Spain Commemorates Half-Century Mark of Francisco Franco's Death
Spain has observed the 50th anniversary of Franco's passing with an no formal commemorations but with a message from the government leader to learn from the history of the authoritarian regime and defend democratic freedom that was stolen for so many years.
Past Events
Franco, whose military coup against the democratically elected administration in 1936 triggered a civil war and brought about four decades of dictatorship, died in Madrid on 20 November 1975.
Despite the government has arranged an extended calendar of activities to commemorate the democratic transition, it ruled out any state acts on the exact day of the dictator's death to deter suggestions that it was trying to honor his death.
Current Issues
The anniversary comes amid growing worries about the lack of knowledge about the dictatorship, particularly among the youth.
Survey data has revealed that over one-fifth of participants felt the Franco era was favorable or highly favorable, while another study found almost a quarter of Spaniards aged 18 to 28 felt that an non-democratic system could sometimes be preferable to a democratic one.
Official Position
Every democracy has imperfections, the prime minister wrote. Much remains to be done to forge the Spain we want and that we can be: a nation with greater possibilities; increased freedoms and reduced disparity.
The premier, who consciously omitted naming Franco by name, also noted that democracy didn't fall from the sky, adding that present-day rights had been obtained via resilience and fortitude of citizens.
Commemoration Initiatives
The government has used historical memory legislation introduced three years ago to assist the nation reconcile with history.
- Redesignating the Valley of Cuelgamuros – once named the Valley of the Fallen
- Compiling an inventory of property confiscated during the era
- Attempting to remove the remaining emblems of the era
Foundation Closure Efforts
The authorities are presently in the concluding steps of its initiatives to dissolve the Francisco Franco National Foundation, which exists to preserve and support the regime's heritage.
The culture minister declared that his ministry was attempting to guarantee that Franco's official archive – presently held by the foundation – was transferred to government control so it could be accessed by all Spaniards.
Political Resistance
The opposition conservative People's party is rejecting the administration's program to mark five decades of freedom, as is the conservative faction, which rejected the initiative an absurd necrophilia that splits the population.
Past Consequences
Over half a million individuals lost their lives in the fighting, while hundreds of thousands more were compelled to leave.
Reprisals continued long after the conflict ended in 1939, and the bodies of more than 100,000 people who died in the conflict and in its aftereffects are estimated to lie in unmarked mass graves.
Democratic Transition
Following the leader's demise, Spain embarked on the transition back to democracy, conducting democratic voting in 1977 and adopting a modern framework in a public ballot afterward.
