Spain at a Crossroads: the Aftermath of Recovering Memory Practices in a Rural Village in Spain, a Generational Case Study of Chillón.

Abstract

This thesis focusses on the aftermath of various practices concerned with recovering memories of the Francoist past in Spain, Chillón. The recovering memory practices in Chillón revolve around the history of the nine assassinated Republicans in 1939. We provide an insight in the lives of people dealing with recovering memories of the Francoist past and their opinions concerning this topic; according to three different generations. The exhumation, carried out in 2011, turned out to have a great influence on people’s opinions. Especially the visual aspect of the exhumation triggered people’s interest in the recovering of memory and in opening up conversations about it; which turned out to be a crucial aspect of generational memory transmittance. The ongoing debate about the need to continue with the recovering of memories in Spain is discussed in relation to the current political and economic situation. The notion of historic temporality is of importance within this debate.