Federico Garcia Lorca's grave

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Sun Oct 19, 2003 5:47 pm

In last few weeks there were many articles about Lorca's grave in Croatian newspapers. They said he will be finally put out of mass grave and given a proper funeral and grave. That's going on in context of recent exhumations of such graves in Spain.
Today I read that Lorca's family is against his exhumation, that he must be left where he is, because it simbols his destiny and destiny of his many compatriots. There are some talkings that it's not sure whether Lorca is in that grave (I forgot the Spanish name of that canyon). The legens says he was put in it with some old teacher with wooden leg and other 2 soldier, and maybe a prostitute. The ancestors of those people want exhumation. If they find wooden legg in grave, that will be the most important clue it's Lorca's grave! There will be also DNA analisys with help of family.
tom

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Sun Oct 19, 2003 6:19 pm

I don't even know what to say, Tom ~ this is so interesting and intrigueing and "gothic" in the way that grave-diggings and exhumations are. Such compelling implications that Lorca's family have with their objections. I can really understand what they're saying! It'll be fascinating to watch it all unfold! If they remove everyone else, he'll still have his own, private grave. I guess we should all be praying for a wooden leg.

Bilbao · Post by **Bilbao** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:42 pm

Tom & all,

I've recently read about this issue in Spanish newspapers as well.

As far as I know, Lorca was murdered by a right-wing Falangist squad, and buried at Viznar, a small village near Granada, along with an old schoolmaster and two anarchist bullfighters. The name of the canyon where his remains are presumed to lie is the Ravine of Tears, after the old Arab name of the place. (Poetic justice!).
And you're right. Lorca's family is against exhumation. But since the other families want to do so, and just about a month ago Lorca's sister was died (she was definitely against), everything could happen.
If I ever learn more on this, I'll let you know.

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 8:55 pm

Thanks to you both, Bilbao and Tom ~ for any updates! This is truly novel [and "novel"] material, a fact which it doesn't seem would be displeasing to Lorca, either. Of course "His body is gone, but back here on the lawn, his spirit continues to drool." Who ever would have anticipated such developments as this!?!

~ Lizzy

Paula · Post by **Paula** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 12:33 am

I hope his families wishes are adhered to. I believe Leonard met Lorca's sister didn't he?

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 12:36 am

I wonder if Lorca's family's wishes are the same as Lorca's were or would have been ~ if they ever talked about the "what if"s that would lead to their proper guidance in making such decisions or requests.

Andrew McGeever · Post by **Andrew McGeever** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 3:41 am

Tom,
The subject of Lorca's grave in the Croatian press serves as a timely reminder of his life, and the role that he, and others, played in the Spanish Civil War. Indeed, it was only 2 weeks ago that a re-dedication was made in Glasgow to honour the 1500+ volounteers who formed the International Brigade. Under the statue of "La Passionara", the remaining veterans (all men in their 80's and beyond) affirmed the justice in their struggle against fascism. I've had the privilege, over the last 30 years, to meet and get to know several members of the International Brigade.
The manner of Lorca's murder was disgusting: I can't say more on this board.
I hope his family's wishes are respected.
Andrew.

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 1:41 pm

Further to your message above, Andrew, there is a very interesting web site on the International Brigades in Spain. The sad thing about it all is that many of those who fought there were spurned by their own "democratic" countries on their return. A few years ago some of these brave men and women returned to Spain in a parade in Barcelona and, if I am not mistaken, they were granted honorary Spanish citizenship.

Details of the website for those who are interested are below.

http://hal.csd.auth.gr/~hkosmidi/Anarch ... pain7.html

Dem · Post by **Dem** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 2:52 am

Lizzytysh wrote:

“I wonder if Lora’s family's wishes are the same as Lora’s were or would have been ~ if they ever talked about the "what if"s that would lead to their proper guidance in making such decisions or requests.”

I don’t know what Lorca’s wishes were but I do know (from his biographers) that Lorca was suffering from a “death anxiety” that sometimes made him do “weird” things like laying on his bed, visualizing the disintegration of his body in the grave and describing the process with details to his friends who were present at the time.

Anyway, this story about Lorca brought in my mind the story about Antoine de Saint-Exupéry the creator of the lovely “Little Prince”.
He was a pilot and he was lost in a mission on 31 July 1944 during the WWII.
. His plane disappeared - he was shot down over Mediterranean, or perhaps there was an accident, or perhaps it was suicide.
His body was never found but in1998 a fisherman found Saint-Exupéry's bracelet in the sea 150 km west from Marseilles. His and his wife’s name (Conzuela) were recognized on it. Later news reported that the bracelet was probably a forgery. –

Demetris

Dem · Post by **Dem** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 3:52 am

PS) One day, about 10years ago I was walking in my hometown with an elder friend of mine when I we stumbled on an old man walking in the street. My friend turned to me and told me:
Do you see that old man over there? He was one of the volunteers who fought in the Spanish Civil war.

I was thrilled to hear that, as I had just then, by coincidence, read Arthur Koestler's "Spanish Testament".

And you know, those brave men and women didn't have problems only after their return to their homelands as Tony said but they had also problems before as sometimes they ended up fighting not against the fascists but against other anti-fascist groups during the chaos and anarchy of the Spanish Civil War.

Ken Loach’s film "Land and Freedom"(1995) deals exactly with that.

Demetris

margaret · Post by **margaret** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 12:22 pm

Excelent film that you mentioned Dem. I saw it a few years ago at a small film society(which unfortunately has since closed down)

Would recommend anyone interested to try and rent it from a library or video store.

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 6:29 pm

Thanks for that information, Demetris. It somehow makes it even sadder, the whole of it. I can imagine how you felt seeing the old man, who represented everything you had just become aware of in your reading. So tragic that those who fight and risk/lost their lives are met with such disrespect upon their return. It seems sometimes that the "honour" is reserved for those who die in the fight.

The film sounds excellent, and Margaret agrees with your assessment. A good way to learn.

If you get a chance, Demetris, could you Edit the numbers out, and letters in, with your posting to me? Thanks.

~ Elizabeth

Dem · Post by **Dem** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 7:01 pm

Dear Elizabeth,

I am sorry for the numbers that sometimes appear in my postings.
They are usually symbols of punctuation that are automatically turned into numbers when I press the "Submit" button.

Demetris

Byron · Post by **Byron** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 7:12 pm

Try here.

http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0114671/

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 7:40 pm

Dear Demetris ~

Yes, I know you have no control over them. I've also seen them periodically in others' postings. I seem to be able to figure out fairly well what the symbols end up "saying," just not always. For those times, I really want to know what word it was that you used. [You don't write here very often, so every word counts

.] I wouldn't even comment on it, except that it appears you can go back and Edit them out. Or, at least some are able to.....and I'm hoping for you to be able to, as well

.

Thanks, if you can. If you can't, well that's okay, too

.

Love,
Elizabeth

Federico Garcia Lorca's grave

Federico Garcia Lorca's grave

Land and Freedom directed by Ken Loach

Land and Freedom