Testimony of José Benito Batres, Interview with Scott Boehm and Miriam Duarte; July 16, 2009
Contributor
Asociación de Ex-presos y Represaliados Políticos Asociación para la Recuperación de la Memoria Histórica Federación Estatal de Foros por la Memoria Batres, José Benito Boehm, Scott Duarte, Miriam University of California, San Diego
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Batres, José Benito
Description
Natural de Madrid, Batres nació en 1951 de padre comunista y madre católica. Sus primeros recuerdos de la vida bajo Franco incluyen experimentar castigos físicos por no ir a misa, así como ver a algunas personas pasar hambre y sufrir otras privaciones, aunque a él nunca le faltó comida. Su activismo político comenzó en su adolescencia cuando se unió a las Juventudes Comunistas. Batres describe su participación en las protestas callejeras antifranquistas, la distribución de propaganda y la fabricación casera de cócteles molotov. Participó en un intento fallido de incendiar una planta embotelladora de Coca-Cola a principios de la década de 1970. Batres detalla la naturaleza clandestina pero igualitaria de la organización comunista en España durante la década de 1960. Fue detenido por primera vez a la edad de 15 años en 1967 tras su participación en una manifestación de Madrid. Batres soportó numerosas detenciones e interrogatorios por parte de la policía, resultando con una sentencia de cuatro años de prisión en 1972. Primero fue encarcelado en Carabanchel, pero luego fue trasladado a Segovia y otra prisión. Describe las condiciones en las cárceles, haciendo una comparación de cómo eran tratados los presos políticos en diferentes instituciones. Liberado en 1975, Batres volvió a su trabajo anterior con una compañía de seguros y luego estudió derecho y hizo el cambio de carrera a abogado. Comenta el intento de golpe militar del 23 de febrero de 1981 (23F). Hacia el final de la entrevista, Batres comparte más recuerdos de su actividad política temprana, así como experiencias personales bajo el régimen de Franco. Finalmente, Batres critica el período de transición de fines de la década de 1970 y sugiere que la sociedad española ha retrocedido en algunos aspectos desde la muerte de Franco; cita la proliferación de la corrupción, las protecciones debilitadas para los trabajadores y una iglesia reaccionaria como ejemplos de este retroceso. A native of Madrid, Batres was born in 1951 to a Communist father and a Catholic mother. His early recollections of life under Franco include experiencing physical punishment for not going to mass, as well as seeing some people go hungry and suffer other deprivations, though he never lacked food himself. His political activism began in his teen years when he joined the Juventudes Comunistas. Batres describes his involvement in anti-Franco street protests, the distribution of propaganda, and the making of Molotov cocktails at home. He participated in a botched attempt to burn down a Coca-Cola bottling plant in the early 1970s. Batres paints a detailed picture of the clandestine yet egalatarian nature of the Communist organization in Spain during the 1960s. He was first detained by police at the age of 15 in 1967 following his participation in a Madrid demonstration. Batres endured numerous detentions and interrogrations by police, culminating in a four-year prison sentence in 1972. He was first incarcerated at Carabanchel, but was later transferred to Segovia and another prison. He describes conditions in the prisons, comparing how political prisoners were treated at the various institutions. Released in 1975, Batres returned to his previous job with an insurance company, and later studied law and became a practicing lawyer. He comments on the attempted military coup of February 23, 1981 (23F). Toward the end of the interview Batres shares futher recollections of his early political activity, as well as personal experiences under the Franco regime. Finally, Batres critiques the transition period of the late 1970s and suggests Spanish society has retrogressed in some ways since Franco's death; he cites the proliferation of corruption, weakened protections for workers, and a reactionary church as examples of this retrogression Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego, La Jolla, 92093-0175 (https://lib.ucsd.edu/sca) Testimony of the Spanish Civil War and the Francoist dictatorship Interviews in Spanish Batres's testimony was recorded in Madrid, Spain Batres, José Benito. Testimony of the Spanish Civil War and the Francoist Dictatorship. University of California, San Diego, 2009 Madrid, Spain : Spanish Civil War Memory Project 2009
Type
moving image
Format
6 video files : digital, sound, color
Identifier
ark:/20775/bb1741733k
Language
Spanish
Subject
Political prisoners Personal narratives-Spanish History Oral history Nonfiction films Civil War (Spain : 1936-1939) Communism Interviews Partido Comunista de España Cárcel de Carabanchel (Madrid, Spain) Confederación Sindical de Comisiones Obreras Madrid (Spain) Spain
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