BLOOD OF SPAIN

by Ronald Fraser

Conversations taped between June 1973 and May 1975 with more than three hundred survivors of the Spanish Civil War provide a chronological account of the fratricidal struggle, which brought violence and desperation to every family in Spain

Genres: History, Spain, Spanish Civil War, Politics, Nonfiction, War, World War II

628 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Ronald Angus Fraser (9 December 1930 – 10 February 2012) was a British historian noted for his oral histories and in particular for Blood Of Spain: An Oral History of the Spanish Civil War, his oral history of the Spanish Civil War.

Born in Hamburg to an upper-middle class British father and wealthy American mother, Fraser was educated at boarding school in England and the USA and undertook further studies in Switzerland and France. He chronicled his upbringing in his oral history In Search of a Past (1984), in which interviews with the servants at his family's Berkshire country house served as a counterpoint to his own memories. Fraser spent five years as a correspondent with Reuters in Brussels, The Hague and London before moving to Spain in 1957 to become a full-time writer.

Fraser was one of the pioneers of oral history in the 1960s and '70s, most notably with In Hiding: The Life of Manuel Cortes: The Life of Manuel Cortes (1972) and Blood Of Spain: An Oral History of the Spanish Civil War (1979). His book Napoleon's Cursed War: Popular Resistance in the Spanish Peninsular War, 1808-1814 (2008) applied his experience of oral history to traditional archival sources.

Fraser's friendship with André Gorz led to his involvement with the New Left Review from the early 1960s. He was a lifelong socialist and at his death a senior member of the New Left Trust. He was a founder of New Left Books, the parent company of publisher Verso Books.

Reviews

[Bob Newman]

Great work of research, but a confusing kaleidoscope

I confess that I did not finish this book about the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39. Unless you are a history scholar intent on details, incredible details, this tome is going to prove too complex to read. It’s an oral history, well, maybe I could amend that to “self-styled oral history”, because the actual words of a vast number of survivors and participants are overlaid by a vast number of words by the author. It’s often confusing as to who is speaking, a Spanish observer or the author. The details of the many political parties and groups (in initials), the bobbing back and forth from location to location and time to time, make this a most painful job. I couldn’t last the course. I take my hat off to the author for his amazing research job, but wish that he had tried to arrange the data in a more readable fashion, perhaps by putting all the information of each informant together, instead of splitting it up. You cannot remember the dozens and dozens of names of interviewees that appear and disappear.

I am not awarding any stars because I didn’t finish the book. For a more positive review, please check the one by Rowland Pasaribu, who obviously had more patience and probably a deeper interest than I.

[Rowland Pasaribu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Spanish civil war is, for me, the great tragedy of twentieth century history. In quantitative horror it pales beside the Holocaust and many other events, but it has all the classical elements of tragedy: a combination of inevitableness and contingency, the gradual closing of possibilities, and human and organisational flaws aplenty. And it is not one tragedy but many: the failure of the social revolution and its destruction by the communists; the dilemmas of the Basque and Catalan bourgeoisie, caught between the military and the social revolution; the folly of Non-Intervention; innumerable personal tragedies; and the final obliteration of hopes and aspirations, of plans and alternatives, beneath the grim tide of Francoism.

Blood of Spain succeeds better than anything else I have read on the civil war in capturing these tragedies. Formal histories lack immediacy, while personal accounts offer only a single perspective; Blood of Spain is an oral history of the war built around the memories and stories of hundreds of people from all political allegiances and all walks of life — combatants and non-combatants, men and women, rich and poor. It joins short segments of direct quotation with narrative links to produce personal accounts of individual episodes; these are supplemented with quotations from newspapers, laws, and political texts. The result captures something of how the war affected those caught up in it and what they felt and thought — some individuals are followed throughout the war — but individual accounts are also grouped so as to place key events and themes within a broader perspective.

Rather than trying to cover the whole country, Fraser concentrates on particular areas: Madrid, Catalonia and Barcelona, Seville and Andalusia, Asturias/Vizcaya, and Old Castile. Otherwise, Blood of Spain covers the whole sweep of the war, from the first uprising in July 1936 through to the end at Alicante and the fate of the conquered (and the conquerors) in the immediate aftermath of the war. It closes with fifty pages of material in the same style on the "points of rupture" during the years leading up to the civil war — land, religion and the petit bourgeoisie, Catalan and Basque nationalism, the relationship of the libertarians (anarchists) to the Republic and of the communists to the Popular Front, and the role of the army.

Blood of Spain is an ideal complement to a more traditional history of the civil war, but it could be read by itself, even as an introduction for the reader totally unfamiliar with the war. Sections of chronological narrative and summaries of the history and background provide links between the personal accounts, and the volume has a good set of maps, a chronology, a glossary of Spanish terms, and a list of organisations. Blood of Spain is one of the most effective works of oral history I have read and one of the best books on the Spanish Civil War.

[fonz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impresionante y exhaustivo relato de la guerra civil española en el que debe ser no sólo el mejor ensayo que se haya escrito sobre el conflicto, si no que, además, seguramente sea el mejor que se ha escrito sobre la España del siglo XX. Es decir, si sólo quieres leer un libro acerca de los males endémicos que llevamos arrastrando desde el siglo XIX, que sea este.

El libro toma la forma de relato cronológico de los acontecimientos de la guerra en el que se insertan testimonios de los participantes de todo tipo de ideología y extracción social, de los que lucharon y de los que quedaron en retaguardia, de los políticos, los sindicalistas, militares, falangistas, cenetistas, vascos, catalanes, castellanos, hombres, mujeres y un cura un poco hijoputa. Dada la enorme complejidad del tema, se presentan multitud de ideas muy interesantes sobre las circunstancias que condujeron a la guerra y el carácter de la misma. La tesis central de la obra es que el conflicto civil español fue una guerra de clases en nombre de los valores eternos de España; el mantenimiento del orden social, la protección de la propiedad privada, la sacrosanta unidad de la Patria y el catolicismo militante que aportaba la base ideológica a las clases dominantes (¿les suena de algún partido facha de rabiosa actualidad?). El objetivo era acabar de una vez por todas con el movimiento de emancipación obrera que tenía a la burguesía acojonada desde principios de siglo. Una burguesía incapaz de crear un estado y democracia liberales a la europea que modernizaran social y económicamente el país y que ante las huelgas y revueltas de la clase obrera se aferró a los militares para que restauraran el Orden anterior a la República, aniquilando el movimiento obrero mediante el Terror sistemático en las zonas tomadas por los nacionales primero y la brutal represión de postguerra después.

Me han resultado particularmente interesantes las páginas dedicadas a la revolución obrera y las colectivizaciones tanto de la industria como del campo. Se cometieron muchos errores, excesos y crímenes por parte de una masa obrera y de jornaleros, que, a excepción de los comunistas, apenas tenían formación ideológica y entre los que se integraron muchos arribistas. Pero en los casos en los que las colectividades funcionaron sin coacciones, como en las colectividades agrarias socialistas, hasta emociona un poco, por como la gente se comprometió con una visión"utópica" (jódete, Mike Resnick) y porque entre el relato de estas colectividades y ciertas ideas anarquistas que aparecen en el libro, como la destrucción del Estado y la vertebración del territorio en municipios, uno acaba por darse cuenta de que hay un camino real para escapar del capitalismo, y que se intentó nada menos que en España en las circunstancias más difíciles.

Finalmente señalar que el libro abunda en fascinantes anécdotas, desde lo emotivo a lo tremebundo pasando por lo directamente humorístico, e, incluso, aporta jugosos cotilleos involuntarios, como el emotivo reencuentro en Burgos, zona nacional, de don Carrero Blanco con su joven vecino de Madrid, un Jesús de Polanco niño. Odio la palabra de marras pero esta vez sí; imprescindible.

[Bryce Galloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

(p29) Re books of the Spanish Civil War, 'one area has remained unarticulated: the subjective, a spectrum of the lived experiences of people who participated in the events. This is the purpose of the present book [...] Oral history, as conceived here, is an attempt to reveal the intangible 'atmosphere' of events…'

(p31/32) 'Sometimes […] an assertion of fact that is demonstrably untrue constitutes part of the atmosphere; in this case it is left to stand but, in one way or another, its validity is challenged shortly afterwards…'

A surprise when I get into the body of the book, as the interviews, rather than being transcribed verbatim, have been woven into a complex third person narrative. I must admit, I’m disappointed not to be immersed in the vernacular, but as I read on, I realise that regional complexities and the many many factions represented need to be woven together contextually. A masterful juggling.

In 1931 a Spanish Republic was established after the deposition of King Alfonso XIII. Over the next 5 years increasing divisions formed between conservatives (fascists, royalists, the church, church-going rural peasantry) and liberals (pro Republic socialists, communists and anarcho-syndicalists). The divisions fractured into a full-blown civil war in 1936 with the military siding with the anti-Republic conservatives.

A complex story with so many moving parts that I’m constantly trying to figure out the left/right allegiances of every group, faction, union that is mentioned. Fourty different groups are indexed immediately after the books intro.

P260/261, Describes the May ’36 republican defence of Madrid
'My mother got a bit of firewood and a few litres of oil; she was prepared to boil it and pour it on the enemy soldiers’ heads if they came in…'

The communists are determined to promote their cause through it all. Many come to resent the posters of Stalin and Lenin polluting their popular workers’ revolt but voice their disgust quietly as only the USSR are supplying the Popular Front with arms. Some commentators assert that in trying to usurp the anarcho-syndicalists, the communists fail to harness the true popular revolt. Those on left remain divided as to whether it should be a case of win the war first and then make revolution of the capitalist system or whether the two must happen hand in hand.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

On top of the masterfully edited, and arranged interviews this book offers all the support one needs to understand the historical context, and time line properly.

Words cannot do this book justice. Not only did it help me in the insurmountable task of gaining some reasonable understanding about the Spanish Civil War, but it also immersed me into the world at the time. This is a book that I have read twice-over the first time around, almost everything paragraph in it was worth re-reading, almost every testimony. It is absolutely fascinating to see the contrasts between the views of young peasants who went fight for the fascists, and the determined idealists anarchists; no two types of people could be more different than these two.

All I have to say to prospective readers is that everything is more complicated than you think. And this book presents an infinitely more nuanced view than George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia.

To my fellow anarchists I say that you should read this book, to see that ultimately the communists played a much smaller role in the ultimate failure of the revolution—ofttimes they were a definite force for good—than a lot of you are insisting. To fascists, and liberals I say that you should read this book to learn that the people have such a latent potential for revolt that one day you will find yourselves in a completely different world.

This is probably a book that I'll have to re-read several times.

[Solomon J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique story telling of history. Also a great philosophical or political thought book.

[Alex Stern · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compared to other books about the Spanish Civil War, this book is not that great (or easy) to read. However, one could argue that this is not a book about the Spanish Civil War, but rather a book about the people's relationships to the war. The author's efforts to compile a plethora of memories and perceptions from Spaniards into a "mini archive" is certainly evidenced by their extensive research and is nonetheless impressive.

[Fernando Pachón Cárdeno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una historia de la guerra civil enfocada de una manera muy original: a través de los ojos de sus testigos. En resumen, este libro es una recopilación de varias entrevistas a personas que vivieron la guerra en distintas circustancias. Lo más notable es que la práctica totalidad son personas "anónimas", nada de grandes nombres ni altos puestos de responsabilidad, personas comprometidas pero que se atreven a dar sus propias visiones aunque puedan contradecir aquellos relatos hegemónicos en sus propios campos porque ya no deben cuentas a nadie.

Absténgase de leerlo quien venga buscando un libro sobre testimonios de trincheras y batallas porque el objeto de este libro es, sobre todo, la retaguardia, la vida cotidiana y los procesos políticos y sociales que tuvieron lugar en ambos campos de la contienda; la experiencia de aquellos que lo vivieron todo.

El único problema, y es gordo, es que no la presentación de los testimonios no es en forma de transcripción sino que el autor trata de darle un pequeño giro más literario y recurre con frecuencia al parafraseo, lo que provoca que muchas veces no está claro si lo escrito es la opinión del autor sobre los hechos o el testimonio, si es la opinión del entrevistado, si es alguna clase de recurso retórico... problema que se magnifica cuando a lo largo del texto el único elemento cohesionador es la sucesión de hechos sin mucha interpretación más allá de las primeras páginas de introducción, lo que limita un poco el presente trabajo haciendo que sea un ejercicio interesante y valioso de otras maneras de hacer la Historia pero sin mucho interés en cuanto a interpretaciones del conflicto si el lector está familiarizado con este hecho histórico.

[Micah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best book I've read on the conflict so far, although I don't know if I'd recommend it as an introduction. . . . the vignettes are very cleverly connected but they are still essentially vignettes. The texture of events is of course vividly reproduced, and instead of being told, for example, "such-and-such industry was collectivized, such-and-such committee was formed," one really sees and understands how such things take place in the most concrete way.

There is a lot of material on Madrid and Barcelona, which is normal, but also large sections on the northern front, and the rather ignominious role of the PNV, for example. For the most part Fraser lets his interviewees speak for themselves, but of course in many subtle and explicit ways he is advancing some analysis. Overall the book strikes me as a little soft on the Communists (Fraser is extremely impressed by their organization of the defense of Madrid and is willing to let that overshadow all their skullduggery), who certainly deserve as much criticism as the CNT. Nevertheless, it is all very thoughtful and the stakes and mistakes are accurately portrayed.

[Mánas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so well written. Despite being complex and long, it's compelling. The author has done a huge amount of research, which is presented in a narrative style.

This is one of the best books I've read on the Spanish Civil War. It's not the best for newcomers to the topic, but there is enough context to help them. Its strongest point is that this is a history from a Spanish perspective. Whereas so much of the English historiography focuses on the International Brigades, George Orwell and the like, this book gives an insight of people's lived experiences. I felt this helped me understand the political situation far better than other, more technical, books.

The author draws on accounts of participants from most major factions. This is really helpful in understanding the coalition of ideologies which made up each side in the war.

Excellent book - I'm surprised it isn't as well known as others.

[Luis Frauca remacha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an oral History of the Spanish civil war, as experienced by individual militants and combatants on both sides....as well as other individuals trapped in the middle. It's a very vivid account of this tragedy that shaped the future of Spain for the coming decades.... and whose consequences we could arguably say are still present. Some chapters are highly valuable, as those describing the experiment of collectivization in some regions of Spain at the beginning of the war, whose failures were also the sediment of internal disputes at the republican side.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're ready for the realities of why so many people in Spain supported the conservative Nationalists as opposed to the democratic liberals of the elected Spanish Republic or the revolutionary anarchists, read BLOOD OF SPAIN.

[Gunblaze · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's a lot to be said about this "oral history", and the fact I put oral history in quotes would tell you how well it fulfills that role.

I'm going to be reading "Collectives in the Spanish Revolution" by Gaston Leval, hopefully will be better than this.

[Max Hiznay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A harrowing and tragic recounting of this brutal war. A must read for any historian of the Spanish Civil War.

[Victor Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is obvious from the reviews that this book is now read infrequently, despite the addition of an ebook in 2012. What's it about? The title tells you everything, so it is close to 600 pages of oral history. An amazing achievement, but maybe only of interest for those who wish to learn more about the Civil War. It is not an easy read, but worth persevering with if you have the enthusiasm, and occasionally there are nuggets of theatre. The lighter anecdotes are often associated with the attempts to form and operate the "collectives", which depended on people's honesty and integrity. Some hope. The more sombre ones relate to the summary executions of hundreds of people in many cases just because of their name, or even more distressingly of where they happened to be standing at the time the prospective victims were collected. In the end you might have a better idea of why it all happened, particularly, we should remember, because these are in the main first hand accounts recorded in the 1970s and now the contributors will mostly, like Roland Fraser himself, no longer be with us. There are those who say that the 700 years of Muslim rule in Spain, put the country that far back in the quest for civilisation, so all of this should have happened about 500 years ago. The scars of the war are still evident here (I live in Spain) but hopefully they are beginning to fade.

[Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

While interspersed with analysis and context, as an oral history Blood of Spain does a good job of allowing participants in the Spanish Civil War to speak for themselves. An extremely important book.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's very detailed, not hard to understand, and covers practically everything in the Spanish Civil War without being too biased.
This was a great help for one of my History projects. I recommend it. :)

[Philip Lee]

This has to be one of the key books for anyone studying the Spanish Civil War. Fraser concentrates on how the war affected ordinary people. In terms of background research, outside of Spain itself, he is perhaps the leading authority. He writes well, too.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Spanish Civil War is interesting, even if you don't like history.

[Dan William · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad, determined, a wirlpool of hope and death. A feel good book for facists. Another what might have been for the rest of us.




love, love,,, love is all you need?

[Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brings the full tragedy of the Spanish Civil War to life. It features the stories and heartache of the real people affected by the politics of the time. Essential reading.

[Pippa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredibly useful and intelligent book, bringing together oral accounts of people in all sorts of positions, with varying perspectives.

[Joseph Navarro · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful book on the events leading up and during the Spanish Civil War. The narrative uses real press releases, eyewitness accounts and testimonials creating a unique read.

[Tess · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant oral history of the Spanish Civil War. Gives a very personal understanding of the experiences and politics of the different participants.

[John Robinson]

Big fan of all things Spanish Civil War, and this book is a must for anyone with an interest in one of the most fascinating (to me, anyway) conflicts of the 20th century. It is not, however, a really good introduction to the SCW. For that, I'd recommend Hugh Thomas's eponymous work, which is still the best English language work on the subject after fifty plus years (there's probably something better in Spanish) or Richard Rhodes's Hell and Good Company if you want a slightly more modern take on the war. As oral histories go, though, I'd rank this up there with The Good War on scope. Buy it for yourself or your family history buff today. Or get it from your local library if they have a copy.