Guernica (, ), official name (reflecting the Basque language) Gernika (), is a town in the province of
Biscay, in the
Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, Spain. The town of Guernica is one part (along with neighbouring Lumo) of the
municipality of Gernika-Lumo ( es, Guernica y Luno), whose population is 16,224 .
On April 26, 1937, Guernica was
bombed by
Nazi Germany's
Luftwaffe, in one of the first
aerial bombings. The attack inspired
Pablo Picasso's painting ''
Guernica'', depicting his outrage at the attack.
Location
The village is situated in the region of
Busturialdea
Busturialdea, also named ''Busturialde - Urdaibai'' is a comarca of the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country, Spain. It is the heir of "Busturia", one of the original ''merindades'' that used to compose the province of Biscay – this should ...
, in the valley of the
Oka river
The Oka (russian: Ока́, ) is a river in central Russia, the largest right tributary of the Volga. It flows through the regions of Oryol, Tula, Kaluga, Moscow, Ryazan, Vladimir and Nizhny Novgorod and is navigable over a large part of its ...
. The river ends in an estuary that gives its name to the village of Guernika. Its mouth is known as
Urdaibai's estuary's heart. Gernika borders on the following townships:
* North:
Forua,
Kortezubi and
Arratzu.
* East:
Ajangiz
* South:
Muxika
* West:
Errigoiti
History
Early history
The town of Guernica was founded by Count Tello on April 28, 1366, at the intersection of the road from
Bermeo to
Durango
Durango (), officially named Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Durango; Tepehuán: ''Korian''; Nahuatl: ''Tepēhuahcān''), is one of the 31 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in ...
with the road from
Bilbao to
Elantxobe
, population_note =
, population_density_km2 = auto
, blank_name_sec1 = Official language(s)
, blank_info_sec1 = BasqueSpanish
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
and
Lekeitio. The strategic importance of the site was increased by the fact that it lay on a major river estuary, where vessels could dock at the port of Suso.
In time, it took on the typical shape of a Basque town, comprising a series of parallel streets (Goienkale, Azokekale, Artekale and Barrenkale; respectively: ‘upper, market, between, lower roads’) and a transverse street called Santa María, with a church at each end of the built-up area.
Life in the town became rigidly structured, with the aim being to preserve the privileges of the dominant middle classes. This pattern continued practically unaltered until the late 17th century.
On a small
hillock in the town, stands the Meeting House and the
Tree of Gernika. By ancient tradition, Basques, and indeed other peoples in Medieval Europe, held assemblies under a tree, usually an oak, to discuss matters affecting the community.
In Biscay, each administrative district (known as a
merindad) had its appointed tree, but over the centuries, the Tree of Guernica acquired particular importance. It stood in the parish of Lumo, on a site known as Gernikazarra, beside a small shrine.
The laws of Biscay continued to be drawn up under this tree until 1876, with each town and village in the province sending two representatives to the sessions, known as
General Assemblies
A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company.
Specific examples of general assembly include:
Churches
* General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...
. This early form of democracy was recorded by the philosopher
Rousseau, by the poet
William Wordsworth, by the dramatist
Tirso de Molina and by the composer Iparragirre, who wrote the piece called
Gernikako Arbola.
When the Domain of Biscay was incorporated into the kingdom of Castile, the king of Castile visited Guernica and swore an oath under the Tree promising to uphold the fueros or local laws of Biscay. The oath of King Ferdinand, known as the "Catholic Monarch", on June 30, 1476, is depicted in a painting by Francisco de Mendieta popularly known as El besamanos ("The Royal audience"). On July 3, 1875, during the
Carlist Wars
The Carlist Wars () were a series of civil wars that took place in Spain during the 19th century. The contenders fought over claims to the throne, although some political differences also existed. Several times during the period from 1833 to 187 ...
, the pretender to the throne
Don Carlos also visited Guernica and swore the oath. Throughout the 19th century, there were frequent meetings under the Tree, including both General Assemblies and other political events.
By the 18th century, there was a square at the centre of the town, flanked by the town hall, a public gaol housing prisoners from all over the
Lordship of Biscay, a hospital and a poor-house for local people. Day-to-day life comprised agriculture (growing of cereals, vegetable and fruit), crafts (menders, tailors, cobblers, flax manufacturers) and trade (transportation and sale of goods and produce).
This was also a time of continual conflicts with the neighbouring parish of Lumo over disputed land. These disputes were not finally settled until 1882, when the two parishes joined to form Gernika-Lumo.
The first industrial concerns were set up in the early years of the 20th century. This encouraged population growth, and the town grew from 4,500 inhabitants in 1920 to 6,000 in 1936.
Modern history
On April 26, 1937, during the
Spanish Civil War, Guernica was the scene of 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 ...
by the
Condor Legion of
Nazi Germany's ''
Luftwaffe'' and the Italian
Aviazione Legionaria. According to official Basque figures, 1,654 civilians were killed,
but German sources report a round figure of 300 civilians killed in the bombing, according to the German ''Bundeswehr Magazine'' (published in April 2007, page 94). The raid was requested by
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War ...
to aid in his overthrowing the
Basque Government and the
Spanish Republican
The Spanish Republic (), commonly known as the Second Spanish Republic (), was the form of government in Spain from 1931 to 1939. The Republic was proclaimed on 14 April 1931, after the deposition of King Alfonso XIII, and was dissolved on 1 A ...
government. The town was devastated, though the Biscayan assembly and the Oak of Guernica survived. The Bombing of Guernica, which went on continuously for three hours, is considered the beginning of the Luftwaffe doctrine of terror bombing civilian targets in order to demoralize the enemy.
Pablo Picasso painted his
''Guernica'' painting to commemorate the horrors of the bombing and
René Iché made a violent sculpture the day after the bombing. It has inspired musical compositions by
Octavio Vazquez (''Gernika'' Piano Trio),
René-Louis Baron
René-Louis Baron (born 9 February 1944) is a French inventor, author and songwriter. He was 14 years old when he played for the first time on stage as a jazz clarinettist. Later, in 1978, he began in Paris a career as a solo singer.
In 1980, h ...
,
Lenny White
Leonard "Lenny" White III (born December 19, 1949) is an American jazz fusion drummer who was a member of the band Return to Forever led by Chick Corea in the 1970s. White has been called "one of the founding fathers of jazz fusion". He has won ...
, and Mike Batt (performed by Katie Melua),
and poems by
Paul Eluard
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
*Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...
(''Victory of Guernica''), and
Uys Krige (''Nag van die Fascistiese Bomwerpers'') (English translation from the
Afrikaans: ''
Night of the Fascist Bombers''). There is also a short film from 1950, by
Alain Resnais, titled ''
Guernica''.
Celebrations were staged in 1966 to mark the 600th anniversary of the founding of the town. As part of these celebrations, a statue of
Count Tello
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
, made by local sculptor
Agustín Herranz
Agustín is a Spanish given name and sometimes a surname. It is related to Augustín. People with the name include:
Given name
* Agustín (footballer), Spanish footballer
* Agustín Calleri (born 1976), Argentine tennis player
* Agustín C ...
, was set up in the
Fueros Square.
At present, Gernika-Lumo has 16,244 (2009) inhabitants. It is a town with a prosperous service sector, and is also home to industrial companies, as well as good cultural and educational amenities.
Cultural importance
Guernica is historically the seat of the
parliament of the province of Biscay, whose executive branch is located in nearby
Bilbao.
In prior centuries, Lumo had been the meeting place of the
traditional Biscayan assembly,
Urduña and
chartered towns like Guernica were under the direct authority of the
Lord of Biscay
The Lordship of Biscay ( es, Señorío de Vizcaya, Basque: ''Bizkaiko jaurerria'') was a region under feudal rule in the region of Biscay in the Iberian Peninsula between 1040 and 1876, ruled by a political figure known as the Lord of Biscay. One ...
, and
Enkarterri
Enkarterri (Spanish: ''Las Encartaciones'') is a comarca of the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country, Spain. It is one of the seven ''eskualdeak/comarcas'' or districts that make up the province of Biscay. Its administrative centre is Balmas ...
and the
Durango area had separate assemblies. All would hold assemblies under local big trees. As time passed, the role of separate assemblies was superseded by the single assembly in Guernica, and by 1512, its oak, known as the
Gernikako Arbola, became symbolic of the traditional rights of the
Basque people
The Basques ( or ; eu, euskaldunak ; es, vascos ; french: basques ) are a Southwestern European ethnic group, characterised by the Basque language, a common culture and shared genetic ancestry to the ancient Vascones and Aquitanians. Ba ...
as a whole.
The trees are always renewed from their own acorns. One of these trees (the "Old Tree") lived until the 19th century, and may be seen, as a dry stump, near the assembly house. A tree planted in 1860 to replace it died in 2004 and was in turn replaced; the sapling that had been chosen to become the official Oak of Guernica is also sick so the tree will not be replaced until the earth around the site has been restored to health.
A hermitage was built beside the Gernikako Arbola to double as an assembly place, followed by the current house of assembly (''Biltzar Jauregia'' in
Basque), built in 1826.
Symbol for peace
On April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the town was razed to the ground by German aircraft belonging to the
Condor Legion, sent by Hitler to support Franco's troops. For almost four hours bombs rained down on Guernica in an "experiment" for the blitzkrieg tactics and bombing of civilians seen in later wars.
In 1987 the 50th anniversary of the bombing was commemorated as the town hosted the Preliminary Congress of the World Association of Martyr Cities. The full congress was held subsequently in Madrid, bringing together representatives of cities all over the world. Since then, Gernika-Lumo has been a member of this association. 1988 saw the setting up of the monument ''Gure Aitaren Etxea'', by Basque sculptor
Eduardo Chillida, and in 1990 ''Large Figure in a Shelter'', by British sculptor
Henry Moore
Henry Spencer Moore (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986) was an English artist. He is best known for his semi- abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art. As well as sculpture, Moore produced ...
, was erected beside it. These monuments are symbolic of Gernika-Lumo as a city of peace.
As part of the "Symbol for Peace" movement, Gernika has twinned with several towns, including
Berga (Catalonia – 1986),
Pforzheim (Germany – 1988) and
Boise, Idaho (United States – 1993). The twinning agreements include co-operation in the fields of culture, education and industry.
Market day
There is a popular saying in Guernica which runs as follows: "lunes gerniqués, golperik ez". This translates roughly as "not a stroke of work gets done on Mondays". The Monday market day has for decades been considered as a holiday in the town.
People would flock to Guernica not just from the immediate vicinity, but from all over the province, so that the town was packed. They came not just to buy or sell at the produce market, but also to eat at the town's renowned restaurants and afterwards perhaps to watch a pelota game at the local court. The Monday market has been fulfilling its age-old function of bringing people together since the times when people could not afford to travel far and it provided them with a chance to socialise. The bombing of Guernica by
Nazi Germany's ''
Luftwaffe'' and the Italian
Aviazione Legionaria was deliberately chosen to occur on a Monday (April 26, 1937), because it was known that the Basque people who lived outside of Guernica proper would travel into town for the Market Day, thus affording the pilots of the German and Italian aircraft the opportunity to murder as many innocent people as possible.
Sports
Jai alai (cesta-punta) is a form of
pelota. The Guernica jai alai court is the biggest operational court of its type in the world. It was designed by Secundino Zuano, one of Spain's leading architects of the 20th century and first opened in 1963. It is acknowledged by players of the game to be the world's finest court.
Bare-handed pelota games are held at the Santanape court. This is the most popular form of the sport.
Twin towns – sister cities
*
Berga, Catalonia, Spain
*
Pforzheim, Germany
*
Dresden, Germany
*
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui h ...
, Japan
*
Boise, Idaho, United States
See also
*
Municipal elections in Gernika-Lumo Elections to the municipal council of Gernika-Lumo, Biscay, Spain.
May 2003
June 1999
May 1995
May 1991
June 1987
{, class="wikitable" border="1"
, - style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
!Party
!Votes
!%
!Seats
, -
, Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea - ...
*
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 ...
References
External links
Official site in English, Basque and Spanish
*
ttp://aestheticrealism.org/art-opposes-injustice-picassos-guernica-for-life/ Painter and art educator Dorothy Koppelman writes "Art Opposes Injustice: Picasso’s Guernica"GERNIKA-LUMO in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa – Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa)
Web page about Gernika-Lumo with great photos of it.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Guernica (Town)
Municipalities in Biscay
Spanish Civil War