Introduction
Spanish Civil War. 30 May 1937. Sunday. Off the coast of Malgrat, a Francoist submarine sinks the Ciudad de Barcelona, taking members of the International Brigades from Marseilles to Barcelona. The survivors get help from the people of Malgrat. The ship lies at the bottom of the sea. Years later, under the Franco regime, it will be stripped of its iron.
Eighty-five years after the sinking, we are going to inaugurate Solidarity Park, a monument created by the English sculptor Rob MacDonald and made possible thanks to community participation and municipal support. A monument that seeks to perpetuate the memory of a historical event, the history of the brigaders who came here, which has been reconstructed thanks to the research carried out in recent years.
History never ends. The history of the Ciudad de Barcelona allows us to get closer to the past, to our past, to everyone’s past. It is an arrival point and also an end point. The selfless participation of people and groups from all over the world makes us think that.
Thank you to all those who make this series of events possible, which, as you will see, includes the participation of students and teachers from schools in various towns and cities, choirs from all over the world, a historical re-enactment group, research organisations and others. Above all, we would like to thank the relatives of the Ciudad de Barcelona brigaders who will be accompanying us.
Events and activities
Friday 27 May
11.00
Official welcome from the local authority and representatives of historical memory recovery associations and organisations.
Where: Torre de la Vídua de Can Sala Gardens and Municipal Archives
11.30
School students meet relatives of some of the brigaders. Participating schools include Escoles Fonlladosa, Institut Ramon Turró, Institut Escola Lloret de Mar, and Escola Vedruna. Conny Dahmen will represent her students from the Johann-Gottfried-Herder-Gymnasium, a secondary school in Cologne, Germany.
18.00
Talk “International Brigades and Multilingualism“, by Lourdes Prades and Ramon Naya.
Where: Torre de la Vídua de Can Sala Gardens and Municipal Archives.
19.00
Opening of the exhibitions: “International Brigades and Multilingualism” and “Designing the Portholes for Solidarity Park”.
“International Brigades and Multilingualism”.
This exhibition aims to show how such a mixed multilingual community, and for such a short period of time, together lived through and survived a war. Despite the diversity of languages and cultures that might have separated them, there was a common denominator among all its members: the commitment to fight for an ideal. The will to achieve that helped them to overcome the language barrier. As the brigaders themselves said: “We speak different languages but the same tongue”.
Exhibition curators: Ramon Naya and Lourdes Prades
With the support of SIDBRINT and Pavelló de la República / Contemporary Section (University of Barcelona)
“Designing the Portholes for Solidarity Park”.
This exhibition is part of the Portholes community project, carried out within the educational framework of Solidarity Park. It consists of a selection of the portholes designed by secondary school students that will be part of the Solidarity Park monument. There will be an opportunity to vote for the designs that will be added to the monument next year. Students from the following schools have taken part in the project: Institut Martí Pous in Barcelona, La Salle in Montcada, Johann-Gottfried-Herder-Gymnasium in Cologne, Institut Ramon Turró in Malgrat, Institut Escola Lloret de Mar, Escoles Fonlladosa and Escola Vedruna.
The exhibitions will be open from 27 May until 3 July. Opening times: Monday to Friday, from 10.00 to 14.00. Sundays from 11.00 to 13.30. Saturdays closed
Where: Sala Joaquim Garriga i Riera Municipal Archives.
19.30
Farewell speech by “La Pasionaria”
La Voz Ahogada Projecte Escènic Association will perform the farewell speech given by Dolores Ibarruri, “La Pasionaria”, during the farewell to the International Brigaders in Barcelona in 1938.
Where: Torre de la Vídua de Can Sala Gardens and Municipal Archives
20.30
Inauguration of the exhibition “History, Art and Process at Solidarity Park in Images“.
Exhibition designed by the sculptor Rob MacDonald with images and artwork showing the wider participation in the Solidarity Park project.
Where: Ateneu Popular “El Rovell”.
21.30
Concert with Sergio & Núria
Sergio & Núria are a duo who perform covers of the great classics and typical songs of various genres from every era, specially selected for all audiences.
Where: Ateneu Popular “El Rovell”.
Saturday 28 May
10.00-12.00
Historical memory associations and organisations fair.
With the participation of the following historical memory associations, research group and theatre company: Amical de les Brigades Internacionals de Catalunya, Associació Catalana d’Expressos Polítics de Catalunya, Associació La Voz Ahogada Projecte Escènic, Grup de Recerca de Memòria Històrica de Mataró, Amical Antics Guerrillers de Catalunya, Amical de Mauthausen.
Where: Torre de la Vídua de Can Sala Gardens and Municipal Archives
11.00
Living Museum of the Rearguard during the Civil War.
The historical re-enactment group XV Brigada Mixta will perform scenes from everyday life during the Civil War and show what part of the medical care given to survivors of the sinking of the Ciudad de Barcelona was like.
Where: Torre de la Vídua de Can Sala Gardens and Municipal Archives
12.00
Presentation of the book Les aigües de l’oblit. Una història dels brigadistes internacionals del Ciudad de Barcelona, by the historian Sònia Garangou Tarrés.
Speakers: Josep Maria Crosas (Municipal Archives) and the author.
Where: Torre de la Vídua de Can Sala Gardens and Municipal Archives.
16.00
Historical memory associations and organisations fair
17.00
Choral music concert.
With the participation of the following choirs: Coral Atzavara (Malgrat de Mar), Coral Contrapunt (Malgrat de Mar), Coral Si Bemoll (Malgrat de Mar), Coral Arsnova (Lloret de Mar), Coral Roig Encès (Barcelona), Coral dels Iaioflautes (Barcelona), Le Cri du Choeur (Toulouse), Reclaim with Song (Sweden), Zbor Praksa (Croatia), Didcot Red Kites (England), Cor Cochion (Wales).
Where: Torre de la Vídua de Can Sala Gardens and Municipal Archives.
20.00
Communal supper
Bread and tomato with sausage and a glass of wine.
Solidarity ticket: €3.
Where: Torre de la Vídua de Can Sala Gardens and Municipal Archives.
21.00
Folk music and protest song concert
“Saco e Vanzetti” reclaim the singer-songwriter music linked with protest and the struggle for social rights.
Where: Torre de la Vídua de Can Sala Gardens and Municipal Archives.
Sunday 29 May
11.00
Inauguration of Solidarity Park
Presentation by Mireia Serrano and Assumpta Mercader. The inauguration will be attended by relatives of international brigaders, Rob MacDonald, and local authority, Catalan government and historical memory organisation representatives. There will also be a musical performance by various international and local choirs.
Where: Solidarity Park monument on Passeig de Mar, in front of the train station.
13.30
Fraternal lunch to close the Festival.
Where: Hotel Papi
Price: €12
Monday 30 May
Floral tribute
During the day relatives of the brigaders will lay flowers at the Solidarity Park monument.
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Solidarity Park 