Emotion, that is the feeling that invaded yesterday San Francisco Cemetery. This Sunday, on the occasion of April 14, around 70 people gathered in this place to remember the republicans who died during the Civil War and the subsequent dictatorship Francoist
The event began with the demand by Amigos da República that the San Francisco Cemetery and Campo de Aragón be recognized as places of democratic memory and that the latter be renamed Plaza da República. Subsequently, The names of the 141 victims were read reprisals by the Franco regime in Ourense. After that, the verses of the song “Los Olvidados”, by Pedro Pastor Guerra, and a poem by Claudio Rodríguez Fer were read. To finish, those present sang the Galician Anthem accompanying the music band.
This event has great meaning for those attending, as demonstrated yesterday by Celia Suárez, who despite being over 90 years old and needing a walker to be able to move, did not miss the event. “It is an exciting day, with many memories, it is very difficult for me to come, but it is worth itI got emotional and cried because I knew many of those named, and I also had very persecuted relatives”, he confessed yesterday.
In this line, Manuel Sueiro expressed himself yesterday, for whom Republic Day means “a day of freedom, of memory, of remembrance, my grandfather escaped, an uncle of mine died in the war, which was stupid and terrible, typical of the fascists who do nothing but kill people all over the world. It is very important to remember our dead and give them life forever”. For Javier Fernández, Republic Day is “a day of remembrance of the people who suffered and fought for freedoms and the interesting things in life.” Despite not having family members who fought on the republican side and did fight on the national side, he fights for the Republic because “I seek freedom, justice and beauty, the things that life, properly understood, gives us.”
For her part, María Teresa Villa lived a “very emotional day because I belong to a very retaliated family, my mother lost three brothers, and it revives a special feeling and memory in me.” In the case of José María Concheiro, April 14 is “the memory of a life that could have been better.” because the momentum that Spanish and Galician society had at that time was cut off by the roots.”
Alba Iglesias, socialist councilor, assured that “within the DNA of the PSOE, we are republicans and we do not believe in the Bourbon dynasty or any other dynasty,” although she does not trust being able to live in a Republic.
