During the 20th Century, both Germany and Spain had atrocities committed against specific groups of people at home under fascist leaderships. Both countries democratised with the death of their...Show moreDuring the 20th Century, both Germany and Spain had atrocities committed against specific groups of people at home under fascist leaderships. Both countries democratised with the death of their leader, leaving members from the previous regime in power. However, two very different approaches to reconciliation were taken. Germany prosecuted the leaders of the old regime, implemented collective guilt across the population, and either destroyed fascist memorials and insignias or actively challenged them with counter-memorials. As opposed to following the German path to reconciliation, the fruits of which could be seen during the democratisation of Spain, the new democracy decided to implement the 1975 Pact of Forgetting, an unwritten agreement to not bring up the atrocities committed under Franco for fear of retribution. In order to understand the events that led to two very different outcomes through the use of interviews, analysis of the Suárez’s cabinet, and analysis of the use of memorials in both cases, this paper will ask why did Spain choose to avoid a similar reconciliation process to the one taken by West Germany thirty years prior despite being in a similar state and what role did public history play?Show less
This thesis examines how contemporary Spanish “Recovery of Historical Memory” have acted as “pressure groups” in their quest to gain recognition for approximately 30.000 Republicans that died of...Show moreThis thesis examines how contemporary Spanish “Recovery of Historical Memory” have acted as “pressure groups” in their quest to gain recognition for approximately 30.000 Republicans that died of Francoist violence and who are buried in hundreds of mass graves throughout Spain until today. In order to do so, this work performs a case study analysis of two Spanish “Recovery of Historical Memory” organizations, ARMH and Foro, and examines what activities these associations have carried out between their emergence in 2000 and 2007, when Spain implemented a Historical Memory law. The information in this thesis is based on secondary literature, primary sources, Spanish blogposts by members of both ARMH and Foro on their official websites respectively and interviews that the author has conducted with association members from ARMH in Spanish. The main argument that will be put forth, is that there have been four ways through which the associations have acted as “pressure groups” and have tried to gain public recognition for the Republican dead: (1) via the use of media campaigns, (2) by organizing protests, (3) by means of popular participation in national politics and (4) via collaboration with international organizations. In addition to this, this thesis argues that ARMH has been the most successful in influencing the Spanish government, by pressuring Madrid through their collaboration with international organizations. Moreover, this thesis contributes to two main bodies of scholarly literature: “pressure groups” and “Recovery of Historical Memory” literature since it provides new insights in how “Recovery of Historical Memory” organizations act as “pressure groups”, and it diversifies the existing scholarship that deals with these “Recovery of Historical Memory” organizations by considering both ARMH and Foro.Show less
