Here's another fascinating bit of history:
The Spanish Civil War.
17th July 1936 saw the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, an event which stirred emotion throughout Europe, no more so than in the village of Abercrave in the Swansea Valley.
Following the decline of the Spanish Empire which had lasted from the late 15th century until the late 19th century, Spain found itself underdeveloped industrially compared to the rest of Europe and in 1930 it became a republic for the first time with the overthrowing of the monarchy.
However the new government was unable to carry out reforms and maintain law and order, which led to General Francisco Franco organising a military coup on 17th July 1936 which resulted in the outbreak of a bitter civil war. More than 750,000 Spanish people were killed during the conflict, which lasted until April 1939 with victory for Franco.
Many people in Wales sympathised with the Republican cause. Abercrave became home to a community of Basques, who had fled the mining districts around Bilbao in Northern Spain in 1907 to look for work and to escape tyranny and persecution. Over three decades they retained their national identity, language and customs, building permanent homes which to this day are known locally as Spanish Row. They had nevertheless assimilated with the Welsh community and were highly respected as craftsmen in the mining and steel works in the area.
During the Spanish Civil War, it is reported that 177 Welsh people including the men of the entire Basque community of Abercrave, volunteered to the International Brigade opposing the fascism of Franco, of whom 35 lost their lives.
The South Wales miners in particular, embraced the cause, but there was also widespread support with the supplying of food, medical supplies and money from communities all over Wales. This despite the governments policy of appeasement and non intervention.
Then in 1937, when Franco's ally, Hitler ordered the destruction of the Basque town of Guernica by German bombers, homes were made available for Basque children in Caerleon, Swansea, Brechfa and Old Colwyn.
The Welsh national memorial for the volunteers is in the South Wales Miners' Library at Hendrefoilan House, Swansea and there are others at Cardiff, Penygroes, Aberdare, Pentre and Neath.
The song entitled 'If you tolerate this, your children will be next' by Welsh band The Manic Street Preachers was inspired by the events of the Spanish Civil War. The song is a tribute to the Welsh volunteers who joined the International Brigades to combat Francisco Franco's rebellion against the Spanish Republic.
The song title echoes a Republican poster of the time, which depicts a young child killed by the Nationalists under a sky filled with bombers. The poster carries the haunting warning "If you tolerate this, your children will be next".
From:
The History of Wales
glynowenphotography.co.uk
getpocket.com
