Comments on SPAIN'S FORGOTTEN WAR, PART TWO. THE INCALCULABLE DEBT THAT WE OWE TO SPAIN

Go to WHO IS THIS GUY CALLED ARIEL?Add a commentGo to SPAIN'S FORGOTTEN WAR, PART TWO. THE INCALCULABLE DEBT THAT WE OWE TO SPAIN

ariel, thank you for enlightening me/us on the Spanish civil war...
and in general, on Spain and the Spanish people, of which I knew very little about....

posted by Rumor on July 19, 2006 at 2:42 PM | link to this | reply

posted by Amanda__ on July 19, 2006 at 2:05 PM | link to this | reply

Blanche again

 

Thankee marm!

When Franco died, a line was drawn under the war and its aftermath ; no war crimes trials, no recriminations ... nada!

But now, this lunatic Zapatero is doing his damndest to open old wounds, and stir up all the old hatreds that every thought were dead an buried. I'll write a post on this, when I finish with my family history

posted by ariel70 on July 19, 2006 at 1:35 PM | link to this | reply

Ariel, I've long suspected Hemingway to be more than a little free with

his facts. I've never been a huge fan, since being forced to read the obligatory pieces in high school and college.  A little macho for my taste.  Life is always complicated, perhaps the Spanish forgave each other because they believe in family ties, and blood being thicker than water. Some do. 

Perhaps confession is good for the soul, and they were able to talk, to cry and to laugh, as is so frequently denied to survivors of terrible personal tragedies in our colder Northern climates. I myself, am determined to do something to rectify that in my counseling practices.  Healing, grieving, sharing, it's part of the communal experience and until some wounds are opened, they cannot be salved, cleansed and finally healed.

Beautifull prose, Ariel, as always.

posted by Blanche. on July 19, 2006 at 1:30 PM | link to this | reply

Bel again

 

Bel, I keep forgetting to ask you : does Carl read my posts on the Civil War? And if so, is he interested in them?

posted by ariel70 on July 19, 2006 at 1:12 PM | link to this | reply

Mam'selle

 

Thank you for learning something from my post. It is such a pleasure, and an honourto induce people to explore little known and strange historical byways, or to offer a fresh slant on well known historical events.

It is indeed true, and as I've just told Bel, the brother and uncle of the two victims died recently at age 94. And if you care to trawl down my blog, you'll find an article about a mass grave near where I live. It's called " La Matanza"

posted by ariel70 on July 19, 2006 at 12:48 PM | link to this | reply

Bel

 

Actually, since I wrote that piece, the brother and uncle of the victims died at age 94. A stone cross marks the site of the murders, and there are still flowers placed on it, so someone still cares.

Somewhere down in the depths of my blog, if you care to seek it,  is a piece called " "La Matanza" about a mass grave near here.

Beneath its surface vibrancy and its gaiety, this is a sombre land, and one senses many echoes of Spain's sad, bloody, violent and and turbulent past.

I love this land so much, and I have an almost psychic bond with Spain and the Spanish.

posted by ariel70 on July 19, 2006 at 12:44 PM | link to this | reply

Wow! Ariel
I don't know how that man lives near that person.  I honestly think I would look to kill him myself.   Good stuff!

posted by bel_1965 on July 19, 2006 at 12:31 PM | link to this | reply

That's really interesting ...

I feel as if I may have actually learned something.

I mean, this stuff is all true, right?

"War ... what is it good for?

posted by Mademoiselle on July 19, 2006 at 12:18 PM | link to this | reply