Guardian

The cult of memory: when history does more harm than good

Metaculus

Newsweek

Spain is Finally Ready To Break the Pact of Silence over its Fascist Past

Reuters

Spain Proposes Declassifying Secret Franco Era Files 2025 07 22

<h2>Editor's Note</h2>

Spain's government introduced a bill Tuesday, proposed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, to declassify all state documents over 45 years old, which would include information on the Francisco Franco dictatorship and replace the outdated classification system dating back to his 1939–1975 rule.

Barron's

Spain's government introduced a bill Tuesday, proposed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, to declassify all state documents over 45 years old, which would include information on the Francisco Franco dictatorship and replace the outdated classification system dating back to his 1939–1975 rule.

Franco ruled Spain as a dictator from the conclusion of the Spanish Civil War to his death in 1975, when Spain transitioned to democracy. Declassification could shed light on the regime's relationship with Nazi Germany and the locations of mass graves, among other events.

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Franco ruled Spain as a dictator from the conclusion of the Spanish Civil War to his death in 1975, when Spain transitioned to democracy. Declassification could shed light on the regime's relationship with Nazi Germany and the locations of mass graves, among other events.

The law would permit documents labeled "secret" to be released after 45 years, "confidential" after seven to nine years and "restricted" after four to five years. Extensions are set only to be granted if there are national security issues, and "Highly classified" documents will remain secret for 60 years.

Olive Press News Spain

The law would permit documents labeled "secret" to be released after 45 years, "confidential" after seven to nine years and "restricted" after four to five years. Extensions are set only to be granted if there are national security issues, and "Highly classified" documents will remain secret for 60 years.

The law will also prevent the classification of documents related to alleged human rights abuses, which are set to receive priority for disclosure if the bill becomes law. If approved by the Congress of Deputies, the law could take effect by 2026.

Spain in English

The law will also prevent the classification of documents related to alleged human rights abuses, which are set to receive priority for disclosure if the bill becomes law. If approved by the Congress of Deputies, the law could take effect by 2026.

Justice Minister Felix Bolanos has said that the release of any Francoist files would be gradual, while the Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory has called for documents related to the Catholic Church and monarchy to be included as well.

Justice Minister Felix Bolanos has said that the release of any Francoist files would be gradual, while the Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory has called for documents related to the Catholic Church and monarchy to be included as well.

Bolanos said the law will bring Spain in line with "European standards." Since coming to power in 2018, Sanchez has exhumed the grave of Franco and oversaw the passage of a 2022 law that banned expressing support for him.

Bolanos said the law will bring Spain in line with "European standards." Since coming to power in 2018, Sanchez has exhumed the grave of Franco and oversaw the passage of a 2022 law that banned expressing support for him.

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Bolanos said that the law will bring Spain in line with "European standards." Since coming to power in 2018, Sanchez has exhumed the grave of Franco and oversaw the passage of a 2022 law which banned expressing support for him.

Bolanos said that the law will bring Spain in line with "European standards." Since coming to power in 2018, Sanchez has exhumed the grave of Franco and oversaw the passage of a 2022 law which banned expressing support for him.

Spain has long been haunted by the shadow of a brutal dictatorship, and it is time for the country to start slowly peeling back the facade erected by the Franco regime and their enablers. This is only the beginning of true reconciliation, which must also involve finally giving justice to Franco's victims. The upsurge in nostalgic support for Francoism could be stopped if its ugly truth could be revealed.

Spain has long been haunted by the shadow of a brutal dictatorship, and it is time for the country to start slowly peeling back the facade erected by the Franco regime and their enablers. This is only the beginning of true reconciliation, which must also involve finally giving justice to Franco's victims. The upsurge in nostalgic support for Francoism could be stopped if its ugly truth could be revealed.

Newsweek #

Worldcrunch

Worldcrunch #

Franco Dictatorship Revisionism

Spain cannot move forward if it remains fixated on the past. The horrors of the Spanish Civil War, perpetuated by fighters on the left and on the right, and the excesses of the regime that won the war cannot be litigated endlessly. The  "pact of forgetting" broke the cycle of political violence and made democracy possible. Cults of memory has fueled as much violence as it has peace around the world.

Spain cannot move forward if it remains fixated on the past. The horrors of the Spanish Civil War, perpetuated by fighters on the left and on the right, and the excesses of the regime that won the war cannot be litigated endlessly. The "pact of forgetting" broke the cycle of political violence and made democracy possible. Cults of memory has fueled as much violence as it has peace around the world.

Guardian #

Chroniclesmagazine

Righting History

Spain Proposes Overhaul of Franco-Era Secrets Law

Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images

Spain Proposes Overhaul of Franco-Era Secrets Law

Freedom & human rights

Information disclosure

Spain

While many of Franco's actions can and should be condemned, the socialist regimes that preceded and succeded him, including the current Sanchez government, have been either just as bad or rewritten history to make the right look worse. Late 20th-century historians have worked in tandem with liberal European governments to portray every right-wing government as evil and left-wing governments as saintly. History should be written by truth seekers, not politicians.

While many of Franco's actions can and should be condemned, the socialist regimes that preceded and succeded him, including the current Sanchez government, have been either just as bad or rewritten history to make the right look worse. Late 20th-century historians have worked in tandem with liberal European governments to portray every right-wing government as evil and left-wing governments as saintly. History should be written by truth seekers, not politicians.

Spain Proposes Overhaul of Franco-Era Secrets Law

Spain Proposes Overhaul of Franco-Era Secrets Law

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Spain Proposes Overhaul of Franco-Era Secrets Law

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