CMTGS LOVE THE SPANISH SAYING “REPEAT LIES AND SOMETHING WILL STAY”, AND ONE OF THOSE LIES THEY CONSTANTLY REPEAT IS THAT CONSPIRACIES DO NOT EXIST. HOWEVER, THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THERE ARE EXAMPLES OF REAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH CONSPIRACIES. OF COURSE THE ONES WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE TRY AS MUCH AS THEY CAN TO DENY ITS EXISTENCE. ANOTHER LIE WORTH MENTIONING IS THE RELATIVISM OF THE HARM DONE IN GERNIKA (THE BASQUE COUNTRY) BY FRANCO TROOPS ON 26 APRIL 1937, SINCE IT´S A FACT IT WAS SADISM WHAT WAS EXECUTED IN GERNIKA AT THAT TIME. EVEN DON AURELIO ORTIZ, NOTARY IN GERNIKA ON 27 APRIL 1937, WHO WAS IMPARTIAL, WAS ANGRY AND FULLY CONDEMNED ALL THAT BARBARISM.
CMTGS DATE BACK TO THE TIMES BEFORE JESUS CHRIST WAS BORN. CMTGS´ MODUS OPERANDI IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY WAS THE SAME AS THOSE WHO LIVED BEFORE JESUS CHRIST´S TIME AND THE SAME AS THE ONES AROUND US TODAY. 20TH CENTURY CMTGS KILLED PEOPLE, AND USED INSULTS IN ORDER TO TELL LIES ABOUT THE ONES WHO WERE HONEST AND HAD A STRONG FAITH IN GOD. THE SAME HAPPENED WITH JESUS CHRIST. MANY JEWS INSULTED JESUS CHRIST SAYING MANY LIES ABOUT HIM. FOR EXAMPLE, “THE NEWSPAPER EUZKADI ON APRIL 28, 1937 SHOWED HOW RADIO SALAMANCA SAID THE FOLLOWING LIES OF THE PRESIDENT OF EUZKADI JOSE ANTONIO DE AGUIRRE: “IT´S NOT THE 1ST TIME AGUIRRE LIES… AGUIRRE DECLARED TODAY FOREIGN AIR FORCES SERVING IN FRANCO´S TROOPS, BOMBED GERNIKA BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO HURT BASQUE PEOPLE DEEPLY. AGUIRRE LIES. HE LIES AND HE KNOWS IT WELL. FIRST, THERE´S NEITHER GERMAN AIR FORCE NOR FOREIGN ONE IN SPAIN. SECOND, GERNIKA WAS NOT BURNT BY US. FRANCO´S SPAIN DOES NOT BURN ANYTHING. WE´RE TALKING ABOUT A MONOPOLY OF THE ONES WHO BURNT IRUN AND EIBAR. WE KNOW AGUIRRE KNOWS HE LIES, LIKE WHAT HE IS, A COMMON CROOK. NOT ONLY DID WE RESPECT GERNIKA FOR WHAT IT IS, WE RESPECTED IT, YOU HONEST BASQUE PEOPLE, AS WE RESPECT ALL THAT IS SPAIN. FRANCO´S ARMY DOESN´T BURN ANYTHING. THE BASQUE COUNTRY KNOWS WE RESPECT THEM AND THEIR TRADITIONS. FRANCO´S SPAIN DOES NOT BURN ANYTHING” (BOMBAS Y MENTIRAS SOBRE GERNIKA. CASTOR DE URIARTE AGUIRREAMALLOA).
THE WRITER CASTOR DE URIARTE AGUIRREAMALLOA RIGHTFULLY STATED ALL THOSE SENTENCES ABOVE SAID ON RADIO SALAMANCA ABOUT THE PRESIDENT OF EUZKADI AND GERNIKA WERE TOTALLY FALSE AND A SERIOUS INSULT TO ANYONE. THEREFORE, RADIO SALAMANCA, APRIL 28, 1937, SAID LIES ABOUT JOSE ANTONIO DE AGUIRRE, AND ALSO LIED WHEN THEY SAID THERE WASN´T NEITHER GERMAN AIR FORCE NOR FOREIGN ONE IN SPAIN WHEN THERE´S PLENTY OF EVIDENCE WHEN WE SIMPLY MENTION GOERING AND SPERRIE (CHIEF OF THE LEGION CONDOR), BOTH NAZIS EXECUTED AT NUREMBERG.
SINCE CMTGS ARE LOSERS AND COWARDS THEY ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO CONTACT PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN FEEL STRONGER. LET´S IMAGINE CMTGS WERE THE ONES BEHIND GERNIKA´S APRIL 1937 BOMBING, AND LET´S IMAGINE CMTGS CONTACTED MOORS TO BE PART OF FRANCO´S ARMY. THOSE MOORS AFFRONTED THE PORCH OF ST. MARY OF GERNIKA, GETTING DIRTY THE HOLY WATER FONTS AND LATER ON ASKING BASQUE WOMEN TO CLEAN SUCH BLESSED WATER RECEPTACLES.
“THE NIGHT OF 26 APRIL 1937 BOMBS WERE DROPPED ON DIFFERENT PLACES IN GERNIKA. IT WAS THE 1ST WAR REHEARSAL BUT IN ORDER TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY THEY WENT ON SHOOTING PEOPLE THERE WHO WERE REALLY FRIGHTENED AND WERE FLEEING GERNIKA BY THE RAILROAD TRACKS. THIS WAY THEY KILLED PEDRO DE ZABALAURTENA´S GIRLFRIEND AND HIS SISTER WHEN THEY WERE FLEEING GERNIKA BY THE RAILROAD TRACK, IN FRONT OF ST. AUGUSTINE SCHOOL. THEY ALSO KILLED A YOUNG MAN BY THE SURNAME OF ARRILLAGA FROM ELGOIBAR, WHEN HE WAS TALKING TO SOME PEASANTS IN THE MEADOW, IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH OF GAUTEGUIZ IN ARTEAGA (4 KMS FROM GERNIKA). THAT SADISM WAS ALL EXECUTED BY HITLER PILOTS” (BOMBAS Y MENTIRAS SOBRE GERNIKA. CASTOR DE URIARTE AGUIRREAMALLOA).
WHY DID HITLER PILOTS KILL THOSE PEOPLE FLEEING ELGOIBAR AND OTHER PLACES? LET´S IMAGINE CMTGS BRIBED HITLER TO HARM THE BASQUE COUNTRY. WHY? LET´S IMAGINE CMTGS COULD NOT BEAR THE FACT BASQUE PEOPLE, BASQUE POLITICIANS HAD THE POWER OF A REALLY STRONG FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, AND THAT TOGETHER WITH THEIR GOOD ACTS GRANTED THEM THE BASQUE ESTATUTE, SOMETHING CMTGS DID NOT HAVE, SINCE THEY WERE FROM A DIFFERENT PROVINCE. WHY DIDN´T HITLER PILOTS BOMBARD THE MORTAR, GRENADE AND HANDGUN FACTORIES IN GERNIKA? WAS IT BECAUSE HITLER PILOTS WANTED TO USE ALL THOSE THEMSELVES?
HERE ARE SOME FACTS BACKING UP THE IDEA OF SOME ENVIOUS PEOPLE WHO ASKED THE GERMANS TO DO SOME DIRTY JOB AGAINST GERNIKA. LET´S IMAGINE THE ONES BEHIND GERNIKA´S DESTRUCTION WERE CMTGS.
1. “THE SOCIETY OF GERNIKA, WHICH LATER ON BECAME THE SECONDARY HIGH SCHOOL “CARMELO ECHEGARAY”, WAS DESTROYED TOGETHER WITH OTHER POLITICAL AND LEISURE CIRCLES IN THE VILLAGE.
2.THE OLD FRONTON OF GERNIKA WAS ALSO DESTROYED.
3.SOME FOUL-MOUTHED ONES STARTED TO TELL LIES ABOUT THE BASQUE GOVERNMENT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE SWEARING UNDER OATH OF JOSE ANTONIO DE AGUIRRE, BEFORE THE TREE OF GERNIKA. THEY WERE IMPRISONED BUT SOON WERE FREED AGAIN ONCE FRANCO´S TROOPS CAME NEAR GERNIKA “(BOMBAS Y MENTIRAS SOBRE GERNIKA. CASTOR DE URIARTE AGUIRREAMALLOA).
“THE FOLLOWING DATA IS TAKEN FROM THE BROCHURE LA CASA DE JUNTAS DE GERNIKA BY CARMELO DE ECHEGARAY AND FROM ENSAYO HISTORICO AND APUNTES PARA LA HISTORIA DE GERNIKA BY LUCAS DE ALTUBE Y ALBIZ :
“IN THE 1826 GENERAL COMMITTEE THE DEMOLITION OF THE HERMITAGE WAS AGREED UPON, AND ALSO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SACRISTY WHICH SERVED AS FILE, RECONSTRUCTED IN 1668 WITH THE GOAL OF PUTTING UP A NEW BUILDING IN THE SAME PLACE AS A LOVE TESTIMONY FROM THE PEOPLE WHO LOOKED BACK AT MEMORIES THAT PLACE BROUGHT BACK. THAT PLACE HAD BEEN THE LOCATION FOR SOLVING SO MANY DIFFICULT BUSINESSES WHICH POSED A THREAT TO THE FREEDOM AND PROSPERITY OF THE ESTATE. THE PROJECT WHICH WAS BACKED AND THEN PASSED WAS CREATED BY THE ARQUITECT ANTONIO DE ECHEBARRIA AND ITS WORK STARTED IN 1826. THEY BEGAN TO BUILD THE LOUNGE OR CHAPEL WHERE THE COMMITTEES WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE IN 1828. IN 1833 THE COMMITTEES WERE FINISHED BUT THE CIVIL WAR SUDDENLY CAME UP. THIS CIVIL WAR BLOODED BIZKAIA´S FIELDS FROM 1833 TO 1839, AND BE THAT BECAUSE OF THIS REASON OR BECAUSE WITH WHAT THEY HAD ALREADY BUILT THERE WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR NEEDS AT THAT POINT, THE FACT IS THE HOUSE ENDED UP INCOMPLETE AND WITHOUT THE LATERAL NORTH BODY, UNLIKE ANTONIO DE ECHEVARRIA HAD CONCEIVED IT. THE HOUSE´S FACADE LOOKS THE SYMBOLIC TREE´S WAY, SINCE THAT TREE SYMBOLIZES BIZKAIA´S INSTITUTIONS AND BIZKAIA´S FREEDOM. IT´S A NEOCLASSIC BUILDING, AND AT THAT TIME THAT NEOCLASSIC STYLE WAS MAINLY SEEN ON RELEVANT CIVIL BUILDINGS. ON ITS CENTRAL BODY THERE IS A DORIC COLUMN THROUGH WHICH PEOPLE ENTERED THE LOUNGE WHERE THE COMMITTEES OF THE “FUEROS” GOT TOGETHER. THE ARMS OF THE ESTATE CAN BE SEEN ON THE FRONT, … AND ON THE WALLS SURROUNDING THE LOUNGE THERE WERE PORTRAITS OF THE SIRS OF BIZKAIA, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING ACCORDING TO WHOM HISTORY PROVIDES US WITH, TO 1379, TO THE INFANTE JUAN WHO WAS ALREADY SIR OF BIZKAIA AND INHERITED THE CROWN, AND SO FROM THEN ON BOTH TITLES COINCIDED IN THE SAME PERSON. OVER THOSE PORTRAITS AND BETWEEN THESE HALL WINDOWS THERE ARE SOME INSCRIPTIONS WHICH REMIND US OF THE DATES WHEN 4 MONARCHS FROM CASTILE CAME TO BIZKAIA TO SWEAR UNDER OATH THE “FUEROS”. BESIDE THE 6 STAINED GLASS WINDOWS THERE IS ONE MORE LOCATED ON THE ALTAR, WHERE THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS WHICH FINALLY CAME TO BUILD THE BIZKAIA COAT OF ARMS, AND ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OVER THE ENTRANCE DOOR OF THE LOUNGE THERE´S A BAD CANVAS COPY OF FRANCISCO MENDIETA, WHICH REPRESENTS THE OATH OF THE “FUEROS” OF BIZKAIA BY FERNANDO THE CATHOLIC. THE ORIGINAL ONE IS IN ONE OF THE HALLS OF THE PALACE OF ITS EXCELLENCY THE COUNCIL OF BIZKAIA. SUCH OATH TOOK PLACE 30 JULY 1476, CONFIRMING THE “FUEROS”, PRIVILEGES, FRANCHISES AND FREEDOMS OF THE KNIGHTS OF THE ESTATE OF BIZKAIA. OVER THE PICTURE WHICH REPRESENTS THAT OATH OF FERDINAND THE CATHOLIC THERE´S A BIGGER ONE OF THE OATH OF THE “FUEROS” BY JUAN ZURIA, BY THE PAINTER ANSELMO DE GUINEA”.
THE FOLLOWING FACTS HAPPENED IN GERNIKA BETWEEN 18 JULY 1936 AND 26 APRIL 1937:
1. “ONE IMPORTANT EVENT TOOK PLACE DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME AND WAS THE APPROVAL OF THE REPUBLIC IN MADRID BY THE SPANISH PARLIAMENT 1 OCTOBER 1936, OF THE BASQUE STATUTE, IN A HISTORIC SESSION, WITH AN AWSOME SPEECH OF THE BASQUE DEPUTY JOSE ANTONIO AGUIRRE, EMBRACED WITH VIVID SIGNS OF RESPECT AND AFFECTION BY ALL THE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, AS IT WAS POINTED OUT BACK THEN IN THE NEWSPAPER EUZKADI, WHERE THEY SAID HE CONFIRMED CHRISTIANISM, THE SPIRIT OF FREEDOM AND THE HIGHLY SOCIAL SENSE OF THE PATRIOTIC BASQUE ORGANIZATION. SUCH BASQUE STATUTE HAD 14 ARTICLES AND 4 TRANSITORY DISPOSITIONS.
2. JOSE ANTONIO DE AGUIRRE´S SPEECH INCLUDED SOME OF THE FOLLOWING KEY IDEAS:
2.1. “GENTLEMEN, DEPUTIES: GIVEN THE SITUATION OUR POSITION IS CLEAR: FIGHTING FASCISM BY MEANS OF DEMOCRACY AS WE WERE NATIONALISM PLACED ITSELF NEXT TO DEMOCRACY AND OUR FREEDOM”.
2.2. “WE´RE FACING IMPERIALISM AND FASCISM THANKS TO OUR CHRISTIAN SPIRIT, OUR CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES…WHY DID JESUS CHRIST COME TO THIS WORLD?, WAS IT BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST WANTED TO HELP THE RICH OR RATHER TO HELP THE POOR? BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR WE CHOOSE THE HUMBLE ONE, THE DOWNTOWN PEOPLE. SINCE WE ALL COME FROM THERE WE FIGHT FOR THEM. THIS IS OUR WAY OF THINKING, THIS IS OUR FAITH AND BASQUE NATIONALISM WILL BE ALIVE UP TO THE POINT FASCISM IS OVER”.
“A PROLONGED OVATION OF THE DEPUTIES ALL STANDING UP FOLLOWED UP JOSE ANTONIO DE AGUIRRE´S SPEECH AND THIS OVATION WAS REPEATED TWICE. BRAVELY, AGUIRRE CONFESSED THE FERVENT CATHOLICISM OF THE BASQUE PEOPLE IN FRONT OF THAT PACK OF FURIOUS HOUNDS, ENEMIES OF ALL KINDS OF RELIGIOUS FEELINGS, AND CENSORED THE BURNING OF CONVENTS AND THE PERSECUTION OF CERTAIN PEOPLE… FINALLY, THERE WAS A PARADE OF ABOUT TWO THOUSAND SOLDIERS OF THE EUSKO GUDAROSTEA, CARRYING THE BASQUE FLAG AND THE FLAGS OF BIZKAIA, NABARRA, ARABA AND GIPUZKOA.
3.GERNIKA KNEW OF THE HORRORS PERPETRATED BY FRANCO AND GENERAL MOLA DUE TO THE GIPUZKOA REFUGEES´ TESTIMONIES FROM GIPUZKOA WHO WERE HOUSED IN MANY HOUSES IN THE VILLA, AND ALSO FROM THE HORRORS WHICH TOOK PLACE IN NABARRA, EARLIER THAN IN GIPUZKOA”.
“IN THE NEWSPAPER EUZKADI ON 30 APRIL 1937 THE FOLLOWING DECLARATION APPEARED:
“TO THE CIVILIZED WORLD. DECLARATIONS OF THE BASQUE GOVERNMENT. GIVEN THE CYNICISM OF THE FOREIGN FASCIST CRIMINALS WHO ARE SPREADING THEIR VANDALISM WITHOUT PRECEDENTS, THE BASQUE GOVERNMENT FULLY RATIFIES THE NOTE GIVEN YESTERDAY BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT ON THE DESTRUCTION OF BASQUE CITIES BY AIRCRAFTS SERVING FRANCO AND ALSO GIVEN THE INCONCEIVABLE FACT THAT REBELLIOUS SPANIARDS INSIST ON THEIR YESTERDAY´S OFFICIAL REPORT, NOTIFIED BY THE GENERAL HEADQUARTERS IN SALAMANCA, TELLING ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF GERNIKA AND OTHER VILLAGES AS IF IT HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT BY EXTREMIST ELEMENTS WHICH EXISTED IN THIS GOVERNMENT´S TERRITORY, INFORMATION AND OPINION WHICH WAS MAINTAINED AND RATIFIED BY RADIO BERLIN IN TODAY´S BROADCAST AT 10:00 A.M., WE APPEAL TO THE CIVILIZED WORLD IN GENERAL, AND TO ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN THE EMPIRE OF TRUTH AND JUSTICE SO THAT THEY GO AHEAD AND CHECK THESE FACTS… OUR DOORS ARE OPEN TO ANYONE SO THAT THESE ACTS OF TRUE BARBARISM WHICH THE BASQUE COUNTRY WAS SUBJECTED TO WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF ITS CITIES AND WITH THE ACTIVE AND DIRECT INTERVENTION OF SOME FOREIGN NATIONS IN IT ARE INVESTIGATED AS JUSTICE RULES” (BOMBAS Y MENTIRAS SOBRE GERNIKA. CASTOR DE URIARTE AGUIRREAMALLOA).
NO MATTER THE MANY BOMBINGS DROPPED BY THE GERMAN AND ITALIANS OVER GERNIKA THE FOLLOWING PLACES REMAINED INTACT. GIVEN THE FACT GERMANS WANTED TO GET A DATA BASE ON THE TESTING OF SUCH BOMBS WHY DID THEY CHOOSE GERNIKA? WAS THE GERMAN EAGERNESS FOR SUCH TESTING THE PERFECT EXCUSE FOR CMTGS (THE ONES WHO GAVE THE WORST OF ADVICE TO FRANCO) TO HARM THE BASQUE COUNTRY? THE BASQUE ESTATUTE MEANT FAITH PLUS POWER, AND LET´S IMAGINE CMTGS COULDN´T STOMACH FAITH. WHY? CMTGS IGNORE FAITH, MOCK FAITH AND CAN´T STAND THE ONES WHO HAVE IT. LET´S IMAGINE BASQUE FAITH WAS THE KEY BEHIND THE BOMBINGS IN GERNIKA. THE POWER OF FAITH IN GOD WAS SUCH THAT IT BROUGHT PROTECTION OVER THE FOLLOWING PLACES:
1. THE HOUSE OF THE COMMITTEES.
2. THE TREE OF FREEDOM.
3. THE CHURCH OF ST. MARY OF GERNIKA, WHICH WAS SAVED OF THE BURNING THANK TO THE HEROISM OF THE FIREFIGHTERS OF BILBO.
4. THEY BOMBARDED THE WAR MATERIAL FACTORY IN ZAMUDIO. HOWEVER, THEY COULD NOT DESTROY IT SINCE THE FACTORY WAS PROTECTED BY SEVERAL LAYERS OF ARMED CONCRETE ON THE TOP FLOORS.
EVERYTHING AROUND THESE 4 PLACES WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. AS COINCIDENCES DON´T EXIST WE CAN SAY THE STRONG BASQUE FAITH IN GOD WON GOD OVER GRANTING GERNIKA WITH THE PROTECTION OF THOSE 3 BASQUE HISTORIC MONUMENTS.
CMTGS ARE EXPERTS ON MANIPULATION. THEY ALWAYS TRY TO TURN A VICTIM INTO AN EXECUTIONER, AND THEY THEMSELVES, AFTER PERPETRATING THE MOST HORRIBLE ACTS, MAKE EFFORTS TO PRETEND THEY´RE GOOD AND RELIABLE SO THAT NOONE CAN EVEN THINK OF THEM AS A POSSIBLE CANDIDATE FOR SUCH EVIL DEEDS. THE FOLLOWING FACTS ARE ONLY SOME OF WHICH DEPICT PRECISELY THE TOUGH MANIPULATION GERNIKA SUFFERED IN 1937:
1. THE NEWSPAPER EUZKADI MAY 5, 1937, MENTIONED THESE LINES BY THE MAJOR OF GERNIKA:
“NO, A THOUSAND TIMES, NO! GERNIKA WAS NOT BURNT BY OUR BRAVE AND SELF-SACRIFICING BASQUE SOLDIERS. IF THE OATH I´M ABOUT TO SWEAR UNDER AS MAJOR AND AS A CHRISTIAN CAN BE OF SOME VALUE I SWEAR IN FRONT OF GOD AND OF EVERYONE THE DESTRUCTION OF SUCH PLACES IN GERNIKA WAS EXCLUSIVELY DONE BY FOREIGN AIR FORCE”
2. ON JUNE 11, 1937 THE FOLLOWING DECLARATION WAS ISSUED IN THE NEWSPAPER EUZKADI:
“THE BASQUE CLERGY REPRESENTED BY THE EPISCOPAL DELEGATE, BILBAO PRIESTS AND THE PRIESTS OF ALL THOSE VILLAGES BOMBARDED BY THE FACTIOUS ONES…REESTABLISHES THE TRUTH ON THE INHUMANE BOMBARDINGS…OF DURANGO AND GERNIKA: “HOLY POPE: THE BASQUE CLERGY OF VITORIA DIOCESE, SUBJECTED TO THE BASQUE GOVERNMENT, FELL TO THEIR KNEES BEFORE YOUR HOLINESS, AND REPRESENTED BY THE PRIESTS WHO APPROVE OF IT, SOME OF THEM EYEWITNESSES AND ALL OF THEM WITH FULL AND ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY OF THE NOTORIOUS FACTS WHICH ARE ABOUT TO BE DESCRIBED TO THE POPE IN THE HIGHEST OBSERVANCE, SAY:
1. “ SINCE THE BASQUE GOVERNMENT EXERCISES ITS AUTHORITY (OCTOBER 7, 1936) OUR RIGHTS HAVE BEEN RESPECTED. BEFORE THIS GOVERNMENT CAME TO POWER SOME TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST PRIESTS AND SACRED PLACES TOOK PLACE, AND SOON ALSO SOME OTHER TERROR ATTACKS, AFTER OCTOBER 7, EVADING THE VIGILANCE OF THE AUTHORITHY”.
2. ”…MARCH 31, THE MOST IMPORTANT VILLA OF DURANGO WAS BOMBARDED AND HALF OF IT DESTROYED. THEY DESTROYED THE CHURCH OF ST. MARY, THE MODERN CHURCH OF THE JESUITS, THEY KILLED 2 PRIESTS AND MANY BELIEVERS WHO WERE CELEBRATING MASS, THEY DESTROYED THE CONVENT OF THE AUGUSTINES AND THEY KILLED 13 NUNS AND INJURED MANY OTHERS”.
3. “26 APRIL , THE AIR FORCE SERVING GENERAL FRANCO BOMBARDED AND MACHINE-GUNNED THE WELL-RESPECTED VILLA OF GERNIKA, BURNING THE CHURCH OF ST. JOHN, BADLY DAMAGING THE CHURCH OF ST. MARY, AND BLOWING TO SMITHEREENS ALMOST ALL ITS BUILDINGS, MACHINE-GUNNING WITHOUT COMPASSION FOR ITS INHABITANTS, WHILE THEY WERE RUNNING AWAY IN TERROR, FLEEING THE DEMOLITIONS AND THE FIRES WHICH SURROUNDED THEM, AND CAUSING HUNDREDS OF FATALITIES. THE PLANES, WHICH FLIED WITH IMPUNITY AT GROUND LEVEL, SAW PERFECTLY THE RUINS AND VICTIMS THEY WERE CAUSING, WHOM THEY CONSCIOUSLY CHASED. THEY CARRIED OUT A SIMILAR BARBARISM IN OTHER VILLAGES, LIKE ARBACEGUI AND GUERRICAIZ, AND THE SAME DESTRUCTIVE AIR ATTACKS TOOK PLACE IN OTHER VILLAGES AND BASQUE HOUSES”.
ALL THESE FACTS WHICH WE ARE RECORDING HERE AND WHOSE REALITY WE BEAR WITNESS WITH OUR FIRM AND CONSCIOUS TESTIMONY BEFORE HIS HOLINESS, ARE THE SAME AS THE ONES THE BASQUE GOVERNMENT HAS PUBLISHED IN ITS OFFICIAL JOURNAL, AND WHOSE TRUTH SOME PEOPLE HAVE WANTED TO DENY, TRYING TO MAKE THE BASQUE GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH RUINS AND FIRES; AND WITH THAT DEFAMATION OF OUR PEOPLE, WE, THE BIZKAIAN PRIESTS, THINK WE MUST LET YOU KNOW ABOUT OUR REALITY, WHICH WE CONFIRM BEFORE THE POPE, OUR COMMON LORD, WHOM WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE OUR PAIN AND TRIBULATION DURING THESE CRUEL WAR DAYS. IN THE NAME OF ALL THE BASQUE CLERGY AND OF ALL THE BASQUE PEOPLE, FAITHFUL TO ITS RELIGIOUS HISTORY, EVEN DURING THOSE MOMENTS OF SUCH CRUEL WAR, THE PRIESTS WHO SUBSCRIBE TO IT, AGREEING ON THE RESPECTFUL PLEA OF THE PRESIDENT OF EUZKADI GOVERNMENT, EAGER TO MAKE THE VOICE OF TRUTH REACH THE POPE, MAKE THIS DECLARATION, WHICH THEY RECORD AS FREE, SERENE AND GLADLY, CONSIDER RIGHTFULLY FAIR AND OFFER THE POPE THE TESTIMONY OF THE HUMBLE VENERATION AND DEEP OBEDIENCE WITH WHICH THEY FALL TO HIS HOLINESS´ KNEES” BILBAO, MAY 11, 1937” ”. THAT DECLARATION WAS SIGNED BY 21 PEOPLE, MOST OF THEM RELEVANT PRIESTS AND 8 OUT OF THE 21 WERE EYEWITNESSES.
THERE CAN BE NO OTHER EVIDENCE SO CONVINCING AS THAT ONE, AND YET SPAIN NOR GENERAL FRANCO EVER RECOGNIZED THE DESTRUCTION AND BURNING OF GERNIKA AND THE MACHINE-GUNNING OF ITS INHABITANTS, BEING EXCLUSIVELY DONE BY THE GERMAN AIR FORCE SERVING THEM. BUT THAT WASN´T ALL. THE ARCHPRIEST OF BILBAO AND DELEGATE VICAR, THE FIRST ONE TO SIGN THE DECLARATION SENT TO THE HOLY POPE BY THE BASQUE CLERGY, DENOUNCING THE AIR RAIDS OF DURANGO AND OF GERNIKA, PUBLISHED IN LA GACETA DEL NORTE, SEPTEMBER 1, 1937 (PAGES 167-168) THE FOLLOWING EMBARRASING RECTIFICATION:
“MY CASE OF CONSCIENCE: LOOKING BACK I CONTRAST THE JOY TODAY AND THE SADNESS OF THE PAST AND I NEED, ABOVE ALL, TO MAKE A SOLEMN PROTEST AGAINST THAT ABUSIVE PRESSURE EXERCISED ON ME, AND ON OTHER COLLEAGUES OF MINE, BY THE QUALIFIED TEMPORARY BASQUE COUNTRY GOVERNMENT, FORCING US TO SIGN AGAINST OUR OWN WILL, A HAPLES WRITING ON THE EVENTS IN DURANGO AND GERNIKA. ANY UPRIGHT CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE WOULD HAVE RESPECTED THE CLERGY, NOT FORCING IT TO INTERFERE IN THE POLITICAL CONTINGENCY, BUT THE GOVERNMENT´S PERSONAL INTERESTS MATTERED THE MOST. THIS ABUSIVE PRESSURE, WHICH IN VAIN I TRIED TO FIGHT AGAINST, HAS BEEN AND STILL IS THE ONE THING THAT MORE HAS EMBITTERED MY HEART IN THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF MY COMPROMISED POST OF DELEGATE VICAR, ALL OF WHICH TOGETHER WITH GOD´S WILL WAS CARRIED ON MY SHOULDERS. ANYHOW, THE GOVERNMENT MINISTER, FIRSTLY BY MEANS OF WORDS AND AFTERWARDS IN WRITING, THEN THE ECONOMY ONE, AND FINALLY THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF TOLD ME ABOUT SOME INTERVENTIONS IN ORDER TO SAVE THE HONOR, ACCORDING TO THEM, OF THE SLANDERED GOVERNMENT ON THAT POINT AND ON RELIGION ITSELF. AND THEY ENDED UP DEMANDING ME – “IT´S NECESSARY” SAID THE LAST WORD- WHICH THE CLERGY SUBSCRIBED TO IT AND I MYSELF FIRSTLY, A DOCUMENT ADDRESSED TO THE POPE, RELATED TO THE EVENTS IN THOSE 2 BASQUE DESTROYED VILLAS. HAD I REFUSED TO SIGN SUCH PROPOSAL THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS AND WOULD HAVE DONE A LOT OF HARM WHICH I WAS OBLIGED TO AVOID. …THOSE SIGNATURES, WHICH FAR FROM BEING FREE AND SPONTANEOUS WERE STRIPPED OFF BY THE AUTHORITARIAN PRESSURE OF THOSE WHO EXERCISED THE POWER…”(BOMBAS Y MENTIRAS SOBRE GERNIKA. CASTOR DE URIARTE AGUIRREAMALLOA).
THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF LIES TOLD ABOUT THE BOMBARDMENTS IN GERNIKA:
1. JESUS SALAS : “APRIL 28, RADIO SALAMANCA SAID THIS:
“THE INDIGNATION OF THE SPANISH TROOPS CAN´T BE BIGGER DUE TO THE SLANDER CARRIED OUT BY THE SOVIET-BASQUE LEADERS, WHO AFTER DESTROYING THEIR BEST CITIES, TRY TO BLAME IT ON THE SPANISH AIRMEN” (GERNIKA. EL BOMBARDEO. IMANOL VILLA)
2. “PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEER, VICENTE MACHIMBARRENA, AND MINING ENGINEER J. MILLANS DEL BOSCH, WENT TO GERNIKA APRIL 29, BY ORDER OF GENERAL MOLA IN ORDER TO WRITE A REPORT. AS A RESULT OF THAT, MAY 2, RADIO SALAMANCA BROADCASTED THIS: “…SOME BOMBS, HAVE REACHED GERNIKA DURING THE DAYS OUR AIRMEN OPERATED AGAINST IMPORTANT MILITARY OBJECTIVES” “. (GERNIKA. EL BOMBARDEO. IMANOL VILLA)
3. “GERNERAL QUEIPO DE LLANO, WHO USED TO TALK ON A DAILY BASIS ON RADIO SEVILLA, ATTRIBUTES THE FIRE OF THE CHURCHES IN DURANGO TO THE BASQUE PEOPLE, AFTER FORCING WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO ENTER THE HOLY PLACES. THE DIARIO VASCO OF SAN SEBASTIAN REPEATED THE SLANDEROUS AND ABSURD ACCUSATION”.
“AT 19:45 P.M THE SYSTEMATIC DESTRUCTION OF GERNIKA CAME TO AN END. GERMAN AIR FORCE HAD BEEN SENT OVER GERNIKA TO CARRY OUT A TOTALITARIAN WAR REHEARSAL. IT WAS THE 1ST EXAMPLE OF THIS FIGHT GENRE: FIRST BOMBS TO SCARE THE PEOPLE IN GERNIKA, THEN A HEAVY SURGE OF BOMBARDMENTS WITH EXPLOSIVES, FOLLOWED BY FIRE BOMBS, AND FINALLY LIGHT AIRPLANES WHICH SHOT THE MISFORTUNE ONE WHO TRIED TO RUN FROM DANGER IN ORDER TO SAVE THEIR LIVES”.”THAT DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIEST ONAINDIA IS TOTALLY TRUE AND I SUBSCRIBE IT EVERYWHERE SINCE IT CORROBORATES WHAT IN PAGE 12 AND THE FOLLOWING ONES IN THE DESTRUCTION OF GERNIKA, THE LITTLE STORY IN THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR I WROTE YEARS AFTERWARDS…”.
4. “ABOUT THE DAY GERNIKA DIED BY GORDON THOMAS AND MAX MORGAN-WITTS, PUBLISHED IN LONDON ( FEB. 1976. EDIT. HODDER AND STOUKHTON) THE MAGAZINE CAMBIO 16 (FEB 9-15, 1976, Nº 218) PUBLISHED THIS ABOUT THAT BOOK:
“BOMBS, BECAUSE!:
THE GERMAN PILOTS OF THE LEGION CONDOR WHO BOMBARDED GERNIKA APRIL 26, 1937, DID NOT KNOW THEIR OBJECTIVE WAS CONSIDERED THE CRADLE OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY. FROM THE HIGH COMMAND OF THE NATIONAL ARMY WITH WHOM THEY CONSULTED THE DETAILS OF THE ATTACK, NO ONE WARNED THEM OF THAT FACT. THE ONLY ONES AWARE OF THE RELEVANCE OF THAT HISTORIC PLACE WERE THEIR INHABITANTS. AND PRECISELY, BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE IN GERNIKA DID NOT BELIEVE THE NATIONALS WERE CAPABLE OF DESTROYING THEIR TOWN, THAT´S WHY THE BOMBARDMENTS ON A TYPICAL MARKET MONDAY SURPRISED ALL OF THEM. THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS BOMBARDMENTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY. 50,000 KILOS OF BOMBS – MIXTURE OF DYNAMITE WITH INCENDIARY MATERIALS – WERE THROWN DOWN OVER THE BRIDGE OF RENTERIA, TO AVOID HERE THE CONCENTRATION IN GERNIKA OF BASQUE REPUBLICAN TROOPS, WHO FLED TO BILBAO GOING INTO THE VILLA ON THE TWO ROADS WHICH COLLIDE IN THE BRIDGE ENTRANCE, WHICH WAS ONLY 25 METERS LONG BY 8 METERS WIDE. ALL THIS SAID BOILS DOWN TO REJECT LIES SUCH AS THE DESTRUCTION OF GERNIKA BY BASQUE PEOPLE BURNING DOWN PLACES WITH GASOLINE, LIKE FRANCO´S GENERAL HEADQUARTERS DECLARED EIGHT DAYS AFTER THE ATTACK…”. TO DEMONSTRATE ALL THAT IS TRUE THOMAS AND MORGAN-WITTS OFFER UNPUBLISHED VERSIONS AND DOCUMENTS SO FAR LIKE THE FOLLOWING:
– THE TESTIMONIES HOUR BY HOUR OF THAT FATEFUL DAY OF SEVEN SURVIVORS OF GERNIKA,
– THE PERSONAL VERSIONS OF FIVE OF THE PILOTS WHO CARRIED OUT THE BOMBARDMENTS,
– AND THE PERSONAL DIARY OF THE CHIEF OF THE LEGION CONDOR IN SPAIN, HOLFRAM VON RICHTHOFEN. THIS DIARY WAS WRITTEN BY HOLFRAM´S WIFE WHO USED TO SEND HIM ONE ON A DAILY BASIS”.
5. “THE RULE OF THUMB OF THE LEGION CONDOR WAS BOMBARDMENTS HITING ONLY MILITARY OBJECTIVES AND YET, WHY DID THE CONDOR LEGION USE 53 HEAVY BOMBARDERS, 4 HEINKEN PATHFINDERS, 23 JUNKERS, 10 HE-51, 6 MESSERBGHMITT BI-109, WITH A CHARGE OF 50,000 KILOS OF FIRE MIXTURE EXPLOSIVES, WHICH VON RICHTHOFEN PERSONALLY ORDERED, AFTER HAVING GIVEN A TALK TOGETHER WITH COLONEL VIGON NEAR MOUNT MUCHATEGUI ?”.
6. “IT MAY BE TRUE GERMAN PILOTS DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORICAL VALUE OF GERNIKA BUT WHAT WE KNOW FOR SURE IS THAT THE MILITARY COMMANDS KNEW ABOUT IT ; THAT´S WHY THEY WERE REALLY CAREFUL PRESERVING THE HOUSE OF JUNTAS AND THE TREE OF GERNIKA FROM BEING BOMBARDED, SINCE THEY KNEW THAT IF THOSE HISTORIC PLACES WERE HIT THE CONSEQUENCES IN THE BASQUE FOLLOWERS AND IN THE INTERNATIONAL WORLD WOULD HAVE BEEN MANY.
7.” IN THE SUSPENSE NOVEL BY GORDON THOMAS AND MORGAN-WITTS 50% OF WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT GERNIKA WAS FALSE. THE ONLY TRUTH ABOUT THAT NOVEL IS THE ACCURACY IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THE BOMBARDMENTS BY THE GERMAN AIR FORCE”.
8. “THOSE DAYS THE PRESS FROM BILBAO PUBLISHED THIS:
– “MR. GORDON THOMAS SAID THE BOMBARDMENT OF GERNIKA WAS UNKNOWN BY FRANCO, AND THAT IT WAS A NAZI DECISION AND SO SUCH GENOCIDE CANNOT BE ATTRIBUTED TO FRANCO”.
” I, CASTOR DE URIARTE, DARE TO ASK MYSELF THIS: ” IF IN THE INTERVIEW WHICH TOOK PLACE IN THE TOWN HALL OF BURGOS, BETWEEN THE MANAGER OF THE LEGION CONDOR, THE MANAGER OF THE ITALIAN AIR FORCE LEGION, NORTH MAJOR STATE COLONEL, COLONEL JUAN VIGÓN AND OTHER SPANISH MILITARY MANAGERS, AND AFTER THE TALKS UNDERTAKEN ON MOUNT MOTEGUI WITH COLONEL VIGÓN THEY ALL AGREED ON THE ATTACKS ON DURANGO AND GERNIKA, HOW CAN THEY TRY TO MAKE US BELIEVE GENERALS MOLA AND FRANCO DIDN´T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT SUCH AGREEMENTS?, HOW CAN IT BE POSSIBLE AFTER DURANGO´S BOMBARDEMENT (MANY PEOPLE DIED, AMONG THEM TWO PRIESTS AND FOURTEEN NUNS) THAT THE GERMAN PILOTS WERE NOT REPRIMANDED SO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE STOPPED TORMENTING GERNIKA WITH THE EXCUSE OF DESTROYING THE BRIDGE OF RENTERIA, WHEN IN DURANGO THERE WERE SEVERAL BRIDGES WHICH WEREN´T MILITARY OBJECTIVES? ” (BOMBAS Y MENTIRAS SOBRE GERNIKA. DON CASTOR DE URIARTE AGUIRREAMALLOA)
9. “ALREADY IN THE MONTH OF MAY, ONCE FRANCO´S FOLLOWERS REMOVED OR COVERED UP THE EVIDENCE THEY ALLOWED THE INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS GO INTO THE VILLA“.
” THIS IS THE PLAZA OPPOSITE ST. JOHN´S CHURCH WHERE THE OCCUPIERS HAD PUT EMPTY GASOLINE CANS SCATTERED AROUND THE STREETS, AS EVIDENCE OF THE FIRE CARRIED OUT BY THE SEPARATIST-COMMIES. “(GERNIKA. EL BOMBARDEO. IMANOL VILLA)
GERNIKA WAS BOMBED 26 APRIL 1937 AND DURANGO WAS BOMBARDED 31 MARCH 1937. BOTH TOWNS WERE FLOURISHING ONES AND BOTH HAD KINGS FROM CASTILE SWEARING TO RESPECT THE BASQUE LIBERTIES, LIKE QUEEN ISABEL OF CASTILE SWORE THE FUEROS IN DURANGO IN 1483. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY LIES AND EXCUSES FOR SUCH BOMBARDMENTS IN ORDER TO GAIN SPACE IN THE EAST FOR THE GERMANS, AND GAIN TIME TO LATER ON SAY THE REASON FOR IT WAS THAT COMMUNISM WAS NOT GOOD FOR SPAIN NOR FOR EUROPE THAT WE WILL SIMPLY SAY THE TRUTH OF IT ALL IS THAT BOTH GERNIKA AND DURANGO ARE WONDERFUL SYMBOLS OF THE BASQUE LIBERTIES, AND THAT CMTGS COULD NOT AND CANNOT HANDLE THAT POWER. IT SMELLS LIKE ENVY, DOESN´T IT? POWER TO THE BASQUE COUNTRY!