Monday, March 18, AD 2024 10:05pm

Eighty Years Ago the Spanish Civil War Begins

Conceptionist Martyrs of Madrid

 

 

Eighty years ago the Spanish Civil War began on July 17, 1936 with elements of the Spanish military rising against the leftist government.  Rorate Caeli has been running a series on the murderous persecution of the Church in the Spanish Republic.  Go here to read it.  Here is the victory message of the Pope at the conclusion of the Spanish Civil War that Rorate Caeli published:

RADIOMESSAGE
«CON INMENSO GOZO»
OF HIS HOLINESS
PIUS XII
TO THE SPANISH FAITHFUL

(April 14, 1939)


 
With great joy We address you, most dear children of Catholic Spain, to express to you our fatherly congratulations for the gift of peace and of victory, with which God has deemed worthy to crown the Christian heroism of your faith and charity, tried in so many and so generous sufferings. Our Predecessor, of venerable memory, expected, with longing and trust, this Providential peace, which is undoubtedly the fruit of that copious blessing which he sent, in the very beginning of the struggle, “to all those who had devoted themselves to the difficult and dangerous task of defending and restoring the rights and the honor of God and Religion” [1]; and We do not doubt that this peace shall be the one that he himself foretold since then, “the sign of a future of tranquility in order, and of honor in prosperity” .
The designs of Providence, most beloved children, have once again dawned over heroic Spain. The Nation chosen by God as the main instrument of the evangelization of the New World and as an impregnable fortress of the Catholic faith has just shown to the apostles of materialistic Atheism of our century the greatest evidence that the eternal values of religion and of the spirit stand above all things.

The tenacious propaganda and the constant efforts of the enemies of Jesus Christ seemed to have desired to try in Spain a supreme experiment of the dissolving forces which they have at their disposal throughout the world; and even though it is true that the Almighty has for now not allowed them to achieve their goal, He has at least tolerated some of their terrible effects, so that the world could see how religious persecution, undermining the very bases of justice and charity, which are love for God and respect for His holy law, may drag modern society to unthinkable abysses of evil destruction and passionate discord.

Convinced of this truth, the sane Spanish people, with the two marks characteristic of their most noble spirit, which are generosity and frankness, rose up determinedly in defense of the ideals of Christian faith and civilization, deeply rooted in the Spanish soil, and, aided by God, “who does not abandon those who hope in Him” (Judith 13, 17), could resist the push from those who, deceived by what they believed to be a humanitarian ideal of the exaltation of the meek, truly fought only for Atheism.

This primordial meaning of your victory makes us dwell in the most promising hopes, that God in His mercy will deign lead Spain through the safe path of its traditional and Catholic grandeur; which will be the point that will guide all Spaniards, who love their Religion and their Fatherland, in the effort to organize the life of the Nation in perfect harmony with its most noble history of Catholic faith, piety, and civilization.


We thus exhort the Authorities and Shepherds of Catholic Spain to enlighten the mind of those who were deceived, showing them, lovingly, the roots of Materialism and Secularism from which their errors and wrongful acts came forth, and from which they could spring forth again. Propose to them the principles of individual and social justice, without which the peace and prosperity of nations, as mighty as they may be, cannot subsist, and which are those contained in the Holy Gospel and in the doctrine of the Church.

We do not doubt that it will happen thus, and the bases for Our firm hope are the most noble and Christian sentiments, of which the Chief of State and so many gentlemen, his faithful collaborators, have given unequivocal evidence with the legal protection which they have granted to the supreme religious and social interests, according to the teachings of the Apostolic See. The same hope is also founded upon the enlightened zeal and abnegation of your Bishops and Priests, tempered by pain, and also in the faith, piety, and spirit of sacrifice of which, in terrible hours, all classes of Spanish society gave heroic proof.

And now, before the remembrance of the mounting ruins of the bloodiest civil war recorded in the history of modern times, We, with pious regard, bow our head, above all, to the holy memory of the Bishops, Priests, Religious of both sexes, and faithful of all ages and conditions who, in such an elevated number, sealed with blood their faith in Jesus Christ, and their love for the Catholic Religion: «maiorem hac dilectionem nemo habet», “Greater love than this no man hath” (Jn 15, 13).

We also acknowledge our debt of gratitude towards all those who sacrificed themselves even unto heroism in defense of the unalienable rights of God and of Religion, either in the battlefields, or devoted to the sublime works of Christian charity in prisons and hospitals.

We cannot hide the bitter sorrow that the remembrance of so many innocent children, who, having been ripped from their homes, were taken to faraway lands, often in danger of apostasy and perversion: we desire nothing more ardently than to see them returned to the bosom of their families, where they will once again find the warm and Christian tenderness of their own. And those others who, as prodigal sons, wish to return to the house of the father, we doubt not that they will be welcomed with goodwill and love.

It falls upon You, Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate, to advise all, so that in their policy of pacification all will follow the principles taught by the Church, and proclaimed with such nobility by the Generalísimo: of justice for crime, and of lenient generosity for the mistaken. Our solicitude, also as a Father, cannot forget these deceived ones, whom a deceitful and perverse propaganda succeeded in enticing with praises and promises. Your Pastoral solicitude should be targeted at them, with patience and meekness: pray for them, seek them, lead them again to the regenerative bosom of the Church and to the warmth of the Fatherland, and lead them to the Merciful Father, Who awaits them with open arms.

Therefore, most dear children, since the rainbow of peace has returned to brighten the heavens of Spain, let us come together heartily in a fervent hymn of thanksgiving to the God of Peace and in a prayer of forgiveness and mercy for all those who perished; and, in order that this peace be fruitful and longlasting, We exhort you with all the fervor of Our heart, to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4, 2-3). Thus united and obedient to your venerable Episcopate, devote yourselves joyfully and with no delay, to the urgent work of reconstruction, which God and the Fatherland expect from you.

As a pledge of the copious graces, which the Immaculate Virgin and Saint James the Apostle, Patrons of Spain, shall obtain for you, and which the great Spanish Saints have merited for you, We bestow upon you, Our dear children of Catholic Spain, upon the Chief of State and his illustrious Government, upon the zealous Episcopate and their selfless Clergy, upon the heroic combatants, and upon all the faithful Our Apostolic Blessing.
PIUS XII
Rorate Caeli asks for its readers to list their favorite books on that conflict.  Here are mine:

The go to man on the Spanish Civil War is Stanley Payne.  He has been writing on the conflict since the Fifties.  He interviewed many of the leaders of the various factions in the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies.  Originally a man of the Left, I think it would be fair now to call him a conservative, but what he is above all is a first class historian.

I would recommend his The Spanish Civil War, the Soviet Union and Communism, and for background his Spain a Unique History, which is not only an overview of controversies in Spanish History, but also a memoir of his life spent studying Spanish History.  His look at how the present Spanish Socialist government is using the Civil War for political purposes is biting and  incisive.

Here is a link to his books on Amazon.

Anthony Beevor, although somewhat sympathetic to the Anarchists, did an excellent one volume history a few years ago which is superb about showing the military mistakes of the Republic.

The best memoir of a participant that I have read is Combat Over Spain by the Duke of Lerma.  He served as a nationalist pilot during the war.  Growing up in a bi-lingual family, he wrote his memoir in both English and Spanish.  His descriptions of life in Spain prior to the Civil War and during it give the reader a feel for the conflict lacking in other works.

Burnett Bolloten’s The Spnaish Civil War:  Revolution and Counter-Revolution. The late Mr. Bolloten made an in depth study of magazines, newspapers, pamphlets and other publications published in Spain during the war. You find material in his history you find nowhere else. He is especially good on the byzantine Republican factional infighting.

I have learned more about Spain and the Spanish Civil War from Gironella’s trilogy of novels, however, than I have from all the hundreds of histories I have read on that conflict.In the first volume in his trilogy,  the lead up to the war which is depicted in Cypresses, the war  is set forth unforgettably in One Million Dead and the aftermath of the war in Peace After War,  Gironella, a veteran of the Nationalist Army, achieves the remarkable feat of creating sympathetic characters in all the warring factions.  Many of these characters do terrible things, but Gironella skillfully leads the reader to understand why they did them without condoning their actions.  Spain is very much a figure in these novels as the characters act out the various aspects of the Spanish character and fight over what Spain was, is and should be.  The whole work is suffused by a deeply Catholic spirit and sensibility as the characters come closer to God or repel themselves away from Him.  The finest novels I have ever read.

In studying the Spanish Civil War I ever keep in mind the foreword that Gironella wrote to his trilogy for his American readers:

“Author’s Note for the American Edition
Spain is an unknown country. Experience proves that it is hard to view my country impartially. Even writers of high order succumb to the temptation to adulterate the truth, to treat our customs and our psychology as though everything about them were of a piece, of a single color. Legends and labels pile up: black Spain, inquisitorial Spain, beautiful Spain, tragic Spain, folkloric Spain, unhappy Spain, a projection of Africa into the map of Europe.
I defend the complexity of Spain. If this book attempts to demonstrate anything it is this: that there are in this land thousands of possible ways of life. Through a Spanish family of the middle class–the Alvears–and the day-by-day living of a provincial capital–Gerona–I have tried to capture the everyday traits, the mentality, the inner ambiance of my compatriots in all their pettiness and all their grandeur. In Spain the reaction to this novel has been that it is “implacable”. Nothing could satisfy me more.
This book spans a period of five years, five years in the private and public life of the nation: those which preceded the last civil war, which speeded its inevitable coming. The explosion of that war, its scope, and its significance are described in minute detail.
A single warning to the American reader: Spain is a peculiar country and its institutions therefore take on unique coloration. Certain constants of the Spanish temperament operate under any circumstance. A Spanish Freemason is not an international Freemason. A Spanish Communist is not even an orthodox Communist. In every instance what is characteristic is a tendency toward the instinctive, toward the individualistic, and toward the anarchic. Spaniards follow men better than they follow ideas, which are judged not by their content, but by the men who embody them. This accounts for the inclemency of personal relationships, the small respect for laws; this, too, is what causes our periodic civil wars.
To bear all this in mind is important in understanding this book. When the narrative deals with a priest, a policeman, a Socialist, a bootblack, it is essential to remember that it is dealing with a Spanish priest, a Spanish policeman, a Spanish Socialist, a Spanish bootblack, not with generic types. This warning is doubly necessary with reference to Freemasonry, Communism, and Catholicism, the interpretation of which will undoubtedly clash with the American reader’s concept of these doctrines.
The book’s protagonist–Ignacio Alvear–is a type of young man who abounds in present-day Spain.
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
August 1954
José Maria Gironella”

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Penguins Fan
Penguins Fan
Thursday, July 21, AD 2016 2:55pm

The Socialists are the spiritual successors to the Spanish Republic of the 1930s. They grabbed at the opportunity to seize power after the Madrid subway bombing by Al Qaeda and, rahter than improve the spanish economy (no socialist ever improved any economy) they rammed through homosexual marriage, removed restrictions on abortion and enacted speech laws that criminalize criticism of the homosexualist movement.

I think that many Spaniards resented Franco and saw him as forcing Catholicism down their throats in the decades after the Civil War. The Church there still has some brave souls in charge but church attendance and vocations have plunged as well as the birthrate. This is a terrible thing to happen to the nation that did more than anyone else to evangelize the New World.

The Black Legend came late to Spain but many there have accepted it as fact even though it was a construct of English Protestantism that was guilty of far worse – to Catholics in England, Ireland and the American colonies.

On another note, World Youth Day in Krakow is coming up fast. Prayers and best wishes for safe travels for all attending. Krakow is an amazing place. It escaped damage during WWII and was left largely unscathed. Krakow has numerous churches built before the 20th century. Numerous Poles of historical significance are entombed in Wawel Cathedral in Krakow. St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, St. Maximillan Kolbe and St. John Paul II all came from Krakow. It should be a spiritually enhancing experience for all.

TomD
TomD
Friday, July 22, AD 2016 9:20am

My son is on his way to Krakow right now. Please pray that all goes well.

TomD
TomD
Friday, July 22, AD 2016 9:40am

Wikipedia gives July 12, 1936 as the start of the war, because it was the date on which a leftist policeman was killed by a rightist. Of course, the leftist is the victim.

Twenty Catholic clergy and laity were killed on July 21, 1936
Seventeen were killed on July 20, 1936
Five on July 19
Five on July 18
One on July 16
Two on July 14
One on July 3 (prior to the Wikipedia date)
One on July 1
These numbers show that the hatred was ramping up for quite a time prior to the ‘outbreak’.

In terms of Christian persecution the Spanish Civil War would become the most furious attack on the Church in the 20th Century. Yes, other persecutions were greater by various metrics, but more Christians were killed in a narrow period of time in Spain than any other persecution.

Michael Paterson-Seymour
Michael Paterson-Seymour
Friday, July 22, AD 2016 12:01pm

Penguins Fan wrote, “church attendance and vocations have plunged as well as the birthrate”
Spanish women have a total fertility rate of 1.32 (the replacement rate for a population is 2.1), falling from 2.79 in 1976 to 1.56 in 1986, since when it has shown a gradual decline.
As a result, the median age is 40.6 years. This makes a population decline inevitable, as there are no longer enough women of child-bearing age to reverse it.

TomD
TomD
Friday, July 22, AD 2016 2:36pm

…unless they breed like rabbits

Penguin Fan
Penguin Fan
Saturday, July 23, AD 2016 10:59am

Spain always has the option to open its borders to Latin American immigrants. The culture of Spain and the Latin American countries is not the same but they share the Castillan language and history.

TomD
TomD
Saturday, July 23, AD 2016 3:09pm

Good point PF. I understand that there are actually a fair number of Latin Americans already in Spain. I’d like to see the numbers…

Michael Paterson-Seymour
Michael Paterson-Seymour
Monday, July 25, AD 2016 7:46am

Penguins Fan wrote, “they share the Castillan language.”
Spain is by no means monoethnic nor monolingual; there are some 7.5 Catalans, 2.5 million Galicians and some 1 million Basques. Although the smallest, the Basques have been most active in pursuing the liberation struggle. Between them, they make up a little over a fifth of the Spanish population
There are also a significant number of Catalans living in France, mainly in the department of Pyrénées-Orientales, the old province of Roussillon. The Basques, too, have a presence in Navarre and around Bayonne.
All these minorities suffered repression under the Fascists.

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