Spanish Civil War Memory Project

Summary

Antonio Martín Martín was born in Sevilla in 1929. Antonio recounts that in 1936, he and his family witnessed the Falangists takeover Sevilla's municipal council and occupy Palma del Río. He discusses his family's right-wing political affiliation, specifically his uncles' participation in the repression, and explains that he rejected the Right after witnessing a shooting in his neighborhood. Antonio attended a Jesuit school in Málaga. He recalls his experience there as being completely isolated, especially in terms of the news received regarding World War II. Antonio studied law at the University of Zaragoza and focused on investigating the rights and laws under the dictatorship. After graduating he worked in Menorca in 1955, Mallorca in 1957, and Barcelona in 1959. He describes his work in Barcelona, which involved collaborating with various political parties and labor groups, such as Juventud Obrera Cristiana (Christian Labor Youth), Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya (Socialists' Party of Catalonia), Partit Socialista Unificat de Catalunya (Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia), and Front Obrer de Catalunya (Labor Front of Catalonia). Antonio characterizes his work as a fight for workers' rights and against the Francoist regime through legal and institutional processes. He details a number of cases on which he worked, as well as projects related to the Barracas de Montjuïc. Antonio outlines his participation in clandestine meetings until the end of the dictatorship