Unburying the Past: Families Reclaim Franco-Era Victims
Eighty-five years after her father's execution by Franco's forces, Josefina Fortea receives his remains, bringing closure to her family. The story sheds light on Spain's ongoing struggle to reckon with its civil war past. The ceremony in Paterna commemorated victims, exhuming mass graves that hold artists and intellectuals alongside farmworkers.

Decades after the brutal end of Spain's civil war, the families of the Franco regime's victims are beginning to find closure. Josefina Fortea, now 92, has finally retrieved the remains of her father, executed in the aftermath of the civil war.
This somber gathering in Paterna featured urns wrapped in the Second Spanish Republic's tri-color, symbolizing the ongoing effort to identify and remember those lost during Franco's dictatorship. Many of the victims, including Fortea's father, were supporters of the Republic, deemed enemies of the state by Franco's Nationalists.
Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of over 1,500 individuals, yet many remain unidentified. As families come to terms with their tragic histories, awareness grows about these dark chapters in Spain's history. Experts stress the need for remembering and learning from the past to prevent future atrocities.
(With inputs from agencies.)