Digital History Seminar: 20th Century Spain

Exhibit #9 The May Days in Barcelona, 1937

In the years since The May Days of 1937, a conflict between the Catalan authorities and the political militias of Barcelona, George Orwell's account has been the preeminent source of information about the events. In researching whether or not his account of events was accurate I have found that his account matches almost exactly with scholarly research on the topic which has since been done. I think I have proven that Orwell, in his description of how the crisis started, the motives and intentions behind the struggle, and the aftermath, were correct. The only thing Orwell does not describe in good detail are the events that his position in the P.O.U.M. barricade kept him from witnessing. As the struggle occurred citywide there was no way anyone stuck in one barricade could know what was occurring at other key points. He makes up for this deficiency with first hand accounts he received after the fighting ceased. Were I able to figure out how to download more pictures and text I think I could prove this quite well here. My plan for the exhibit is as follows:
- Description of P.O.U.M. and C.N.T. political situation and lead up to conflict. Pictures include propaganda posters.
- Day by day description of the fighting and political dealings of leadership not on the barricades. Pictures of barricades, and burning horses as well as pictures of the leaders.
- Aftermath of the fighting, arrests, P.O.U.M. suppression and scapegoating for the fighting.
- How the fighting affected the war effort of the Republic.

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