The Camp de concentration d'Argelès-sur-Mer was an internment camp established in early February 1939[1] on the territory of the French commune of Argelès-sur-Mer for Spanish Republican refugees. Some of the refugees were retreating members of the Spanish Republican Army(Ejército Popular Republicano) in the Northeast of Spain in the last months of the Spanish Civil War.
Last area under Republican control after the Fall of Catalonia in February 1939. French authorities would not allow Spanish Republican military units to be transferred to this zone after having entered France.
The camp at Argelès received more than 100,000 Spanish men and women, of both civilian and military backgrounds.[3] The latter were the remainder of the Eastern Region Army Group(GERO) that crossed the border following the Fall of Barcelona and the Retirada – the desperate withdrawal of long civilian and military columns towards the French border at the end of the FrancoistCatalonia Offensive.[4] All refugees were disarmed and arrested upon entering France.[5]
Republican military leaders such as Modesto, commander of the 4th Division and Líster, commander of the 11th Division of the elite V Army Corps, had first seen the retreat to France of the remainder of the Ebro Army as part of a tactical evacuation, with the aim of regrouping these units with the remaining units of the last area under Republican control in order to continue the resistance.[6] The French government, however, would not allow the Republican units that crossed the border to be transferred to the remaining Spanish Republican territory. All the veteran survivors of the 11th Division, together with all Republican military, were disarmed and swiftly interned in French concentration camps immediately after crossing its border.[7]
The conditions were very poor in this concentration camp, there were no latrines, running water, huts or any kind of shelter, apart from holes in the ground dug by inmates. Food was thrown over the wire into the compound by French officials and Republican doctors were not allowed supplies or equipment.[8] Diseases were prevalent. The guards would bring around petroleum baths to combat the infestations of fleas and lice. Efforts to encourage the refugees to return to Spain were common. The concentration camps were very large and poorly run. People died of hypothermia, disease, or despair. It was common to see dead bodies piled up and left in the open in areas throughout the camp.
The French government went on to found internment camps all along the northern foot of the Pyrenees to relieve the grim conditions at Argelès. Many refugees ended up confined in those camps, e.g. Gurs internment camp.
Commemorative monument for the survivors of the retirada (retreat).
Inscription on the commemorative monument on the northern beach of Argelès-sur-Mer:
A la mémoire des 100.000 Républicains Espagnols, internés dans le camp d'Argelès, lors de la RETIRADA de Février 1939. Leur malheur: avoir lutté pour défendre la Démocratie et la République contre le fascisme en Espagne de 1936 à 1939. Homme libre, souviens toi.
In memory of the 100.000 Spanish republicans, interned in the Camp of Argelès, during the RETIRADA in February 1939. Their disgrace: having fought for defending democracy and the republic against fascism in Spain from 1936 to 1939. Free Men, remember them.
(A la memoria de los 100.000 republicanos españoles, internados en el campo de Argelès, tras la RETIRADA de febrero de 1939. Su desgracia: haber luchado para defender la Democracia y la República contra el fascismo en España de 1936 a 1939. Hombre libre, acuérdate.)[10]
References
^Szajkowski, Zosa (1966) "Argelès-sur-Mer" Analytical Franco-Jewish Gazetteer, 1939-1945 privately published, New York, p. 245, OCLC 150466938
Espinar, Jaime (1940) "Argelés-sur-mer": Campo de Concentración para Españoles Editorial "Elite", Caracas, Venezuela, OCLC 39325331; available on microfiche OCLC 156061478, in Spanish
Ferrer Rodriguez, Eulalio (1987) Entre Alambradas: Diario de los campos de concentracion Pangea, Mexico City, ISBN968-6177-14-0, in Spanish
Garcia, John Andres (2008) "The International Brigades and the Refugee Camps of the south of France" Manning Clark House Inc., Forrest, Australia,
MacMaster, Neil and Granda, David (1990) Spanish Fighters: An oral history of civil war and exile St. Martin's Press, New York, ISBN0-333-51021-6
Stephen, Walter M. (2001) La Retirada: Sixty Years on at Argeles Hills of Home, Edinburgh, Scotland, OCLC 47272024
External links
Capa, Robert (1939) International Center of Photography. Retrieved 2010-09-23.
camp, concentration, argelès, internment, camp, established, early, february, 1939, territory, french, commune, argelès, spanish, republican, refugees, some, refugees, were, retreating, members, spanish, republican, army, ejército, popular, republicano, northe. The Camp de concentration d Argeles sur Mer was an internment camp established in early February 1939 1 on the territory of the French commune of Argeles sur Mer for Spanish Republican refugees Some of the refugees were retreating members of the Spanish Republican Army Ejercito Popular Republicano in the Northeast of Spain in the last months of the Spanish Civil War Contents 1 Description 2 Notable prisoners 3 Commemoration 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksDescription Edit Last area under Republican control after the Fall of Catalonia in February 1939 French authorities would not allow Spanish Republican military units to be transferred to this zone after having entered France The camp was located near the Mediterranean coast at the foot of the northern side of the Albera Massif in Roussillon 8 km north of the French Spanish border 2 The camp at Argeles received more than 100 000 Spanish men and women of both civilian and military backgrounds 3 The latter were the remainder of the Eastern Region Army Group GERO that crossed the border following the Fall of Barcelona and the Retirada the desperate withdrawal of long civilian and military columns towards the French border at the end of the Francoist Catalonia Offensive 4 All refugees were disarmed and arrested upon entering France 5 Republican military leaders such as Modesto commander of the 4th Division and Lister commander of the 11th Division of the elite V Army Corps had first seen the retreat to France of the remainder of the Ebro Army as part of a tactical evacuation with the aim of regrouping these units with the remaining units of the last area under Republican control in order to continue the resistance 6 The French government however would not allow the Republican units that crossed the border to be transferred to the remaining Spanish Republican territory All the veteran survivors of the 11th Division together with all Republican military were disarmed and swiftly interned in French concentration camps immediately after crossing its border 7 The conditions were very poor in this concentration camp there were no latrines running water huts or any kind of shelter apart from holes in the ground dug by inmates Food was thrown over the wire into the compound by French officials and Republican doctors were not allowed supplies or equipment 8 Diseases were prevalent The guards would bring around petroleum baths to combat the infestations of fleas and lice Efforts to encourage the refugees to return to Spain were common The concentration camps were very large and poorly run People died of hypothermia disease or despair It was common to see dead bodies piled up and left in the open in areas throughout the camp The French government went on to found internment camps all along the northern foot of the Pyrenees to relieve the grim conditions at Argeles Many refugees ended up confined in those camps e g Gurs internment camp Notable prisoners EditMarcel Langer member of the international brigades later in World War II a hero of the French Resistance in Toulouse where he was guillotined on 23 July 1943 Diego Camacho pen name Abel Paz Spanish writer and novelist Ruben Ruiz Ibarruri son of Spanish Communist leader Dolores Ibarruri La Pasionaria Vicente Ferrer Moncho Joaquim Amat Piniella Catalan writer Peko Dapcevic Yugoslav partisan Arthur Adamov 23 August 1908 15 March 1970 playwright one of the foremost exponents of the Theatre of the Absurd Andres Garcia La Calle Commander of the fighter units of the Spanish Republican Air Force Josep Bartoli Catalan artist 9 Commemoration Edit Commemorative monument for the survivors of the retirada retreat Inscription on the commemorative monument on the northern beach of Argeles sur Mer A la memoire des 100 000 Republicains Espagnols internes dans le camp d Argeles lors de la RETIRADA de Fevrier 1939 Leur malheur avoir lutte pour defendre la Democratie et la Republique contre le fascisme en Espagne de 1936 a 1939 Homme libre souviens toi In memory of the 100 000 Spanish republicans interned in the Camp of Argeles during the RETIRADA in February 1939 Their disgrace having fought for defending democracy and the republic against fascism in Spain from 1936 to 1939 Free Men remember them A la memoria de los 100 000 republicanos espanoles internados en el campo de Argeles tras la RETIRADA de febrero de 1939 Su desgracia haber luchado para defender la Democracia y la Republica contra el fascismo en Espana de 1936 a 1939 Hombre libre acuerdate 10 References Edit Szajkowski Zosa 1966 Argeles sur Mer Analytical Franco Jewish Gazetteer 1939 1945 privately published New York p 245 OCLC 150466938 GoogleEarth Corazon Helado de 1939 Los exilios republicanos Hugh Thomas 1976 Historia de la Guerra Civil Espanola Circulo de Lectores Barcelona P 946ISBN 84 226 0874 X Salas Larrazabal 2006 Historia del Ejercito Popular de la Republica La Esfera de los Libros S L ISBN 84 9734 465 0 Salas Larrazabal 2001 p 2237 Hugh Thomas 1976 p 943 Beevor Antony 2001 The Spanish Civil War London Cassell Military Paperbacks p 394 ISBN 0 304 35840 1 Garrido Manuel 9 February 2021 Josep Bartoli el dibujante de los campos de concentracion Castellon Plaza in Spanish NODO 50 Actos en Argeles sur MerFurther reading EditEspinar Jaime 1940 Argeles sur mer Campo de Concentracion para Espanoles Editorial Elite Caracas Venezuela OCLC 39325331 available on microfiche OCLC 156061478 in Spanish Ferrer Rodriguez Eulalio 1987 Entre Alambradas Diario de los campos de concentracion Pangea Mexico City ISBN 968 6177 14 0 in Spanish Garcia John Andres 2008 The International Brigades and the Refugee Camps of the south of France Manning Clark House Inc Forrest Australia 1 MacMaster Neil and Granda David 1990 Spanish Fighters An oral history of civil war and exile St Martin s Press New York ISBN 0 333 51021 6 Stephen Walter M 2001 La Retirada Sixty Years on at Argeles Hills of Home Edinburgh Scotland OCLC 47272024External links EditArgeles sur Mer Internment Camp Photographs Capa Robert 1939 International Center of Photography Retrieved 2010 09 23 Coordinates 42 34 30 N 3 02 43 E 42 575 N 3 04528 E 42 575 3 04528 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Camp de concentration d 27Argeles sur Mer amp oldid 1081293825, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
