The National Day of Exile and Deportation
On February 5, the National Day of Exile and Deportation is commemorated, an ephemeris that remembers the thousands of people who took the path of exile after the Civil War. This date, established by the Generalitat in 2017, aims to keep alive the memory of those who had to flee the Francoist offensive.
The National Exile Day in Portbou
The National Day of Exile and Deportation is commemorated in Portbou, one of the main points of departure for the exile of the Catalan republicans at the end of the Civil War. This year, the Government has organized an act of tribute to Portbou, which has included a floral offering at the Retirement Memorial located at the Belitres pass.
The Minister of Justice and Memory, Gemma Ubasart, and the Minister of Territory, Ester Capellà, presided over the entourage that traveled the way to the Walter Benjamin Memorial. This route of almost two kilometers recalls the journey that the Catalan republicans took towards exile. During the event, Ubasart highlighted the importance of remembering the exile as a tool to prevent similar events from happening again in the future.
The historical legacy of the exiles
During the event, Councilor Ubasart praised the historical legacy of the exiles, such as Lluís Companys, Mercè Rodoreda, Pere Quart and Pompeu Fabra, who had to flee and go into exile. These prominent representatives of the Catalan political and intellectual scene contributed to the republican stage, one of the most important experiences in the recent history of Catalonia.
The councilor has also highlighted the importance of not staying only with the sadness of exile, but of keeping alive the republican memory and the legacy of freedom, self-government and social justice that it left.
The need to remember
The Minister for Territories, Ester Capellà, remembered during the event the thousands of people who had to flee the devastating war and who lost everything. This event also serves to claim that Catalonia wants to be a welcoming country and promote a culture of peace.
Capellà emphasized that exile is a reality close to Catalans, since many generations have suffered and still suffer exile to defend democracy. The Government of the Generalitat maintains its commitment to recognize democratic memory as the foundation of the country’s values.
Portbou’s commitment
The mayor of Portbou, Gael Rodríguez, has reaffirmed the municipality’s commitment to the promotion of democratic memory. Portbou has carried out several memory projects and hosted the tribute event at the Walter Benjamin Memorial. During the event, the municipal cemetery where this German philosopher of Jewish origin is buried, who committed suicide in Portbou in 1940 fleeing Nazism, was also visited.