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Gernika , Spain. September 2007. Gernika, Spain. Gernika-Lumo is a city located in the northern part of Spain, near the coast, known as the Basque Country. It is generally a very peaceful small town that minds its own business.
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Gernika, Spain September 2007
Gernika, Spain • Gernika-Lumo is a city located in the northern part of Spain, near the coast, known as the Basque Country. • It is generally a very peaceful small town that minds its own business. • It has for a long time been considered the unofficial capital of the Basque Country.
So what is the Basque Country?? • The Basque Country is a “state” of Spain and a “state” of France that holds a different culture and language than the rest of France and Spain that surrounds them. • This area speaks the language known as “Basque” (In English), “La lengua vasca” (In Spanish) and Euskera (In Basque) • The Basque language is considered to be the oldest language in Europe and they have not been able to trace it to any other languages.
An example of Basque: taken from the Universidad de Deusto website!! • Berrikuntza eta Kalitateko Errektoreordetzak, Hezkuntza Zientzien Institutuaren laguntzarekin, Berrikuntza eta Kalitateari buruzko III. Jardunaldiak antolatu ditu irailaren 17, 18an eta 19an, 'Europako Goi Mailako Hezkuntzaren Esparruan Ikasprozesua Berritzeko Jardunbide Akademiko Egokiak' izenburupean. Estatu osoko 100 irakaslek baino gehiago ari dira parte hartzen jardunaldi hauetan. Helburua hauxe da: eguneroko zereginetan burutzen dituzten jardunbide berritzaileak aurkeztea, zehazki Europako Goi Mailako Hezkuntzaren Esparru berriari begira.
Basque Country • For thousands of years, the Basque Country was allowed to practice the way they wanted and speak their own language • The kings of Spain also traveled to the Basque Country and Gernika to be “blessed” when they were crowned. • The colors of its flag are red, green and white.
Basque Country • They governed themselves also in the city of Gernika. • Because they were governed from Gernika, Gernika is considered the life of the Basque Country. • To represent this life, for a long time they have had a Tree located outside of their government building…called the Tree of Gernika. (The tree also is a huge sign of Basque Pride).
La cuidad de Gernika Government Buildings
Basque Country • So the Basque country in the past was an area that governed itself and lived peacefully. • However, in the 1930’s things started to change. New people came to office in Spain and wanted to have the Basque Country part of Spain, and make them only speak Spanish and take away there culture. • During this time Spain was part of their own Civil War in which a dictator took control of the country on April 1, 1939. His name was Francisco Franco. This civil war in Spain lasted from July 1936- April 1939.
Franco’s Terror!!!!!!!! • Francisco Franco had much power during this Civil War in Spain. • Being a dictator he was allies (in a way) with Nazi Germany. • So, Franco allowed the Nazis to practice their blitzkrieg strategies in Spain before WWII even started.
Franco’s Terror!!! • Franco couldn’t officially bind himself and Spain with the Axis Powers during WWII because Spain had just finished a terrible Civil War, which destroyed the country, so during WWII, Spain was neutral. • However, Franco didn’t care if the Nazis practiced their maneuvers on helpless cities in Spain, especially on areas that were resisting him, like the Basque Country.
The bombing of Gernika • In the morning of April 26, 1937, The Nazis of Germany performed one of its first aerial maneuvers on the civilian city of Gernika, in the Basque Country. • The idea was to give the Nazis practice, but also to destroy the tree of Gernika and the heart of the Basque people.
Video of the Bombing of Gernika • http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi2727871257/
The legacy of Gernika-Lumo • In the end, el arbol de Gernika was never destroyed and to this day Basque Pride boasts throughout all of the Basque Country. • People however will never forget that day, more than two years before WWII even started!!!
In Response to the Bomberdeo de Gernika • Many people were absolutely outraged by what happened in Gernika • One was Pablo Picasso • Soon after the bombing, he painted a painting called “Guernica” in which he depicts what is must have been like to live through this horrible tragedy in Gernika. • Personally, I think it does!!!
La obra de “Guernica” por Pablo Picasso • Guernica is an immense black and white, 3.5 metre (11 ft) tall and 7.8 metre (23 ft) wide mural painted in oil. • The mural presents a scene of death, violence, brutality, suffering, and helplessness without portraying their immediate causes. • However, it is sort of obvious because of its name and the fact that it occurred after the bombing of Gernika
La obra de “Guernica” por Pablo Picasso • The choice to paint in black and white contrasts with the intensity of the scene depicted and invokes the immediacy of a newspaper photograph. • It reminds you of a a photograph in a newspaper. • Guernica depicts suffering people, animals, and buildings wrenched by violence and chaos. • Now housed in El Museo Nacional Reina Sofia in Madrid, Spain. Even though it was Picasso’s dream to have it in El Museo Prado.
La obra de “Guernica” de Picasso • Por favor, escribe 5 frases en ingles o espanol sobre “Que piensas sobre la obra de Guernica?”