La Cucaracha Spanish Civil War Diary February 1939

- February 1939 -

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Republican soldiers at the French border, February 1939

01 Feb *Spanish Parliament (called the Cortes) meeting in Figueras, Catalonia

The fleeing government holds a parliament meeting in the castle of Figueras. The circumstances are depressing. Only 62 from 473 parliament members can attend, most parliamentarians are fleeing, dead, or still in Madrid and other cities of the Republican held territory. Some of the attending parliamentarians had fled already to France, and came back only for this meeting.
The President of the Cortes, Martinez Barrio, opens the meeting. Spanish Prime Minister Negrin is the first one to speak to the assembly. He is pale and exhausted, has to steady himself several times holding to the desk. American journalist Herbert Matthews, covering the meeting for American newspapers, reports about Negrin's speech:

"The war is not lost. By far not lost. We will continue our fight to save Catalonia. And if we loose Catalonia, we will continue our fight from central Spain. Nations do not only live in their victories, they also live in the example they give to others during their most tragic hours."

"We are fighting for the independence of our country, and also to preserve democracy. We defend in this other countries as well, countries who denied us not only their help, but are in fact harming us. To maintain the peace in Europe, they give up Austria and break up Czechoslovakia. Would the sacrifice of Spain put them in a better defense position against the aggressors? Here it will be decided, if the totalitarian powers will rule the world fully and completely."

The Spanish Cortes acknowledges the Prime Minister in his duty, and form out the basic conditions for a peace offer to the Fascists: 1) The Spanish independence has to be guaranteed, 2) The Spanish people have the right to elect their government by free and democratic elections, 3) Both sides will not commit reprisals.
The next meeting will be, as usual, announced (it will take close to 40 years before another free elected Spanish parliament was to hold a meeting).

The meeting ends at 0:45 a.m. in the night of the 02. February 1939.

*04 Feb Gerona occupied by Fascist troops**
	Only hours after thousands of fleeing citizens and soldiers left the city, Fascist troops occupy Gerona.

Refugees fleeing Girona

*05 Feb France opens the border for Republican soldiers**
	The soldiers have to give their armament to the French border troops, the Garde Mobile, and go into custody of the French army, who had hastily build concentration camps during the last days. Many refugees will die there during the bitter cold of the next weeks.


French border

*06 Feb Azana, Negrin and Companys enter France**
	Spanish President Azana, Prime Minister Negrin and Catalonian President Companys leave Catalonia and cross the border to France.

French border

08 Feb *Figueras occupied by Fascist troops

*10 Feb The border to France complete under Fascist control**
	In full view of international journalists on the French side of the check points, Fascist soldiers tear down Republican flags and burn them. They walk to the crossing points and state the Fascist salute to the watching crowds at the French side.

French border, Fr. Garde Mobile

10 Feb *Negrin enters Spain again by air plane, landing in the airport of Alicante

*11 Feb Republican high command in dispute about resistance.**
	While Miaja and Rojo want to continue the resistance, Casado favors a surrender agreement with the Fascists. Miaja and Rojo are convinced that a European war is at the very edge of outbreak, and that this could save the Spanish Republic. They warn that if the Fascists gain control over Spain, they will murder ten thousands of people, as they do already merciless in the areas they control.

14 Feb *Swiss recognition of Franco

*21 Feb Fascist troops hold a victory parade in Barcelona**
	The Catalonian language is prohibited, also Catalonian music and dances. Thousands of people executed during this first weeks of the occupation.

French concentration camps

*22 Feb The Poet Antonio Machado, Republican refugee, dies in France**
	The famous poet Antonio Machado (link to Spanish site, opens a new window), dies in France out of exhaustion. (I reported first that Antonio Machado died in a French concentration camp for Republican refugees, what was wrong. Many thanks to Luis Vallès for pointing out my mistake).

27 Feb *France and England recognize Franco administration, President Azana resigns

27 Feb *Republican army in the controversy

Several commanders of the Republican army demand from Prime Minister Negrin to start negotiations for peace in the next 96 hours. Britain offers to intermediate in this negotiations (Casado is already in secret talks with the Fascists for a conditional surrender). Negrin does not respond to the demand.

Franco declares he will only accept an unconditional surrender and peace talks are therefore not necessary.

Republican soldiers entering France, beginning of February 1939
(click on picture to see it in bigger size)