It was a brutal civil war which left many scars still keenly felt in Spain today. When General Franco’s nationalist forces took on the leftist government, thousands of sympathisers rushed to the republic’s aid. Among them were three courageous Welsh women
EIGHTY years ago Spain witnessed a civil war that tore the country apart and its consequences can still be felt today.
In a special one-off documentary for S4C, presenter and journalist and Western Mail columnist Dylan Iorwerth travels to Spain, following in the footsteps of three Welsh women who made a huge contribution during the war.
At the time Spain was split, with General Franco’s alliance of fascists and conservatives battling the democratic republican government.
In Wales, many sympathised with the anti-fascist movement and among them were Thora Silverthorne, Margaret Powell and Fifi Roberts.
“Researching the lives of Welsh people who travelled to war-torn Spain was an eye-opening experience for me,” explains Dylan Iorwerth, who lives near Lampeter.
“It was fascinating to hear about the miners who fought there and these three women who went from Wales. Their stories gave me an insight into the Spanish Civil War.
“I’d never realised how brutal it was, but having been to Spain and spoken to relatives of some of those who suffered, I can see that scars still exist today. It still hurts and emotions run high,” he said.
Thora Silverthorne was a young communist from Abertillery; she was also an experienced nurse who witnessed hardships while trying to save the lives of injured soldiers.
Margaret Powell, from Crickhowell, was another nurse who treated hundreds of soldiers. During her two years nursing in the shadows of the battlefields she saw suffering on a huge scale.
Later, at the end of the war, she experienced the terrible conditions of a refugee camp in France.
The programme also tells the story of Fifi Roberts, from Penarth, who was a passenger on her father’s ship, the first to break through the blockade in Bilbao to feed those suffering from starvation.
“It’s essential we hear their story,” says Iorwerth, who was brought up in Waunfawr, near Caernarfon.
“The nurses travelled to Spain because of their belief in democracy and their opposition to fascism, and they made a huge contribution. They supported the soldiers despite the desperate working conditions; they operated on soldiers by candlelight.
“Fifi was adventurous and feisty; she was brave enough to travel with her father in difficult circumstances.
“She reached Guernica a few days after the bombings. It’s important to celebrate the bravery of these women and to remember the stand they made. They were as important and brave as the men who fought in Spain.”
According to Dylan, the world hasn’t learnt its lesson from past wars.
When the Spanish Civil War came to an end in 1939, thousands of refugees fled to France, but received a lukewarm welcome from the French.
Margaret Powell was among the refugees who walked in hazardous weather conditions, through the Pyrenees during the winter months.
“The treatment of refugees in recent months shows we haven’t learnt anything from past experiences. We’ve also seen how the vulnerable are targeted and have witnessed deliberate attacks on hospitals in Syria. It’s sad that history repeats itself,” said Iorwerth.
“Until now people have chosen to forget the civil war in Spain. Franco and his followers concealed a great deal of sensitive information and obscured the memory.
“Their opponents were afraid to recall what really happened. But it’s important to remember the brutality of this war because it shows the dangers of fascism. These three women were pioneers doing their bit for democracy.”
Cymry Rhyfel Cartref Sbaen (The Welsh in the Spanish Civil War) will be shown on S4C at 9pm on Sunday, July 24 and 10.30pm on Thursday, July 28. English subtitles are available