500,000 died in civil war

Press, 8 March 1984, Page 19

500,000 died in civil war

The Spanish Civil War, one of Europe’s greatest social and political upheavals of this century, claimed the lives of half a million Spaniards. To some who fought in the 1936-39 war, it was a struggle between democracy and fascism, to others a crusade against communism. General Franco emerged a victorious dictator. Men -and women who fought tell the story in Granada Television’s new six-part documentary series, “The Spanish Civil War,” which will begin screening on One at 10 p.m. tomorrow. Granada has captured that momentous period of European history, while witnesses are still alive, telling the story not just through the eyes of generals and leaders, but the ordinary foot soldiers, peasants and workers. The series unravels the complicated political situation of Spain at the time, and emphasises the human and social upheavals of the war, rather than its military

detail. Researchers spent nearly two years tracing more than 300 people to find the 70 or so who give their accounts of what happened to them in Spain. Some people refused to talk; memories are still too tragic and bitter. Many witnesses, for example, of the massacre of at least 2000 civilians and Republican soldiers at Badafoz, are still too frightened to be filmed for television.

Mario Neves saw the carnage there two days afterwards. He swore he would never return. Forty-five years later, however, he stood on the walls overlooking the town. It was a harrowing experience. He told the Granada film crew:

“In my whole life as a journalist this was the most dramatic event and I would like to forget it forever. I have agreed to come here because I feel it is my duty, as a witness to those facte, to disclose them.”