for the Spain they believed to be better: in Gernika
for the Spain they believed to be better: Gernikako Arbola in Gernika On 26th April 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the city of Gernika was swept to the ground by German and Italian planes from the Condor Legion and the Aviazione Legionaria, sent by Hitler and Mussolini to support Franco's troops. For nearly four hours, bombs dropped on Guernica in an "experiment" for blitzkrieg's tactics and the bombing of civilians seen in later wars. The Gernika bombing was deliberately made on Monday because it was known that Basques outside Guernica would travel to the city on Market Day, thereby giving German and Italian aircraft pilots a chance to kill so many innocent people as possible. One of the reasons Gernika was chosen for the bombing is due to its importance both politically and historically. Underneath the Gernika tree’s branches, Basques were granted autonomy in the Middle Ages. Next to the tree is the Biscayan Assembly, a place where the political leaders have meet to decide the fate of their people over the ages. Gernikako Arbola , the Tree of Gernika is an oak tree that symbolizes traditional freedoms for the Biscayan people, and by extension for the Basque people as a whole. Next to the tree is the Biscayan Assembly, a place where the political leaders have meet to decide the fate of their people over the ages. Both the assembly and the tree offer insights into the history of the Basque people and can give a deeper understanding of more recent historical events such as the Basque independence movement.These photos were taken in 2020 and show some images from the trunk of the “Old Tree”, the “new tree” and the Biscayan Assembly. More information: https://www.jjggbizkaia.eus/