The Tragic Week of 1909 - the birth of revolutionary Barcelona
Durada: 18 min
12/08/2024
Barcelona is the city in the world with the most extensive history of barricade fights. These words come from philosopher Friedrich Engels, and many other thinkers have pointed to Barcelona as the city of revolutions.115 years ago, on July 25, 1909, the Catalan capital witnessed one of the first popular uprisings of the century, the Tragic Week or La Setmana Tràgica in Catalan. What began as an anti-war movement against conscription for the colonial war in Morocco, soon turned into an anti-clerical revolt, with more than 80 churches going up in flames. Oriol Escudé Macià joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to revisit the uprising and explain the meaning behind Barcelona's nickname 'Rose of Fire.' We hear from historians Josep Pich and Salvador Lou, who explain how Barcelona became the capital of revolutionary movements. The Catalan phrase of the week is "jugar amb foc," which means to play with fire.