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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE January 18, 2007
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| May 16, 2006 |
Bilbao, Spain – Survivors of the Gernika bombing |
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| Participants gather in the center of Gernika. |
The town of Gernika has long been a symbol of freedom and unity for the Basque people. Since the Middle Ages, the highest Basque institutional meetings have been held at the Gernika Assembly House and around the Gernika Tree. However on April 26th, 1937, Basque culture was threatened when the city was bombed by German forces. Pablo Picasso later depicted the bombing in the famous painting ”Gernika” which has become a universal symbol of the horrors of war. Today, Gernika has been fully rebuilt into a vibrant town that commemorates the past and strives for peace in the future.
“We are not just striving for peace for the Basque people, but peace for the world," said Gernika Mayor Miguel Aranza as he welcomed 30 Peace Boat participants. Drawing parallels between Gernika and Hiroshima, he said to the participants, “I hope we can work together for a bright future.” |
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| After hearing their testimonies, participants had the opportunity to talk one on one with the Gernika bombing survivors. |
After meeting with the Mayor, participants listened to the testimonies of six survivors of the Gernika bombing. Survivor Pedro Vallino described the day of the bombing. “It was a normal day. A calm day. Children were playing at school. We had no idea what was going to happen next,” he said. April 26th was a Monday, the day when merchants and farmers from all over Basque country would come in to town for the weekly market. Manoli Auillre was just a young school girl at the time. When the attack happened, she fled into the hills and hid there for hours. When she came back into town, “Everything was in flames. The sky was red and filled with smoke. I didn't know where my parents were and I was very afraid.”
The bombing came in three waves. The first wave destroyed the buildings. The 2nd burned the ruins and the 3rd wave was a direct attack on people. Planes flying overhead shot at civilians running for cover. “We didn't have anywhere to go. We slept in shelters and did whatever we could to survive through the night,” recalled survivor Louis Eriundo.
When Louis returned to Gernika two months later, the Spanish government wouldn't allow anyone to speak of the bombing. Instead they were told that the city had been burned by Republicans fleeing capture during the Spanish Civil War. “They threatened my life if I told anyone.” said Louis. Today 200 survivors remain. They continue to meet each year on April 26th to commemorate the day and discuss a future course of action. |
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| Participants on tour at the Gernika Peace Museum. |
Participants furthered their understanding of the tragedy by visiting the Gernika Peace Museum. In a small darkened room, a dramatized audio account along with graphic images of destroyed buildings transported participants to the day of the bombing. “The installation was very effective. I felt like I really experienced the bombing,” said one participant. |
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| The Gernika Tree just outside the Basque Assembly House. |
Though 70% of Gernika was destroyed in the bombing, two important symbols of Basque history survived: the Basque Assembly House and the Tree of Gernika. Later in the day participants visited the Assembly House and marveled at the elegance of the Assembly Chamber. When the rest of Europe was still living under feudalism during the 15th Century, democracy was already being practiced by the Basque citizenry in this hall. Just outside of the chamber stands the Tree of Gernika, where Basque presidents still take oath.
Peace Boat participant Ochiho Ikeda from Nagasaki, Japan shared with the survivors that after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, a similar tree survived. Today she takes pieces of the charred bark to schools throughout Japan to educate young children. She said, “I would like to one day return with a piece of that tree from Nagasaki and plant it in Gernika.”
The day ended with Peace Boat participants meeting activists from organizations striving to create peace in the Basque country today.
Resources:
Gernika Gogoratzu (Gernika Peace Association) www.gernikagogoratuz.org
Gernika-Lumo general info www.gernika-lumo.net
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