By 1930, failure of the Spanish economy, governmental corruption and a military coup favouring a republic, led to the resignation of the ‘mild dictator’; Miguel Primo de Rivera, who died shortly after in exile. The subsequent 1931 general election returned a left-wing republican government and Spain experienced an all-too-brief period of democracy. Strident in its approach, the government set about to implement a wide-ranging set of reforms aimed at creating a fairer and secular (modern) state. Forced land purchase and redistribution to the poor, compulsory free education, civil marriage and divorce pleased intellectuals and the poor – but scared elites, landowners and the church. For the next five years Spain flipped-flopped between left- and right-wing governments, until matters escalated in 1936 with the burning of churches and pitched street battles between opposing factions. The political situation triggered the long-planned military coup of Generals Mola and Franco on 18 July 1936. It failed, and the Spanish Civil War commenced; pitching nationalist and republican sympathisers against each other throughout the country. Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia were the main republican strongholds.
Parc del Oeste was the frontline of the Battle for Madrid between October 1936 and 28 March 1939, when Franco’s troops entered the city. It’s steep and undulating terrain helped the defence of the city, in particular disabling the Italian-supplied tanks.
Today, the parc is a favourite of Madrilenos for its mature plantings, running routes and sculptures – plus several reminders of the civil war left in situ.
Featured image: Acro de la Victoria: relic of Franco’s Madrid built in 1956 and towering over Parc del Oeste today
(c) photos Essential History