A tribute to fallen heroes
In a period of just 18 hours, nearly 1,300 brave men, including 700 French and Belgian combatants from the XIV International Brigade, were cruelly massacred by Franco’s forces. This tragic event took place as part of the events that preceded the famous battle of the Ebro. In an act in tribute to these heroes, which brought together relatives who arrived from France, the Government paid tribute to the sacrifice of those who were involved in the defense of democracy, 86 years after such a devastating confrontation.
Historical memory at stake
During the event, the Minister of Justice, Rights and Memory, Gemma Ubasart, recalled the importance of ‘all governments’ keeping alive the historical memory of those difficult times. Without going into details about the recent repeal of the memory law in the Valencian Country, she underlined the obligation that exists to protect the memories and lessons of the past.
A moving scene
The tribute took place at the foot of the emblematic Carrova tower, a significant corner where the bloody event occurred. In the company of institutional representatives of the Terres de l’Ebre, Ubasart had the opportunity to talk with Marie, the descendant of Henri Rol Tanguy, a prominent political commissar of Marseillaise and a hero of the resistance during the Second World War.
The distraction strategy
Henri Rol Tanguy, together with the military command of the XIV International Brigade, was in charge of devising and carrying out a diversion strategy. Its objective was to divert the attention of Franco’s troops towards the Ebro delta area, with the intention of reducing pressure in the upstream areas, where the crossing of the Ebro was planned to take place, thus signifying the beginning of the republican counteroffensive.
A sacrifice that must not be forgotten
At midnight on July 25, numerous brigade members crossed the Ebro in the Font de Quinto region, near Camp-redó. However, they were soon detected and a brutal attack by Franco’s troops was unleashed. Finding themselves trapped between the bank of the Ebro and the Dreta canal, approximately 700 men lost their lives, while nearly 400 casualties were also recorded on the Francoist side.
The bravery of the fighters
Although Rol Tanguy was wounded, he was able to swim to shore, but his brigade was practically annihilated at that moment. He later became a key figure in the resistance against the Nazi regime and actively participated in the liberation of Paris.
Memories that must last
Marie Rol-Tanguy, after the tribute, shared that her father had unforgettable experiences in Spain. It was her first time in the region and she recounted how she met many brigade friends of various nationalities. She highlighted the deep bond that united them and expressed her commitment, along with other members of her association, to transmit the sacrifice of her father and his companions to future generations, both in France and Spain.
The fight for memory
Councilor Gemma Ubasart emphasized the need to keep alive the legacy of the fight against fascism and the dignity of the victims. By emphasizing the responsibility of governments to have regulations and public policies that protect this legacy, she highlighted the pioneering nature of the law on democratic memory and the imminent approval of new regulations after the last parliamentary process. ‘We will continue working in this direction, rallying efforts to deepen the laws and policies of democratic memory,’ she said.
An act full of symbolism
The event commemorating the Battle of the Ebro, which according to some research exceeded 50,000 deaths and is considered one of the bloodiest episodes of the Spanish Civil War, was organized jointly by the General Directorate of Democratic Memory, the Memorial Consortium of Spaces of the Battle of the Ebro and the Amposta Town Hall.
Artists pay tribute
Before the councilor’s intervention, the Government delegate and mayor of Amposta, Adam Tomàs, took the floor. Likewise, the Italian singer-songwriter Alessio Arena performed several songs of a protest nature, including ‘Què volen aquesta gent?’, by Maria del Mar Bonet, which he made versions in Catalan, Italian and French; ‘Paisatge de l’Ebre’, a poem by Josep Gual Lloberas set to music by Teresa Rebull; and ‘The soul of my people’, a work by Chilean composer Rolando Alarcón, who was an advisor to the Government of Salvador Allende.
