will always be under discussion), instead of paying it to its achievements, which are more objectives and reside in all of us.
Oh, I've never seen that photo before; it is very moving.
I've been reading about this good birth in the papers here in Spain today, and it's striking somehow that just a hop skip and jump away in Dublin, the Irish are weighing similarly mixed feelings today over the 90th anniversary of the Easter Uprising that (eventually) brought an independent Republic to Ireland. To celebrate or not to celebrate?
I'm with the comment above, maybe its more about acknowledging all that's part of any country's history - because it's all there, part of who we are today.
Anyway, have wanted to come by and visit you here for a long while. And I've thoroughly enjoyed my read!
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