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“Ernstes un Heiteres von S/88, Ic/A.O. In Spanien (1937-1939)”: memoirs and anecdotes of the staff of the Condor Legion [1939

Date
1939
Archive
National Archive of Catalonia
Document type
Textual
Reference code
ANC1-756-T-211
Link to the online document
Description

This collection of memories and anecdotes from the headquarters of the Condor Legion, published in 1939, offers an inside view of the German intervention in the Spanish Civil War. The Condor Legion, sent by the Nazi regime, played a decisive role in Franco’s victory, especially in aerial bombings such as that of Gernika. This document, written in a light and anecdotal tone, contrasts with the seriousness of the events it describes, and shows how the protagonists justified or trivialized their participation. It is a valuable source for understanding the mentality of the German military and the complicity between Nazism and Francoism. It also reminds us how the memory of war can be manipulated to legitimize violence.