The Spanish Civil War

1930’s… a world wide Great Depression…

Poverty and unrest. Many felt that a “communist” government might hold answers to relieve the misery…

Others turn to fascist dictators.

Both Communist & Fascist governments practiced TOTALITARIANISM.

Totalitarianism means: Total control Control over people’s lives Control over what they read Control over where they work Control over political process Control over businesses.

In Spain: force on the “right” who were anti-communist faced those on the “left.”

The civil war should have ended early on…but outside “dictators” sent support. Who were those dictators?

Hitler and Mussolini supported the right, and Stalin supported the left.

For these dictators, it was an opportunity to “test” their weapons, including tanks and planes, and see how they worked.

The side on the right were called NATIONALISTS and the side on the left were called REPUBLICANS

Those who were on the left were also against the power of the Catholic church. As a result, thousands of nuns and priests were slaughtered.

Hitler sent his famous “Condor Legion” -- trained pilots with new planes that were skilled at dive bombing..

They bombed the city of Guernica and slaughtered the inhabitants. Civilians, esp. women and children were killed….

“A group of women and children. They were lifted high into the air, maybe 20 feet or so, and they started to break up. Legs, arms, heads, and bits and pieces flying everywhere.”

“assassinated”

Pablo Picasso (Spanish) chose to use this bombing as the theme for a very large painting.

The painting is almost the size of one wall of the classroom.

Picasso tried to be secretive about the painting’s meaning…but we have clues about why he included certain drawings. (more about that later…)

The Spanish Civil War ended when the Nationalist (Fascist) troops won. Hitler and Mussolini began to work closer together as dictators.

Mussolini “allowed” Hitler to move into Austria…(anschluss)

The Fascist leader of Spain, Franco, insisted that Spain remain independent and neutral…

So Spain did not go through the devastation of World War II. Franco died in 1975

“Guernica”— was shown in Paris, toured, then sent to New York City, where it remained. But it was not returned to Spain…yet!! Picasso said it should only return to Spain when Franco died. When Franco died, the canvas was rolled up and sent back to Spain.

The Bull in the painting is a symbol of Spain. The bull “observes” the destruction in front of him.

The fallen warrior is from the legend of Parsifal— whose sword breaks in half at the crucial moment of battle.

The fallen warrior is also laid out in a crucifix position…

The slashes on the horse are representative of newsprint—the newspaper that lists those who have died.

The light in the middle of the painting may mean violence…

A woman holding a dead child.

A person burning in a fire…

Some say that Picasso painted an open door so that he could “escape” from the violence.

Guernica has come to be one of the most famous paintings of our modern age—

In 1981, Guernica was finally sent back to Spain, Picasso’s homeland. There it can be seen today…a masterpiece of modern Cubist painting.

The image is still used today to protest war and the destruction that war brings…