Republic Zone Flashcards
(38 cards)
where was there/wasnt there revolutionary activity
barcelona - anarchism
malaga - anarchism, communist, socialist
moderate left areas, a little
basque/north areas, not much at all
what cultural/social changes happened
usted form abandoned
dress in workers clothes - proletarisation of fashion
greet people with a clenched fist
sneezing - say salud rather than jesus
who was the violence mainly against
people that represented the rebel side/could be seen as being on the rebel side
caciques, landowners, business owners, police, military
whats a fifth column
mola - summer of 1936 broadcast that they had a fifth column in madrid (four columns advancing towards it)
rebels inside the city waiting to rise up, cause havoc
left you wondering who you can trust
percentage of deaths when
over 90% of deaths in republican zone happened before december 1936
how many people died in republican zone
50,000
franco commissioned a study in 1940, so pretty accurate.
what were political uncontrollables
people released from prison, anarchists
allows state to blame the people, not their fault
number of religious people killed
6-7,000
what rumours were there about religious people
nuns giving children poisoned sweets
priests shooting from bell towers, stocking churches and giving weapons to rebels
what makes the church so visible as a target
church biggest buiding - architectural dominance
has command of public spaces during funerals, weddings, festivals
dress is visual
what sort of things were done to priests
digging up of corpses and displaying them in the street
public humiliation - walk through streets naked
corpses of pregnant nuns
very little sexual violence
what were the social experiments done in some areas
mass collectivisation of land, factories, transport, utilities
abolished money
requisition private properties - eg turn churches into schools, canteens
some areas, give everyone a little bit of land
what was the war vs revolution debate
split in republic as to whether to try to win the war first or worry about setting up a good society.
communist party wanted to win war first
what happened in the may days
1937
revolutionaries hear rumour state is going to reign in activities
assault by civil guards on telephone exchange
anarchists and POUM strike, operate key parts of city to defend against state
mini civil war, state wins.
death/injury toll of may days
estimate 500 dead and 1000 injured
changing of gender roles
female fighters?
attempt to ban prostitution
women coopted into parts of the economy eg trams and trains
anarchists attempt to abolish marriage - free love
what happened with the cars and traffic lights
requisitioned cars - for committee to take things to the front, for joyrides
smashed up traffic lights
why did they requistion cars and destroy traffic lights
up till 1936 only very wealthy owned cars
traffic lights represent a reordering of space for vehicles (wealthy) and make it less easy for pedestrians (poor) to walk
a taking back of public space for the poor
cars also seen as ultimate expression of individualism and privilege
what were female militias called
milicianas - but mostly propaganda
graham
no of refugees in catalonia
by end of 1936, 350,000 refugees, increased population by 10%
(graham)
what were checas
illegal prisons - appeared after july 1936. eradicated as state got back in control, but reoccured in may 1937
(graham)
when was private catholic worship allowed again
summer 1937
how does alpert characterise the republican militia in first few weeks of war
enthusiasm, heterogeneity and military inefficiency
how many people were in the militia
80,000 at their height
30,000 on aragon front
(alpert)
