Sant Felip Neri square

Although he initially decided to stay out of the Spanish Civil War, Mussolini later changed his mind, motivated by defensive intentions and specific anti-French foreign policy reasons. Thus, in 1936 the first conflict in which Fascist forces, supported by Mussolini’s Italy and Hitler’s Germany, and anti-fascist forces faced each other took place. The fighting ended in 1939 when General Francisco Franco, head of the Falange movement, established a dictatorial regime in Spain.

On 30^th January 1938, the Italian Fascist Air Force attacked Barcelona. On the façade of the church of Sant Felip Neri, signs of the explosions, which killed 42 people, are still visible. On 17^th and 18^th March of the same year, the Catalan city endured more heavy bombing raids from aircrafts of the Legionary Air Force which had taken off from Palma de Mallorca. Mussolini also ordered General Valle to begin an operation to weaken the morale of the civilian population. This was the first example of civil bombing on a major European city.

A plaque in memory of the victims of the Francoist, Fascist and Nazi bombings that hit Barcelona between January and March 1938 was put up on 21^st January 2007.

Photo: Italian Airforce – Aerial bombing of Barcelona, 17 March 1938, by the Italian air force, Public domain