There is a concept that has always grabbed our attention, called โ€œNew Christian,โ€ which, in addition to the harsh and terrible historical reality hidden behind those words, is a meaning which, for our thoughts today, regarding what happened in Navarre with the Zazpiak Bat that was painted on the Villava-Atarrabia frontรณn is right on the nose.

The story, which you can learn more about in the Noticias de Navarra article weโ€™ve linked to below, seemed to us to be so severe, so outrageous, that we had simply had to write one of those articles that breaks our rule about โ€œwhat the world thinks of the Basquesโ€ and cover our indignation at what we read in the local press.

To make a long story short, the Administrative Chamber of the Supreme Court of Navarre has ratified that the Zazpiak Bat coat of arms that is painted on the wall of this cityโ€™s frontรณn must be painted over, because its presence proves a position in favor of a certain political position that violates the public authoritiesโ€™ duty for neutrality.

This surprises us, because they never had a problem living with the symbols left over from the Franco dictatorship that โ€œgracedโ€ the Courthouse where the offices of the leading magistrates were located, including the President, the Secretary of the Government, and the Social and Civil Courts after they were remodeled in 2010.  As the Naiz newspaper stated, โ€œThe Courthouse is a modern building (erected in 1996), and the panel had to be moved from its former location.  The work is given the title โ€œNational Chamber of Pamplona,โ€ which was its name before it was titled โ€œSupreme Court of Navarre.โ€

Fotografiฬa que presentoฬ EH Bildu como prueba documental de la existencia simbologiฬa franquista. (NAIZ)
Photograph presented by EH Bildu as documented proof of the existence of Francoist symbols. (NAIZ)

Upon reading all this, we recalled one of the more popular definitions of that term, โ€œNew Christian.โ€  It reflects the idea that those whoโ€™ve most recently converted are sometimes the most intransigent and radical when it comes to applying the religion theyโ€™ve adopted.  That way, no one doubts theyโ€™re โ€œtrue believers.โ€

In this case, though, weโ€™re not dealing with any newly-coverted people, but rather a centralizing and monotonous concept of State, the Jacobin.  So, in order to show off what good Jacobins they are, they always fight to go beyond their teachers, the French unitary republicans.

We donโ€™t know if this court has ever had a position that wasnโ€™t in favor of a certain political position, which therefore violates the principle of neutrality that must be demanded of all political powers like these.

They forget that, by definition, most of the political powersโ€™ acts are determined by political positions, from the definition of where the funds in the General Budget are to go to, to the use of the budget to finance the fiestas in any small town in the country.  We also have the court sentences that are not neutral, because, among other reasons, the laws, as well as the people who write and interpret them, are not neutral, either.  This can be seen in this sentence, which as a profound political and ideological load.

Why do we say that the students are trying so hard to go beyond their teachers in order to prove that they have โ€œconvertedโ€ to the Jacobine โ€œfaithโ€?

Because of many things that weโ€™ve been blogging about over the years, all of which can help us understand this sentence better.

The birth of โ€œZazpiak Batโ€

To start with, the Zazpiak Bat was born in the Northern Basque Country at the end of the 19th century, before the Basque nationalist movement had really gotten off the ground.  You can read more about it here:

The Pioneers of the โ€œBasque Renaissanceโ€ in the Northern Basque Country

This coat of arms was created to represent the whole of the Basque Country, a cultural, historical, and linguistic concept that had existed in Basque society for centuries.  It far predates the Napoleonic Code and the French administrative structures that were copied by the (so-called) โ€œliberalsโ€ who created the Spanish State starting in 1812.

Just like the Northern Basques did not resign themselves to the loss of their liberties which were being stolen by the Jacobins, the Southern Basques also put up a fight.  But thatโ€™s a story that goes far beyond Zazpiak Bat.

A Zazpiak Bat on a French warship

Why are we so sure of that?  Because that what the French authorities themselves have shown us; specifically, in the French navy.  If the Zazpiak Bat exclusively had the meaning that so worries the Navarrese court, it would not have been possible for a French warship to carry it as a symbol.

Weโ€™re referring to the BSM Garonne, a French logistical support ship that was put into service in 1965 and which was sunk 100 km (60 mi) off the island of Rรฉunion on October 9, 2003.

Tampion of the โ€˜BSM Garonneโ€™

This shipโ€™s colors and tampion were the coats of arms of Guyenne, an old region in France with its capital at Bordeaux, Gascony, and, surprise, surprise, the Zazpiak Bat with its six quarterings representing Navarre, Gipuzkoa, Biscay, Alava, Labourd, and Soule.

So you can see, what was to the Jacobin students a โ€œpositioning in favor of a certain political position that violates the principle of neutrality that should be demanded of public authoritiesโ€ is, for the French navy, and thereby the French government, a way to represent one part of their Republic, the one made up by the Basques.

This is a part of our country where, letโ€™s not forget, part of Navarre is also located.  Because Navarre as a whole is more than just the autonomous community of Navarre represented by this court.

Postcard of the โ€˜BSM Garonneโ€™

At the time, when we discovered this, we wrote an article with a title in which we tried to be a bit ironic about these absurd situations that are created in this kingdom of โ€œnew Christians.โ€

Might France have its eyes set on the territory of the Southern Basque Country?

Weโ€™ll leave you with the Noticias de Navarra article about this sentence, and some information from Naiz which reports on the presence of Francoist symbols.  There are rules that must be followed (like the removal of such symbols), because rules are rules.  Weโ€™re sorry for the residents of Villava-Atarrabia.


Noticias de Navarra โ€“ 5/3/2024 โ€“ Basque Country

El TSJ de Navarra obliga a Villava-Atarrabia a borrar el escudo del frontรณn que contiene siete provincias con el tรฉrmino โ€˜Euskal Herriaโ€™

El Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Navarra (TSJN) ha confirmado la sentencia que considerรณ que la colocaciรณn en el frontรณn municipal de Villava de un escudo con siete provincias y el tรฉrmino โ€˜Euskal Herriaโ€™ es โ€œuna manifestaciรณn como posicionamiento en favor de una determinada posiciรณn polรญtica que supone la vulneraciรณn del deber de neutralidad polรญtica que resulta exigible a los poderes pรบblicosโ€. UPN fue el partido que denunciรณ el caso y lo llevรณ a sede judicial.

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Naiz โ€“ 28-2-2024 โ€“ Basque Country

Aparece simbologรญa franquista en la planta del Palacio de Justicia navarro destinada a jueces

Un cartel coronado con el รกguila de San Juan y el escudo navarro con la laureada ha sido descubierta en la planta noble del Palacio de Justicia, segรบn ha indicado EH Bildu en una pregunta al Gobierno navarro. Esta simbologรญa se halla a la vista de los jueces con cargos de responsabilidad.

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Last Updated on May 17, 2024 by About Basque Country


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