Once a Republic
This morning, as I was perusing Facebook, I discovered a nugget of history hithereto unknown to me. Much as Catalunya declared independence in 1934, unhappy that the government in Madrid was becoming too conservative, (It only lasted a few hours and ended with the detention and imprisonment of Lluis Companys, regional president, who later fled to France and was eventually handed to Franco by the collaborators. He was then shot.) Galicia also declared independence in 1931. Our problem was the railroad to Zamora, work on which had just been cancelled, and around twelve thousand men sentenced to unemployment.
The Second Republic had recently been proclaimed in April, 1931, with parliamentary elections to follow at the end of June. The new Republic, trying to make do with little money, decided that finishing the railroad line from Zamora to A Coruña was too expensive due to the geography of the area. It cancelled the funding, which it then dedicated to the port of Bilbao, considered much more important. Yet, Galicia needed that railroad to be able to distribute its products to the rest of Spain in a more timely manner other than by roads that more resembled stony cart tracks through the mountains.
Those were days of exaltation and revolution. Days when it seemed everything was possible. The King had abdicated from a centuries-old monarchy, a Republic had been proclaimed, and finally, the small citizens could be heard. And everyone wanted to be heard at once. The night of the 24th of June, 1934, there had been meetings in Ourense between provincial authorities and representatives from the government; this city was also affected by the cancellation of the rail line. Close to midnight, after the talks had changed nothing, a group of about a thousand people marched on the governor-general of the province, who resigned. Then, they went on to the city hall, where they tore down the Republican flag, and hoisted the Galician flag, with its white field and blue band crossing from top left to bottom right. They shouted "Viva a República galega!" and marched through the streets during the early morning hours of the 25th.
The population was woken by sirens from the different factories, where some of the workers had gone and forcibly made them sound. There was jubilance in the streets, and those who were woken up came outside to find out what had happened. During the hours that followed upon the dawn, meetings were held to determine how to respond to the government in Madrid, and getting out the news that Galicia was now an independent republic.
Of course, the first answer was military. Worried about a revolutionary workers' rebellion, troops were sent from different parts of Galicia to Ourense, where it seemed the rebellion was imminent. But there was no rebellion yet. On the 26th, a general assembly was held in Ourense. Points were reached with which to go to the representatives of Madrid in the city. They were four: the first was demanding that the work on the railroad continue, the second was the demand that all central government representatives in Galicia resign, the third was the lowering the rates of all taxes paid to Madrid, and the fourth was to refuse to acknowledge the visit of any Spanish representative until funding for the railroad was approved, and a general strike to help things along. They were sent to Madrid by telephone, and Madrid refused to meet any of them. A general strike was declared.
The next day in Santiago a meeting was held in the Alameda, the park. Incendiary speeches railed against the insensitivity of the central government and the rapacious greed of the caciques, the local lords and large landowners. The fervor led the thousands of participants to the city hall, where they demanded, and received, the resignations of the city council and the mayor. There, the rebellious leaders declared the Republic of Galicia and began discussing the set up of the new Galician Republic, and how to persuade the rest of the cities and towns to join. A few hours later, a telegram arrived from Madrid, caving in and announcing that work would resume on the railroad.
The Galician Republic was short lived, yet it accomplished what it set out to do, bend Madrid into submission on an issue crucial to Galicia. Since then, things have changed, and things have stayed the same. Those who wish to go to Madrid by train, still travel the railroad of discord. A high speed line is still under construction. It should have been finished years ago. It might be finished by the time I'm retired. The usual bone of contention is financing for the most difficult geographical area, from Zamora to Ourense, the same as eighty-six years ago. Yet the Madrid of now is not the Madrid of yore. The bone of contention with Catalunya was a special financial status and more autonomy, just like the Basque country enjoys. Threats of independence have done nothing this time, just the opposite. The Madrid of today feels it has nothing to fear from Catalunya. The Madrid of 1931 had plenty to fear with a new Republic to set in order, and an entire region threatening the same.
Still, it's nice to discover my little region once stood up to the giant - and won.
The Second Republic had recently been proclaimed in April, 1931, with parliamentary elections to follow at the end of June. The new Republic, trying to make do with little money, decided that finishing the railroad line from Zamora to A Coruña was too expensive due to the geography of the area. It cancelled the funding, which it then dedicated to the port of Bilbao, considered much more important. Yet, Galicia needed that railroad to be able to distribute its products to the rest of Spain in a more timely manner other than by roads that more resembled stony cart tracks through the mountains.
Those were days of exaltation and revolution. Days when it seemed everything was possible. The King had abdicated from a centuries-old monarchy, a Republic had been proclaimed, and finally, the small citizens could be heard. And everyone wanted to be heard at once. The night of the 24th of June, 1934, there had been meetings in Ourense between provincial authorities and representatives from the government; this city was also affected by the cancellation of the rail line. Close to midnight, after the talks had changed nothing, a group of about a thousand people marched on the governor-general of the province, who resigned. Then, they went on to the city hall, where they tore down the Republican flag, and hoisted the Galician flag, with its white field and blue band crossing from top left to bottom right. They shouted "Viva a República galega!" and marched through the streets during the early morning hours of the 25th.
The population was woken by sirens from the different factories, where some of the workers had gone and forcibly made them sound. There was jubilance in the streets, and those who were woken up came outside to find out what had happened. During the hours that followed upon the dawn, meetings were held to determine how to respond to the government in Madrid, and getting out the news that Galicia was now an independent republic.
Of course, the first answer was military. Worried about a revolutionary workers' rebellion, troops were sent from different parts of Galicia to Ourense, where it seemed the rebellion was imminent. But there was no rebellion yet. On the 26th, a general assembly was held in Ourense. Points were reached with which to go to the representatives of Madrid in the city. They were four: the first was demanding that the work on the railroad continue, the second was the demand that all central government representatives in Galicia resign, the third was the lowering the rates of all taxes paid to Madrid, and the fourth was to refuse to acknowledge the visit of any Spanish representative until funding for the railroad was approved, and a general strike to help things along. They were sent to Madrid by telephone, and Madrid refused to meet any of them. A general strike was declared.
The next day in Santiago a meeting was held in the Alameda, the park. Incendiary speeches railed against the insensitivity of the central government and the rapacious greed of the caciques, the local lords and large landowners. The fervor led the thousands of participants to the city hall, where they demanded, and received, the resignations of the city council and the mayor. There, the rebellious leaders declared the Republic of Galicia and began discussing the set up of the new Galician Republic, and how to persuade the rest of the cities and towns to join. A few hours later, a telegram arrived from Madrid, caving in and announcing that work would resume on the railroad.
The Galician Republic was short lived, yet it accomplished what it set out to do, bend Madrid into submission on an issue crucial to Galicia. Since then, things have changed, and things have stayed the same. Those who wish to go to Madrid by train, still travel the railroad of discord. A high speed line is still under construction. It should have been finished years ago. It might be finished by the time I'm retired. The usual bone of contention is financing for the most difficult geographical area, from Zamora to Ourense, the same as eighty-six years ago. Yet the Madrid of now is not the Madrid of yore. The bone of contention with Catalunya was a special financial status and more autonomy, just like the Basque country enjoys. Threats of independence have done nothing this time, just the opposite. The Madrid of today feels it has nothing to fear from Catalunya. The Madrid of 1931 had plenty to fear with a new Republic to set in order, and an entire region threatening the same.
Still, it's nice to discover my little region once stood up to the giant - and won.
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