Ghosts of Spain

by Giles Tremlett

  Four days later we watched the final in a New Jersey suburb with a Mexican-American friend whose puffy eyes were proof that he really had, as he claimed, watched every match in the tournament. My children, clad in the red Spanish shirts of ‘la Roja’, were upset that we were not in Madrid to see a game that brought Spain to a grinding halt. So was I. When Andres Iniesta struck the only goal of the night in extra time, Spain went wild. A small corner of New Jersey also went mad – though only a few Latinos seemed to know why we were driving down their streets honking our car horn. That night the Empire State Building was lit up with the yellow and red colours of Spain. Sporting triumph is not so banal in a country where identity is a political battle zone. Some in Catalonia backed Holland against Spain in the final. But others reported that – for the first time in ages – they could walk proudly down a Catalan street with a red shirt and a Spanish flag, not worrying about the insults that might come their way from nationalists or separatists.

  When ‘la Roja’ played against England recently, I discovered that I was the only person in my living room cheering the team in white shirts. Those who were small children when the first edition of this book was written are now young teenagers. Born and bred in Madrid, and with Spanish as their mutual language, they are clear about where their sporting loyalties lie. They carry British passports and speak mostly English at home, but their predominant culture is that of Spain. It is they who now correct my linguistic gaffes when I return from my weekly outings on Spanish television or radio (for I, too, have succumbed to the siren call of the broadcast tertulia). One son has professed a desire to take Spanish nationality. The other dreams of green English gardens. Their parents, too, wonder whether it is time to show a commitment to this country by taking up Spanish nationality. Unfortunately this cannot be shared jointly with British nationality, so the natural division will be for only one of us to become Spanish (and their mother has the better claim). None of this is certain, but it would bring to a full circle the journey started by Salvador Ripoll Moncho when he left the Alicante village of Tárbena for New York, Panama and, finally, Denia. Many decades later young Spaniards are, once more, packing their bags and seeking work abroad. I can only hope that these new Spanish emigrants receive the same warm welcome that I have felt in their country.

  Acknowledgements

  Many of those who have helped me over the past three years are named in the pages of this book and my first thanks must go to them. I hope to have done justice to them all. On a handful of occasions, in order to protect privacy, I have changed names. I have made this clear in the text where I have considered it important.

  Professor Justin Byrne, Isabel Yanguas and Christopher Skala generously gave their time to read through early versions of the text. Their encouragement has been key to keeping the writer writing. I am indebted to Paddy Woodworth for looking through the Basque chapter and for his expertise on the GAL affair. David Fernández de Castro Azúa and Stephen Burgen similarly read through, and put me right on, Catalan affairs. Alan Goodman, Elizabeth Nash and Paul House also helped scrutinise the text. Responsibility for any errors that escaped, and for all the opinions expressed, remain exclusively mine.

  In the Tiétar Valley I am indebted to Federico Martín and to many of those, especially Federico’s mother Clara, who shared painful memories of events from almost seventy years ago. In Barcelona my special thanks go to Silvia Català – not just for her help but also for two decades of friendship. Iñaki Gorostidi, Iñaki González, Nick Gardner, Iulen de Madariaga and Rosa Aliaga were invaluable in the Basque Country. The Elkarri peace movement has been a constant help there over the years. Prison officers at Spanish jails, who are targets for ETA, do not like their full names to appear in print. My thanks, therefore, go to Mercedes at Seville jail and Víctor in Granada. Alfonso de Miguel was a crucial flamenco contact as were many workers at the Esqueleto in Seville. Clea House and Monica Pérez diligently checked translations from Spain’s varied languages – though, once again, I have had the final word on these.

  Amongst the institutions and public bodies to have helped me are the Biblioteca Nacional, the Audiencia Nacional, Patrimonio Nacional, the Museu d’Història de Catalunya, the Dirección General de Instituciones Penitenciarias, the Secretaria de Política Lingüística of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Omnium Cultural, the Fundación Nacional Francisco Franco, the Fundación Sabino Arana and the Mancomunidad de Municipios de la Costa del Sol Occidental.

  Santiago Macías, Jusèp Boya, Montse Armengou, Justin Webster, José Antonio Sanahuja, Pedro del Olmo, Gijs van Hensbergen, David Sugarman, Ángel Palomino, Carlos Velasco, Mercedes Munarriz, Isambard Wilkinson, David Sharrock, William Chislett and several descendants of Salvador Ripoll have all provided help, often without knowing it.

  Commissioning editors in London allowed me to chase stories that have provided much of the background, and some of the backbone, of the book. Ed Pilkington at the Guardian encouraged me to devote more than the usual time to looking at Civil War graves, while Harriet Sherwood generously gave me the three months off that I needed to finish writing. My thanks to them and the rest of the Guardian’s foreign and features desks. Elsewhere, thanks are owed to Bronwen Maddox, Gill Morgan and Tony Turnbull at The Times and to David Meilton.

  My agent Georgina Capel has been an invaluable and enthusiastic guide. At Faber and Faber special thanks go to Walter Donohue and Nick Lowndes for their patience and understanding when dealing with a writer schooled in the rhythm of journalism. Thanks also go to Graeme Leonard for his seamless editing.

  My most heartfelt gratitude, however, goes to my in-house editor, advisor, expert on flamenco matters and so much more, Katharine Blanca Scott. Two young Tremletts, Samuel and Lucas, have helped the author more than they can possibly know.

  Index

  A Barca 1

  ABC (newspaper) 1

  Aben Humeya 1

  abortion 1, 2

  Abril, Victoria 1

  Acebes, Ángel 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  Acebo Rey, Manuel 1

  Afghanistan 1, 2

  agriculture: Galicia 1, 2

  Agujetas 1

  Agujetas, Antonio 1

  Ahmidan, Jamal (El Chino) 1, 2

  airports 1

  al-Zawahiri, Ayman 1

  Albiol, Xavier García 1

  Albisu (alias Antza), Mikel 1

  alcohol 1

  Aldaya, José María 1

  Aldealseñor 1

  Aldrich, Robert 1

  Alexandre, Victor 1

  Alfaya, Javier 1

  Alfonsito (Juan Carlos I’s brother) 1

  Alfonso X, king of Spain 1

  Alfonso XIII, king of Spain 1, 2, 3

  Alfonso, Leandro 1

  Alicante 1

  All Saints Day 1

  Allen, Jay 1

  Almanzor 1

  Almería 1, 2

  Almodóvar, Pedro 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

  Almonte 1

  Almunia, Joaquín 1

  Alpujarra hills 1

  Álvarez, Mercedes 1

  Álvarez Vara, Carlos 1

  Amador, Rafael 1, 2

  Amador, Raimundo 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  Amaiur 1

  Amedo, José 1, 2

  Amical de Mauthausen 1, 2

  Amnesty International 1

  anarchism 1

  Ángeles Durán, María 1

  Anson, Luis María 1

  Antich, José 1

  Antza, Mikel see Albisu, Mikel Aramburu, Eugenio 1

  Arana, Sabino 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  aras 1

  architecture contemporary 1

  Gaudí 1, 2, 3, 4

  Moorish 1

  Aresti, Gabriel 1

  Argentina 1, 2, 3

  Arias Navarro, Carlos (Butcher of Málaga) 1, 2, 3

  Aribau, Bonaventura Carles 1

  Armada, Gen. Alfonso 1, 2

  art: Catalan 1

  Artea 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  La Araucana 1

  Arzak, Jua
n Mari 1

  Arzalluz, Xavier 1

  Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory 1

  Astray, Gen. José Millan 1

  Asturian miners’ revolution (1934) 1

  Atlético de Madrid 1, 2

  Atxaga, Bernardo 1

  Audiencia Nacional 1, 2

  AVE 1

  Avendaño, Carmen 1

  Azkarate, Miren 1

  Azkoyen 1

  Aznar, José María 2004 elections 1, 2, 3

  achievements and policies 1, 2

  and the Basques 1

  and Civil War mass graves 1

  and corruption 1, 2

  ETA attempt on (1995) 1

  and Franco 1

  and Iraq war 1, 2, 3

  political significance 1

  and Spanish unity 1, 2

  and terrorism 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

  Bacardi rum 1

  Bach, Johann Sebastian 1

  Bad Education (film) 1, 2

  Badalona 1, 2

  Balansó, Juan 1

  Baña, José 1

  Banderas, Antonio 1

  Banesto bank 1

  Barcelona 19th century 1

  1980s 1

  1990s 1

  anarchy in 1

  architecture 1, 2, 3, 4

  La Boqueria 1

  Camp Nou football stadium 1

  Casa Batlló 1

  demos against 11-M 1

  difference 1

  Eixample 1, 2

  ETA attacks 1

  Francoist brutality in 1

  government 1

  National Museum of Catalan Art 1

  noise 1

  Palau Moja 1

  Paseo de Gràcia 1

  La Pedrera 1

  Els Quatre Gats 1

  Las Ramblas 1, 2

  reaction to Franco’s death 1

  rivalry with Madrid 1

  Sagrada Familia 1

  siege of (1714) 1

  Tragic Week (1909) 1, 2

  Verdaguer Museum 1

  Barcelona FC 1, 2

  Baroja, Pío 1

  Barrera, Heribert 1, 2

  Barrionuevo, José 1, 2, 3, 4

  bars: number in Spain 1

  Basque Nationalist party (Partido Nacionalista Vasco; PNV) 1, 2

  Basques and Basque Country (Euskadi) 1characteristics 1, 2

  economy 1, 2, 3

  history 1

  independence, desire for 1, 2

  interpretations of Spanish history 1

  language 1, 2

  nationalism 1

  symbols 1

  see also ETA

  Batasuna party 1, 2, 3, 4

  Baúlo, Manuel 1

  Bekkali, Mohamed 1, 2

  Beltram, Josefa 1

  Ben Abdelmajid, Serhane (El Tunecino) 1

  Benalup 1

  Benayiche, Abdelaziz 1

  Benayiche, Abdellah 1

  Benayiche, Salaheddine 1

  Benet, Juan 1

  Benidorm 1etymology 1

  Gran Hotel Bali 1, 2

  Berasategui, Martín 1

  Bermúdez, Judge Javier Gómez 1, 2, 3

  Berroeta, Ángel 1

  Betriu, Rafael Borràs 1

  El Bierzo 1

  bikinis: legality 1

  Bilbao 1, 2, 3, 4 Guggenheim Museum 1

  Vizcaya Bridge 1

  birth-rates 1

  Bizet, Georges 1

  the black legend 1

  Blair, Tony 1

  Blanco, Miguel Ángel 1

  Blue Division 1 see also División Azul

  Boabdil, Moorish ruler 1

  Boadella, Albert 1, 2

  El Bobote see Jiménez, José

  Body Count 1

  Bogart, Humphrey 1

  Boïl, Bernat 1

  Boix, Francesc 1

  Boorde, Andrew 1

  Borrell II, count of Barcelona 1

  Borrow, George 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  Boussira, Abderrahim 1

  Bowcott, Owen 1, 2

  Boyd, William 1

  Boyer, Miguel 1, 2

  Brenan, Gerald 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  Brigada Político-Social 1

  brothels 1, 2, 3

  Brotherhood of the División Azul 1

  Buesa, Fernando 1, 2

  building trade 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  bullfighting 1, 2

  Buñuel, Luis 1, 2, 3

  burials 1

  burqa, attempts to ban 1

  Bush, George W. 1

  Butcher of Málaga see Arias Navarro, Carlos

  Byron, George Gordon, Lord 1

  Caba, Antonio 1

  El Cabra see Zumalde, Xavier

  Cadena 1

  Cádiz 1, 2, 3

  caesareans 1

  Calahorra, Jesús Marcos 1

  Calatrava, Santiago 1

  Calero, Francisco 1

  Calvo, Florencia 1

  Calvo Sotelo, Leopoldo 1

  Calzada de Calatrava 1

  Camacho, Marcelino 1

  Camarón de la Isla (José Monge Cruz) 1, 2, 3, 4

  Camba, Julio 1

  Camps, Francisco 1

  Candeleda 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Plaza del Castillo 1

  Carballo, Carmen 1, 2

  carceleras 1

  Carlavilla, M. 1

  Carlists 1

  Carlos, Don (son of Philip II) 1, 2

  Carmen (theatrical/operatic heroine) 1

  Carod-Rovira, Josep-Lluís 1

  Carrero Blanco, Adm. Luis 1

  Carrillo, Santiago 1

  Carrington, Dora 1

  Cartagena 1

  Casablanca (film) 1

  Casablanca bombings (2003) 1

  Casals, Pau (Pablo) 1

  Casas, Ramón 1

  caseríos 1

  Castelao, Alfonso Daniel 1

  Castillo, Pilar del 1

  Castro, Américo 1

  Castro, Fidel 1, 2

  De Castro, Rosalía 1, 2

  castros 1

  Catalan Republican Left 1

  Catalonia 1 Catalan language 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

  under Franco 1, 2

  history 1, 2

  identity 1, 2, 3

  interpretations of Spanish history 1

  national anthem 1

  national day 1

  racism 1

  self-government 1, 2

  statute of autonomy 1

  see also Barcelona

  Ceberio, Jésus 1

  Cebrián, Juan Luis 1, 2, 3

  Cecil, Sir Edward 1

  Cela, Camilo José 1, 2, 3

  censorship: under Franco 1, 2

  Cercas, Javier 1

  Cerdà, Ildefons 1, 2

  Cerro, Antonio 1

  Cervera 1

  Chaho, Augustin 1

  Chaoui, Mohamed 1, 2, 3

  El Charco de los Maquis (The Maquis’ Pool) 1, 2

  Charles V, Emperor 1

  Charles, archduke of Austria 1

  Charlín, Josefa 1

  Charlín, Manuel 1

  Chicharro, Gen. 1

  Los Chichos 1

  childbirth 1

  children age for leaving home 1

  childcare 1, 2

  forced evacuation under Franco 1

  Spanish attitude to 1, 2

  Chilla, Virgin of 1

  Chillida, Eduardo 1

  El Chino see Ahmidan, Jamal

  La Chispa 1, 2, 3, 4

  Chopin, Frederic 1

  Los Chunguitos 1

  church anti-clericalism 1, 2

  and the Basques 1

  Galicia 1

  and gypsies 1

  homosexual clergy 1

  influence 1, 2

  Santiago de Compostela 1

  Ciano, Count Galeazzo 1

  El Cid (Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar) 1

  cinema Almodóvar, Pedro 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

  censorship 1

  cleanliness 1, 2

  clothes industry 1

  cocaine 1, 2, 3

  Collins, Roger 1, 2r />
  Colomo, Fernando 1

  Companys, Lluís 1, 2

  la comunidad 1

  La Comunidad (film) 1

  Conde, Mario 1

  Convergència i Unió 1

  contacts, making use of (enchufe) 1, 2

  Conesa, Roberto 1

  Constitutional Court 1

  COPE radio station 1, 2

  Corbacho, Celestino 1

  Corcuera, José Luis 1, 2

  Córdoba mezquita 1

  Corral, Dr Ervigio 1

  corruption 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 building trade 1, 2

  costas 1, 2

  enchufe 1, 2

  financial 1

  Socialist government scandals 1, 2

  El Corte Inglés 1

  Las Cortes: Tejero’s coup (1981) 1, 2

  La Coruña 1, 2, 3

  Costa da Morte 1

  Costa del Sol 1

  Creix, Juan and Vicente 1

  Crida 1

  crispación 1, 2

  Cuba 1, 2, 3, 4

  cycling 1

  Dalí, Salvador 1, 2

  La Dama de Elche 1

  dances 1

  Dante Alighieri 1

  De la Rosa, Javier 1

  death 1, 2, 3

  Dewey, Adm. George 1

  Diada 1

  Diario 1 (newspaper) 2

  Díaz Elorza, Jorge 1

  Dirty Dozen (film) 1

  División Azul 1 see Blue División

  divorce 1, 2

  doctors 1

  Dolores, María 1

  Domínguez, Michel 1, 2

  Dominguin, Luis Miguel 1

  Donate, Gerardo see Tito

  Donoso Cortés, Juan 1

  Dorfman, Ariel 1

  Drake, Sir Francis 1

  drugs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

  Duarte, Juan 1

  Dumas, Alexandre 1

  Duran, Jane 1

  El Ebanistero 1

  economy contemporary 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

  under Franco 1

  education Basque Country 1

  under Franco 1

  gypsies 1

  history teaching 1

  socialisation 1, 2

  system 1

  Egin (newspaper) 1

  Elcano, Juan Sebastián 1

  El 11-M see Madrid bombings

  El Gnaoui, Othman 1

  Ellis, Havelock 1

  emigration 1, 2, 3, 4