I have never spoken about fascism because for me it seems something from the past, very far away from my life. Here in Holland, as well as in Catalonia, fascism merely exists in reduced groups of losers who try to find some kind of excitement in their lives by joining this kind of radical and anti-democratic ideas, but you will never find this kind of people in the power.
A year ago I was very shocked to see a documentary about German Nazis living in Fascist homes for elderly people in Madrid. I did not know that Franco welcomed Nazis in Spain after WW2, who found in Spain a fascist paradise and still today are living in their fascist paradise as if nothing had changed.
And unfortunately it seems that no so much has changed in Spain after all. During the last year I have encountered several news about people in power with either fascist ideas or a fascist past. Something you won’t find in any European country (with the exception of Austria).
They don’t say they are fascists, but act as fascist, have a fascist past and if you do a little search you discover several surprising connections with fascist organisations such as the political party of Franco himself, Falange de las JONS.
Some examples:
1. The king of Spain, Juan Carlos, was chosen by Franco himself. Still in 2005 he paid tribute to dictators Primo de Rivera and Franco in a lecture he gave. (article in Spanish: http://www.purnas.com/2009/08/13/agradeciendo-a-su-mentor-juan-carlos-i-y-el-generalisimo/)
2. The Spanish state was against the referendum for independence of Arenys the Munt (a village with only 8000 inhabitants) and wanted to prohibit it. They were not against the demonstration against the referendum organised by the fascist party of Francisco Franco himself, Falange de las J.O.N.S. So, in order to try to prohibit it they sent a lawyer from the government. This lawyer, Mr. Jorge Buxadé, has been, in the 90’s twice candidate of the fascist party Falange de las J.O.N.S.
(in Catalan: http://www.naciodigital.cat/?seccio=noticies&accio=veure&id=12003)
3. Still today Nazi Germans live in Spain in all freedom in Nazi homes. Franco welcomed them and they are still there.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/26/world/europe/26iht-nazi.html
4. The TSJC (Tribunal Superior Judicial de Catalunya), the highest judicial court of Catalonia, found it anti-democratic to want to prohibit a demonstration by the anti-democratic and fascist party Falange de las J.O.N.S. against the democratic referendum, organised by the people of Arenys the Munt and in which all citizens could vote yes or no (democracy). They did not find it anti-democratic that the Spanish government they represent tried to prohibit this peaceful referendum. This clearly explains the poor democratic vision of the Spanish authorities this court belongs to.
5. In Spain to burn a Spanish flag is prosecuted. To burn a Catalan flag is not prosecuted.
6. Also members of the Spanish Constitutional court (Tribunal Constitucional) appear to have important positions in the Franco regime as you can read here: (in Spanish: www.elplural.com, con el titular de "Un falangista en el Constitucional", el diario Público realizó ayer un extenso estudio sobre el pasado y el presente de uno de los jueces que conforman el Tribunal Constitucional. El magistrado Roberto García-Calvo destaca por su conservadurismo y su protagonismo en la provincia de Almería en la recta final de la Dictadura. De los duros Ultraconservador y reticente a la apertura del Régimen, García-Calvo se mantuvo en el cargo de Gobernador Civil entre abril de 1976 y marzo de 1977 en Almería –como también informó hace unos meses elplural.com. No obstante, en este breve período, García-Calvo dejó una fuerte impronta: varias huelgas reprimidas sin miramientos y un asesinato sin resolver, el del joven militante de la Joven Guardia Roja Javier Verdejo, abatido por la Guardia Civil cuando realizaba una pintada con espray. Represor Según puede leerse en el periódico dirigido por Nacho Escolar, cuando le dieron el aviso, el ahora juez del Constitucional García-Calvo estaba de cena en Cabo de Gata y se limitó a tomar otra copa. Sus reacciones posteriores se caracterizaron por la dureza de la represión contra las manifestaciones de protesta que tuvieron lugar en la provincia con motivo del asesinato del joven y su ciego apoyo a los guardias civiles implicados en el caso. "Más que negociar, amenazaba" Calificado por algunos sindicalistas de la época de "represor", el juez García-Calvo protagonizó más episodios violentos en las zonas más pobres de Almería, en una época durante la cual las huelgas se reproducían por toda España. Los tiempos comenzaban a cambiar, pero la evolución se detenía para algunos, como García-Calvo, que, "más que negociar, amenazaba". Ahora, "constitucionalista" Con un franquismo ya más que fenecido, García-Calvo se considera hoy "constitucionalista", al igual que muchos miembros del PP con un pasado ligado al régimen dictatorial. Un currículo que no levanta esperanzas de cara al futuro de las reformas progresistas emprendidas por el Ejecutivo de Zapatero, algunas de las cuales tendrán que pasar por el Tribunal Constitucional, al que el ex gobernador civil de Almería todavía pertenece.)
7. Partido Popular, the biggest right wing party of Spain, is either the first or the second biggest party in Spain. This party holds several pro-Franco members and it’s ideas are in line with fascism as a study shows here:
in Spanish: http://bgta.hollosite.com/blog/?p=685, explaining that the 14 main characteristics of fascism appear to be 14 main characteristics of the PP: http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/fasci14chars.html
Another example: Franco was made as a symbolic gesture the Mayor of Salamanca for ever. And PP has decided not to abolish this Franco this honour, a clear gesture of pro-fascism and let Franco remain the Mayor of Salamanca for ever:
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/Franco/continuara/alcalde/honorario/perpetuidad/Salamanca/elpepuesp/20070126elpepinac_12/Tes
PP was the only party not to condemn the fascist attacks made in Basque country agains war monuments that honour the victims of the Spanish civil war:
http://www2.noticiasdenavarra.com/ediciones/2009/08/25/sociedad/navarra/d25nav7.1699623.php
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No doubt there will be several more articles on this matter, but I think this is enough for now of this disgusting and bitter reality of who is in power in Spain.
The only country in Western Europe that has some similarities with Spain in this matter is Austria, country where fascism neither was punished properly in its time.
There is no doubt that to clean Spain from fascism is an almost impossible task. Almost impossible to realise by Spaniards themselves, completely impossible to achieve by Catalans or Basques.
The only and most effective way to get rid of fascism for us is independence. As long as Catalonia is under Spanish power, we will daily suffer under the fascist mentality that conditions our possibilities to grow and develop. Fascism is per definition an enemy of Catalonia and a friend of Spanish supremacy in Catalonia. Perhaps this is the reason why Spaniards are not interested in getting rid of it at all.
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Photos:
1. Franco with the Spanish king Juan Carlos
2. Jorge Buxadé, Spanish lawyer who was candidate for Falange de las J.O.N.S.
3. Hooligans of Real Madrid express their fascist ideas singing fascist songs, shouting against black football players and making fascist gestures with their arms.
http://draudesc.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/canticos-fascistas-en-el-bernabeu-y-3-latas-de-cerveza-en-el-camp-nou/
