Forgetting and Remembering: The Legacy of the Civil War in Madrid
By Gleb Cherevichnyy
Our last days in Spain would prove to be no less eventful than the first. On the morning of the ninth we set out towards the University of Rey Juan Carlos on the outskirts of Madrid. The university is one of the newest in the city, founded in the 1990s but which already hosts over forty thousand students. The university’s main goals revolve around combining the humanities with creative expression. This was even seen in our lectures, as we met two enthusiastic professors, the first of whom gave a lecture on the history of Spain prior to the Roman period, while the latter told of his and his colleagues’ project on collecting, documenting, and researching the use of graffiti in the Middle Ages. After the two lectures our group was courteously served coffee and pastries. And before continuing with our itinerary we didn’t miss the chance to pose with the university logo!
Once we drove back to Madrid we visited one of the city’s Jewish Community Centers, featuring one of the few Sephardic synagogues in Madrid. Most of the city’s Jewish population is currently Ashkenazi, however a significant Sephardic presence also exists since immigration began in the mid 1950s. The community center itself was founded sometime in the 60s, and despite its relatively small size acts as a meeting point for a whopping 12,000 subscribed members. The short documentary presented to us also highlighted how the community is thriving with ten synagogues and eight oratories in the area, something that would have seemed impossible a century ago. Lastly, we asked about the cohesiveness between the Spanish Sephardic and the larger Ashkenazi Jewish community in Madrid, and learned that generally the children of both communities interact in schools and share many of the same religious practices, that make long timer historical divides less relevant than one would think.
After our visit to the community center it was time for lunch. Our group split up based on preferences, and I (without getting lost!) led a few others to try Georgian food for the first time. Madrid is definitely a city with a wide variety of food options, especially in comparison with many cities in Morocco, so it was nice to try something new. I got the Ostri, a spicy beef stew with a side of mashed potatoes and pickles which proved delicious. Afterwards we returned to the hotel for a lecture on the Spanish civil war, which gave the general background necessary for the following day’s journey.
On the morning of the 10th, we set out towards the Valley of the Fallen, an enormous monument built (nominally) to memorialize the war dead of the Spanish Civil War (1936-39’). When we arrived we were greeted by a massive stone cross towering over the mountain, in fact the biggest cross in the world, as well as by the beautiful scenery of the surrounding forest. The beautiful scenery, however, had to be reconciled by the fact that the monument was built by Francisco Franco using forced labor and was meant to perpetuate Franco’s cult of personality beyond his death. With that being said, the monument itself is grandiose. Upon reaching the top of the steps we saw a massive stone structure with beautiful romanesque arches and a depiction of Mary holding Jesus after his crucifixion. Inside we stumbled into possibly the most awe-inspiring basilica of the dialogue, with ornate rounded arches, dim golden illuminated lights, and the sound of Latin chant. After coming down from the hill we were still shocked about the grandeur of what we saw and spoke about how tiny and even insignificant such great monuments make one feel, which is likely aligned with the goals of the structure.
We soon took the bus back to the center of Madrid, and had a short break before dinner, which allowed me to catch up on much needed sleep. At 6 o’clock we had a last and final lecture of sorts, although it was really a collective recap of the dialogue experience. Each of us explained our favorite moments of the trip (mine was getting so lost in Fez that we entered someone’s bedroom), as well as thanking our tour guide Keiner, our TA Kaedyn, and our lovely professors. They had one last surprise for us in store: dinner. They took us to an atmospheric restaurant called Le Cathedral. Our last meal together finally allowed me to try Spanish paella, which surpassed expectations.
As we conclude the dialogue there is a feeling that we have seen so much, synagogues, churches, mosques, palaces, gardens, and yes the hammam. Yet, at the same time, I know that what we saw was just a peek into the beautiful countries of Spain and Morocco, and that we have just begun to delve into their respective cultures. This trip has opened my eyes, and certainly those of others, to the vastness of what there is to know. In the end, to use the cliche phrase, it has undoubtedly “broadened our horizons.”
