Wojna na pomniki w Katalonii, czyli co zrobić z upamiętnieniem bitwy pod Ebro

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Wojna na pomniki w Katalonii, czyli co zrobić z upamiętnieniem bitwy pod Ebro

Journal Title: Przegląd Humanistyczny - Year 2017, Vol 61, Issue 2

Abstract

War on Memorials in Catalonia. What to Do with Commemoration of the Battle of the Ebro<br/><br/>The article discusses the conflicts taking place in public life over interpretation of the significance of places of national memory. The author presents them on the example of the dispute that arose in Spain over a memorial in the Catalan city of Tortosa. It commemorates the Battle of the Ebro, the military operation of the largest scale and consequences during the Spanish Civil War. The opponents of the memorial consider it as a testimony to the victory of Francoism and an unsightly and disgraceful element in the urban tissue. They appeal for its liquidation, while those arguing for its preservation and reinterpretation of the symbolic meaning treat it as an architecturally valuable distinguishing feature of the city. The fate of the controversial memorial does not rest solely in the hands of local authorities, but it has become a subject of political disagreement, disputes among residents and non-governmental activities. They are taking place against a background of the current legal basis of historical memory (Law 52/2007 of 26 December), which was developed by the political Left to compensate for the harm done to the victims of the Civil War and the Francoist dictatorship, and to implement changes in public space in connection with the traces of Francoism. However, its content leaves quite a big decision-making margin to the public authorities as to removing the traces of the regime from reinterpretation.<br/><br/>

Authors and Affiliations

Maja Biernacka

Keywords

Ebro Catalonia Spain Francoism systemic transformation memorial sites war on memorials public life

EP ID EP222404
DOI 10.5604/01.3001.0010.4131
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