The Bombing of Jaén was an aerial attack on the city of Jaén on 1 April 1937, during the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...

, by the

Condor Legion The Condor Legion (german: Legion Condor) was a unit composed of military personnel from the air force and army of Nazi Germany, which served with the Nationalist faction during the Spanish Civil War of July 1936 to March 1939. The Condor Legio ...

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

, who fought for the rebels. The bombing was ordered by the General

Queipo de Llano Gonzalo Queipo de Llano y Sierra (5 February 1875 – 9 March 1951) was a Spanish military leader who rose to prominence during the July 1936 coup and then the Spanish Civil War and the White Terror. Biography A career army man, Queipo de Llan ...

, as retaliation for a Republican air raid on the city of Córdoba.

The bombing

On 1 April 1937, six German

Ju 52 The Junkers Ju 52/3m (nicknamed ''Tante Ju'' ("Aunt Ju") and ''Iron Annie'') is a transport aircraft that was designed and manufactured by German aviation company Junkers. Development of the Ju 52 commenced during 1930, headed by German aeron ...

bombers of the Nationalist Air Force, escorted by six

Heinkel He 51 The Heinkel He 51 was a Nazi Germany, German single-seat biplane which was produced in a number of different versions. It was initially developed as a Fighter aircraft, fighter; a seaplane variant and a Ground-attack aircraft, ground-attack ...

and three CR 32 fighters, bombed the city of Jaén, which had no

legitimate military target A legitimate military target is an object, structure, individual, or entity that is considered to be a valid target for attack by belligerent forces according to the law of war during an armed conflict. Overview Protocol I to the Geneva Conventi ...

s or anti-aircraft defenses. Current estimates indicated there were 159 deaths among the civilian population and several hundred injured, comparable with the

Bombing of Guernica On 26 April 1937, the Basque town of Guernica (''Gernika'' in Basque) was aerial bombed during the Spanish Civil War. It was carried out at the behest of Francisco Franco's rebel Nationalist faction by its allies, the Nazi German Luftwaffe's ...

, which occurred four weeks later.

Aftermath

As a reprisal, the local republican authorities executed 128 Nationalist prisoners.Julía, Santos; Casanova, Julían; Solé i Sabaté, Josep Maria; Villarroya, Joan; and Moreno, Francisco. ''Víctimas de la guerra civil.'' Editorial Temas de Hoy. 2006. Madrid. p.171

Notes

Explosions in 1937 Mass murder in 1937 Battles of the Spanish Civil War 1937 in Spain Spanish Civil War massacres Conflicts in 1937 History of Andalusia Jaén, Spain Airstrikes during the Spanish Civil War April 1937 events Airstrikes conducted by Spain {{SpanishCivilWar-stub

The bombing

Aftermath

See also

Notes