The Knife that Still Divides: The Papers of Salamanca and the Heritage of Spain’s Civil War in the 21st Century

• In Event: Art and Antiquities Trafficking

Abstract

One of the most important attacks to the cultural heritage of Catalonia during the Spanish Civil War was the appropriation of the archives from the Generalitat (the Catalan government), seized by Franco’s troops, among many other documents of people and institutions not akin to the
general’s regime. While these works have tremendous historical value and attempts have been made for their return to Catalonia, little has been transferred to its legitimate owners. This paper introduces the case of the archives of Salamanca and discusses, by means of a conflict criminological framework, how the impact of a 73 year old conflict is still being felt in the relationship between Catalonia and Spain. The presentation traces the genesis of the case, presents the ongoing dispute and analyzes the policies enacted and their consequences through the lens of Quinney’s vision of conflict theory.

Author

• Marc Balcells, John Jay College of Criminal Justice