What surprises does life hold for us. An exhibit remembering the Bombing of Guernica has just opened at the King Juan Carlos I Center at the University of New York. Yes, at a hall named after a king who was designated by the dictator who ordered the destruction of Guernica to succeed him as the Chief of State and then confirmed by a Constitution that gave only two alternatives: the monarchy or nothing.
So, yes, it was inaugurated on October 3, as stated on the website of the King Juan Carlos I Spain Center:
Inauguration of the exhibit: The Bombing of Gernika – The Exhibit – 75th Anniversary of Guernica/Gernika Bombing, 1937-2012.
A photo exhibit curated by Instituto Vasco Etxepare and organized in conjunction with the Delegation of the Basque Government in the United States, Mexico and Canada, as part of the 2012 Euskadi, Año de las Culturas por la Paz y la Libertad (Year of Culture, Peace and Freedom).
The exhibit aims to inform visitors about the tragic events that made the city of Gernika famous. Today, 75 years on, Gernika invites us to reflect on the consequences of the war and to work together for the achievement of peace and freedom. 2012 not only marks the 75th anniversary of the destruction of Gernika; it is also the Year of Cultures for Peace and Freedom. The Basque Government has thus joined forces with the King Juan Carlos Center and the Gernika Peace Museum Foundation to bring this exhibit to the New York public, showing the horrors of war and the necessity of peace.
With remarks by organizers. Special performance by soprano Amaya Arberas.
Reception to follow featuring Txakoli wine.
Sponsored by the Instituto Vasco Etxepare, Gobierno Vasco/ Basque Institute Etxepare, Basque Autonomous Government, and the Delegation of the Basque Country in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The Delegation of the Basque Country is a government agency dedicated to empowering and promoting business, cultural and economic relations with the Basque Country.
With the support of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives (ALBA).
It’s curious to see how all these texts, included the one signed by Lehendakari Francisco López, focus on two key elements: that of the forgiveness asked for by the German government, and in the forgiveness given by the victims of the bombing. They say nothing of the lack of repentance of those intellectually (and factually) responsible for the massacre: the Francoist insurgents. It says nothing of the repeated no of certain political groups (one of which is currently governing the Kingdom of Spain with an absolute majority) to condemn the Francoist uprising, which was ultimately responsible for the bombing of Guernica. It says nothing of the repeated lies told about the bombing itself and its consequences, which still poison modern media and the internet.
Everyone has the right to evolve and to stop being a delinquent. All those who voluntarily swore, with conviction, to uphold the General Principles of the Movement and faithfully served an illegal, murderous régime that started a civil war that caused thousands to disappear and die, can change. All of them, from the first to the last, has the right to change. But that change cannot be a private, personal, secret decision. The victims of that person’s actions must know that they’ve turned over a new leaf. There must be, at the very least, a statement of apology.
Because there are two ways to free oneself of guilt, and one of them only from a moral point of view: repaying the debt to society by serving time, and getting the victims’ forgiveness. In this case, neither can be found. Because, lest we forget, forgiveness can only be received if it is asked for. Forgiveness doesn’t stem from anything but one’s one regret and admission of guilt. And we’re still waiting.
Moreover, there won’t be any lines in this exhibit, because of political correctness, about how the Allies, especially the Americans, forsook the Spanish Republicans and Basque Nationalists. There will be no mention of how a significant reason that violent terrorists sprang up in the Basque Country is the consequence of Franco’s illegal régime in the UN and its international recognition, blessed and supported by the Government of the United States. They abandoned their Basque allies from the Second World War to support a fascist and his régime. Experts in world political strategy might understand that, but for democrats, it’s incomprehensible.
It was in that same city where this expo just opened, New York, where the first great betrayal of the Basque and Spanish democrats took place. It was on December 14, 1955, when Francoist Spain became the 65th member of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Fifty-seven years later, History is still waiting for compensation. The dead of Guernica are still not recognized, and their heirs are still waiting for the smallest sign of repentance from the guilty parties and their heirs.
But the López Government is opening shows talking about forgiveness that cannot yet be given, showing, once again, that the victims of violence are not all created equal.
More about the Bombing of Guernica on our website: here
Highly recommended: The Bombing of Guernica: Against the Lies, More Truth
Washington Square News – 4/10/2012- USA
Exhibit displays Guernica as city of peace
Seventy-four years later, it is still difficult to understand the full impact of the bombing of the Spanish city, Gernika. The 1937 bombing that killed hundreds during the Spanish Civil War is the focal point of NYU’s King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center’s current exhibit, “The Bombing of Gernika — The Exhibit — 75th Anniversary of Guernica/Gernika Bombing, 1937-2012.” It hopes to clarify this complex event and inform the public about the watershed moment in Basque history.
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Last Updated on Dec 20, 2020 by About Basque Country
