Democratic memory in Spain

Abstract

This presentation examines the development of democratic memory policies in Spain, focusing on the search for people who disappeared during the Civil War and Franco’s dictatorship. It situates initiatives within the war’s social conflicts, foreign involvement, mass mortality, and displacement, then traces the transition from selective commemoration to family initiatives and systematic forensic investigation. The exhumation at Priaranza del Bierzo in 2000 marks a scientific turning point. The Historical Memory Law of 2007 supported searches led by families, whereas the Democratic Memory Law of 2022 established state responsibility for search and identification. The presentation describes funding distributed through autonomous communities, municipalities, universities, associations, and direct state execution. Reported allocations for 2019–2026 total approximately €25.58 million across 911 interventions. The State Map of Mass Graves integrates geographical and documentary information, recording 5,932 graves and 62,530 named victims linked to them. A complementary State Register and Census of Victims draws on archives, public administrations, families, associations, and university research. Collaboration with the University of Santiago de Compostela supports documentation of noncombatant deaths during 1936–1939. Together, these initiatives connect public responsibility, forensic research, archival evidence, and accessible information with dignity and symbolic reparation.