I often think of my grandfather and the impossible situation he found himself into, 80 years ago. Everything he had been living for was under the immediate threat of being exterminated. This civilian intellectual humanist had a few hours to make key decisions which, in any case, would have enormous consequences.
That moment and everything that followed must have been terrifying. And yet he acted with clarity and strength, in the chaos, not knowing what could happen next.
3 days of July, 1936
- July 18, at 5 am, General Franco starts the fascist rebellion against the Spanish Republic.
- July 19, the news of the uprising arrives in Almería.
- July 20, while my mother spends another beautiful summer in Aguadulce, my grandfather is in his office in the Governors Palace, ten kilometers away.
Eighty years ago today, Gabriel Pradal Gomez, architect, Almería congressman of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, received a major confidence.
Having given his word of honor not to tell anyone, his source, a noncommissioned officer assured him that the garrison of Almeria, including the Guardia Civil and the Carabineros, had practically rebelled and were just waiting for the right time to bring in the troops, proclaim a state of war and seize the public buildings, starting with the Civil Government.
– Tonight at the barracks of the Civil Guard one last meeting will be held, called by the military governor and head of Machine Gun Battalion No. 2. Said the man.
– If the military and right – wing mount an insurgency, I will give them a timely reply. Answered Pradal.
For the last couple of days, people from inside the province had been coming to the capital on their own initiative, but yesterday, after hearing the officer and in view of the imminent uprising and after meeting with Joaquin Alonso, geographer engineer, chief of staff and former socialist candidate, Pradal decided to convene the miners and peasants of Seron, Gador, Purchena, Benalux, Pechina, Rioja, cradles of socialist ideas, and other peoples willing to the act. The miners are tough individuals, experienced and handy with dynamite, accustomed to risk. They are making crude bombs in the House of the People, introducing the explosives in tubes, closing one end and placing metallic pins at the other. They came equipped with rafia slings to throw the bombs; In addition, it has been possible to arm them with some shotguns and pistols provided by the Assault Guards, and if necessary, they will get a few rifles. To the military force, Pradal is willing to oppose the revolutionary force of the socialist militants and other proletarians who want to collaborate with them.
Governor Don Juan Peinado Vallejo, a young gentleman of Ronda belonging to Izquierda Republicana, is too confident that nothing will happen in Almeria, where leftist dominance is overwhelming, the few members of the garrison and the right – wing elements that may be of action having been thwarted, persecuted or imprisoned. He counts with the support of Lt. Col. Isaac Llopis of the Carabineros and the Assault Guard company, but in case of an armed struggle a company will be insufficient; the army has guns and discipline. To make the situation more disconcerting, Pradal knows that a few soldiers with liberal ideas and even Masons are willing to join the rebellion in Morocco and Seville.
Gabriel Pradal and the governor Peinado Vallejo have left a meeting with the Communist deputy for Córdoba, Romero Cachinero, and other affected elements when presented with the unexpected visit of the military commander, Juan Huertas Topete, and the Lieutenant Colonel of the Civil Guard, Moscardó Vazquez. What do they want to tell the governor? Will they present an ultimatum? or, on the contrary, will they formulate a new proposition of loyalty to the government? In any case he knows what to expect.
Gabriel Pradal is a thin man, nervous with an energetic temperament, but he tries to control his character with courtly manners, while the circumstances permit it and do not require otherwise.
– Amigo Pradal, I have to talk about a sensitive issue. You are a ponderous man and I know you will understand.
He notices that the governor is worried by the the military leaders visit.
– You tell me …
– Lieutenant Colonel Huertas, as the head of the Civil Guard, which as you know, and contrary to what is happening in many other garrisons, even in Andalusia itself, remains faithful to the Government of the Republic, is extremely hurt, outraged I would say, because of the armed civilians who are patrolling the city. They have learned that in the Casa del Pueblo are being manufactured homemade bombs … It is necessary, amigo Pradal, that you put pressure on these people and order them to cease such activity, I also beg you that you make them return to their villages because their presence here, besides being unnecessary, is dangerous; the military has warned that they are not willing to tolerate such a situation.
Peinado Vallejo stares at him. Pradal swallow his saliva; He wants to reply, to respond with restraint.
– This ponderous man, is precisely he who has called the miners, and this ponderous man has given them the order to make the bombs and stay alert. I know , Mr. Governor, that the military are going to rise; they are just waiting for the opportunity, and receive the order …
3 years later, Almería would be the last Spanish province to fall into fascist hands.
Source: Interview of Gabriel Pradal by Luis Romero for his book “Tres días de Julio” (Three Days of July).
