Studia Historica: Historia Contemporánea (Jun 2017)
A time of silence? Concierges, neighbours and encouraging denunciation in occupied Madrid
Abstract
Throughout the Spanish Civil War, the military rebels continued to learn from the ongoing struggle while they put in place mechanisms that suited the fierce pacification and lasting control of larger towns and cities. The occupation of large cities proved to be a major challenge that required, amongst other things, refining the techniques used to gather information. Amidst these efforts —and closely linked to the military justice system— during the occupation of Madrid trustworthy neighbours and the concierges of every building were forced to make statements in which they were specifically asked to provide information about their neighbours. This article first outlines the mechanisms deployed by the military occupation machinery both to facilitate and force the collaboration of the population. We maintain that this context of widespread coercion and violence needs to be factored-in to fully comprehend accusatory practices. The article offers a micro-analytical approach to the statements and accusations issued in a particular street of Madrid, with a particular focus on variables such as the gender and occupation of those involved, as well as the types of incidents reported or the information provided about the perceived culprits. Finally, a number of accusations made in one building of the same street, and the impact they had on the neighbourhood, are closely analysed using the aforementioned statements and the military court proceedings that ensued. This paper sheds light on several relatively neglected aspects of the history of Madrid such as the military occupation and the subsequent post-war period. It also marks an original contribution to recent debates over popular collaboration with Francoist violence through a painstaking analysis of these issues in a context of urban military occupation.
