Catalogue Number
NMLH.1994.168.146.6
Object Name
Poster
Title
Portfolio collection of Civil War Posters in Spain - Poster, evacuate Madrid poster - Communist Party
People
Francisco Franco, Rafael Alberti, Maria Teresa Leon
Events
The Spanish Civil War
Date
1968
Description
Large red, black and white poster. Shows red clouds rom bombs, military planes, and a woman holding a baby in front of a building - the woman looks very distressed. There are two large hands reaching to her. There is Spanish text on the poster saying "Pueblos de Levante! Los hijos, las madres y las compañeras de los heroes de Madrid no deben perecer bajo la metralla y el fuego de los aviones fascistas. Facilitad su evacuación! Haced un hueco cariñoso!" This translated means "People of Levante! The children, the mothers, and the friends of the heroes of Madrid should not perish under the shrapnel and fire of the fascist planes. Facilitate their evacuation. Give them a warm corner in your home" Levante, the area to which this poster directs its appeal, is a region along the coast of eastern Spain. It was among the last parts of Spain to fall to the rebels and was relatively isolated from the fighting. Therefore, Levante was one of the only remaining areas in which evacuees could be relocated. This portfolio collection considers the Spanish Civil War, which was from 1936-1939. In July 1936,General Franco launched a coup de ta against the left wing, democratically elected government. The fascist army were assisted by Germany and Italy, and the forces of the republic were weak in comparison - but they were provided with some weapons by the Soviet Union. Atrocities were committed by both sides and the war death toll was up to 500,000 people. The war saw republicans loyal to the left-leaning popular front government of the Second Spanish Republic, in alliance with both communist and syndicalist anarchists, fought against an insurrection by the nationalists, an alliance of Falangists, monarchists, conservatives and traditionalists. The war involved class struggle, religious struggle, struggles between dictatorships and democracy, fascism and communism and revolution. The Nationalists won the wore, who were led by Franco. During the war he commanded Spain's African colonial army. After he won the civil war, his dictatorship became cemented across Spain, enforced through the repression of political opponents, the use of forced labour, concentration camps and executions.
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