We gather another year in front of the monolith erected in memory of President Lluís Companys i Jover, on the anniversary of his execution by Franco's fascist regime. We want to praise the memory of our President that suffered a martyr's death. I want to pay homage to President Companys, but also to all the victims of the Spanish Civil War and Franco's repression. A year ago, on 8 September 2015, the Catalonian Self-Government (Generalitat of Catalonia) proclaimed October 15 as National Day in memory of the victims of the Civil War and the repression of Franco’s dictatorship.
The date coincided with the 75th anniversary of the execution of President Companys, maximum institutional representative of the citizens of this country and the only democratically elected president of Western Europe that has been executed by fascism. This National Day, and this act held in Sitges, takes into account the existence of a plurality of memories that we want to be recognized with no hard feelings and in a constructive manner, and the various initiatives that have been launched for the clarification of truth and moral and symbolic reparation for all victims and survivors.
We can all contribute. Also from the municipal world.
Therefore, we are pleased to assist in the recovery of historical memory. As is the case being investigated by Jordi Milà, a historian from Sitges, on the brutal murder of seven young militiamen from Sitges the morning of 11 October 1936 (80 years ago) on the Aragon front during Civil war. A tragic event that will be part of the work being prepared by Jordi Milà titled "Stories of a quiet village," published by the City Hall of Sitges to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the start of the Civil War.
Individual stories of Sitges, private memories of many Catalans... Probably everyone in Catalonia could explain stories related to the Civil War and Franco's repression. Family stories that are part of our collective history, our collective memory as a people, as a nation. This is the memory that we remember and render tribute. The memory of the President that died as a Martyr, but we also render homage to a silenced town that never bent his head in front of those who wanted to snatch its dignity, rights and freedom.
Therefore, we cannot shut up and do as if nothing happened when faced with those that even today deny or trivialize Fascism and all that it meant. Whether they do it as casual talk, on social networks or using a microphone at the plenary hall. To the memory of many people who suffered repression, persecution, imprisonment, concentration camps, torture and death during the worst crimes against humanity committed in the twentieth century... Trivializing Nazism and Fascism cannot be tolerated!
And even more. It is insulting to trivialize Nazism and Fascism and to try to demonize the sovereign process going on in Catalonia. Because the process of national emancipation of Catalonia is a peaceful, democratic, tolerant and civil process. And so it will remain. The men and women of this country will freely decide what should be their political future. They will do it from the noble conviction of democracy and plurality of ideas, backgrounds, languages... Because this has always been a country of inclusion, diversity, tolerance and respect. The Catalonia in 2016 is just like that. And the Catalonia of new generations will also be like that, possibly better, with more equality and social justice.
Let's consider then the republican values of a just and egalitarian society without discrimination, the backbone of the new Catalonian State. Values defended by our great-grandparents, grandparents and parents. But, let's do it thinking about us and our children and grandchildren.
Honor and glory to President Companys. Honor to all democrats of all time. Without forgetting the words of Lluís Companys before being killed barefoot on Catalan soil: "I will die for Catalonia and the Republic. I am happy to die for Catalonia and what I regret the most is that I will not be able to do anything more for my ideals. Those remaining must preserve their courage, hope and strength. Long live Catalonia! ".
