Spanish Civil War Memory Project

Summary

Antonio Nieto was born in Cadíz. Antonio recounts that his father was persecuted for participating in the Communist Party in Sevilla. He details his childhood experiences living in poverty. Antonio remembers that Francoist authorities revoked his parents' custody of their children and placed him in a Catholic institution where he was indoctrinated with Francoist values. He speaks of serving in the military and moving to Barcelona afterward to be with his family. Antonio explains how his political consciousness began evolving after listening to Radio España Independiente "La Pirenaica" (Radio Independent Spain) and the Albanian Radio Tirana. He recalls joining the Communist Party of Spain (Marxist-Leninist) and the Frente Revolucionario Antifascista y Patriota (Revolutionary Anti-Fascist and Patriotic Front) in 1970. Antonio narrates his participation in meetings, workers' strikes, demonstrations, propaganda production, and more radical actions. He relates that in 1974, he was arrested, tortured, and sentenced to eighteen years in prison for his political militancy. Antonio describes his experiences in the Modelo and Segovia prisons. He notes meeting political prisoners from the Partit Socialista Unificat de Catalunya (Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia) there. Antonio tells of receiving support from Socorro Rojo. He comments that in 1977, he received amnesty and was released from prison. Antonio discusses how he remained politically active after his release, lived under a false identity, and tried to reintegrate into society