Episode #1: The Re-Enactors

(Pincha aqui para version en Castellano)

Among the first people I met when I started my research for  this project was a small group of Civil War re-enactors.   Because this war is a sensitive subject in Spain, the existence of such a group seemed truly remarkable at the time.  In fact, less than a half hour had transpired since a pair of executives at an local production company had told me with knowing chuckles that there wasn’t and would never be re-enactors in Spain.  It was simply too radical an idea.  Well, the world changes, whether or not we choose to recognize this, and this situation illustrates exactly what this series is about.  

In the years since, Civil War re-enacting has become one of the most visible aspects of the breakdown of Spain’s Pact of Oblivion.  At a time when affronts to this social contract to forget the war and the ensuing dictatorship are typically confrontational or at least highly political, these re-enactors struggle to practice their hobby in a spirit of reconciliation.  But is it even possible to play at war for the goal of peace?

Note:  There is a high-quality version of this film available through the button on the lower right.  It takes a little while to download, but it’s worth it.

Principal Editing Commences

While not as momentous as the news of Garzon posthumously prosecuting Franco, it bears mentioning that as of October 27th I have begun principal editing on the Remember Spain Video Series.  I have over 40 hours of footage in the can, and will be working on several storylines simultaneously.  I will begin posting them as they are completed.  Check back frequently for updates.

Cheers,

James

July 29, 2008 – Synergy vs. Difference

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

This weekend I visited the Valley of the Ebro to attend a series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Ebro.  The battle itself was a brutal 115 day stalemate under the blazing summer sun that bled both armies of men and materiel and proved to be the death knell of the Republican forces.  This weekend’s events, also under a blazing sun, consisted of three separate commemorations:  On Saturday there was both a history congress and a re-enactment of the crossing of the river by republican forces in the town of Mora d’Ebre.  That night, the not-so-nearby town of Fayon hosted a period costume verbena, and on Sunday a major battle re-enactment with uniformed re-enactors representing from every major force present in the actual battle except the CVT (Italian), Legion Kondor (German) and Morrocans.  They even had cavalry!

There was no lack of diversity in flags...

Each group and each event, has its own goals.  And each was, in its own right, successful.  Indeed, the congress reported an attendance of over 600, there where decidedly well over 1000 people at the re-enactment in Fayon, and by all reports the re-enactment in Mora attracted a large crowd as well, including considerable media.  

Perhaps it’s symptomatic of the push and pull of this moment in time and the absence of resources for movements such as these,  or maybe an insidious byproduct of the partisan politics that dominate

...or uniforms on either side.

 everything in Spain, but for all of their individual successes the weekend’s events manifested a notable lack of synergy that makes me wonder what could be if these groups worked together.  There was a virtually no cross advertising so that the only way to find out what was going on was by word of mouth, and apparently attempts at schedule coordination fell flat.  Whether cause or effect, there was little mixing between the groups and events, and even a few negative attitudes.  

Now I can certainly understand that just because someone is into re-enacting doesn’t mean they want to spend all day in a lecture hall listening to interpretations of history.  Likewise, most academics probably don’t see the appeal of dressing up in period costume, even if it does serve an instructive “living history” function for the lay public.  It’s just a matter of taste.  Further, these events have different specific goals.  But it seems to me that each of these activities plays an important role in a presumably common goal of reacquainting the general public with this important episode in history.  

Interest in the Spanish Civil War has spawned myriad movements and affinity groups both within and outside of Spain. While their specific activities and goals may differ, their similarities are greater than their differences in most cases.  It is my hope that as these movements mature, they will find ways to exploit their synergy to create a stronger movement and celebrate their differences for the richness they bring.

July 27, 2008 – Back from the Ebro

No time to write right now, but had a successful weekend at a combination of events in Mora d’Ebre and Fayon, a remote little town in Zaragoza commemorating the 70th anniv. of the start of the Battle of the Ebro.  There was a fascinating history congress and a very complete re-enactment, including cavalry.  I was overwhelmed by the heat and somewhat unprepared for the shoot as it was difficult to get a handle on what the events where to be, but it all came off with nary a hitch.  More detailed post later.