It was early in the afternoon of 26 April 1937. As every Monday, it was a Market day in Gernika, so the main square of the city was busy. Up to 10,000 people, many from nearby villages, gathered there at a trade fair dedicated to cattle and crops. The fair supposed an increase in the population of the city, which had about 5,500 inhabitants then. In addition, some of the Republican and Basque troops and refugees had been stationed there on their way to Bilbao, fleeing from other parts of the Basque Country.
The alarms that warned of a possible bombing strarted ringing at about 4.30 PM. A single German Dornier Do-17 arrived there from Burgos airport, making two passes in which it dropped about 12 50kg bombs. Some of them reached San Juan church and hit the promenade area called "Paseo de los Tilos" (Lime Walk, in English). Then, three Italian Savoia-Marchetti planes appeared entering Gernika from the sea, which had the commitment to bomb Renteria bridge in order to cut off the retreat of the Republican and Basque troops. However, they failed this objective because of the heavy wind. In spite of that, some bombs reached Izquierda Republicana headquarters. Until that time, the damages significant but limited only to a few areas in the city centre and near Oka river. In fact, the artifacts used since were indicated to hit specific objectives.
The heaviest bombing came later that afternoon. A Heinkel He-111, escorted by five Fiat Cr-32 fighters, came along and tried to bomb the bridge again. At about 6.00 PM, three squadrons of Junkers Ju-52 appeared in the horizon, attacking Gernika from North to South following the railway. As many as 19 airplanes, surrounded by German and Italian fighters, dropped more than 20 tons of bombs, most of them incendiary. They caused the subsequent fire. Because of the heavy smoke provoked by the bombing, they ended up throwing their bombs blindly, which contributed to the destruction of the town.
But the worst was still to come. Once the bombing finished, some planes from the Nazi aircraft started flying at low altitude over Gernika and started strafing people who were fleeing from the bombs. After more than 3 hours of heavy bombing, the alarms stopped ringing at 7.30 PM. Almost all the buildings of the town centre and the area surrounding the railway were burning due to the thousands of incendiary bombs which had been dropped over there. Ironically, Renteria bridge, which was the most important militar objective, remained untouched, as only 1% of the buildings there. According to the latest account, there were around 250 casualties and many other wounded.
The alarms that warned of a possible bombing strarted ringing at about 4.30 PM. A single German Dornier Do-17 arrived there from Burgos airport, making two passes in which it dropped about 12 50kg bombs. Some of them reached San Juan church and hit the promenade area called "Paseo de los Tilos" (Lime Walk, in English). Then, three Italian Savoia-Marchetti planes appeared entering Gernika from the sea, which had the commitment to bomb Renteria bridge in order to cut off the retreat of the Republican and Basque troops. However, they failed this objective because of the heavy wind. In spite of that, some bombs reached Izquierda Republicana headquarters. Until that time, the damages significant but limited only to a few areas in the city centre and near Oka river. In fact, the artifacts used since were indicated to hit specific objectives.
The heaviest bombing came later that afternoon. A Heinkel He-111, escorted by five Fiat Cr-32 fighters, came along and tried to bomb the bridge again. At about 6.00 PM, three squadrons of Junkers Ju-52 appeared in the horizon, attacking Gernika from North to South following the railway. As many as 19 airplanes, surrounded by German and Italian fighters, dropped more than 20 tons of bombs, most of them incendiary. They caused the subsequent fire. Because of the heavy smoke provoked by the bombing, they ended up throwing their bombs blindly, which contributed to the destruction of the town.
But the worst was still to come. Once the bombing finished, some planes from the Nazi aircraft started flying at low altitude over Gernika and started strafing people who were fleeing from the bombs. After more than 3 hours of heavy bombing, the alarms stopped ringing at 7.30 PM. Almost all the buildings of the town centre and the area surrounding the railway were burning due to the thousands of incendiary bombs which had been dropped over there. Ironically, Renteria bridge, which was the most important militar objective, remained untouched, as only 1% of the buildings there. According to the latest account, there were around 250 casualties and many other wounded.
The video below shows first hand accounts from Carmen Egurrola, Lidia Abadia and Cornelio Totorikagoiena, three Basques living in Boise (Arizona) who experienced the devastation of their homes by Nazi aircraft in 1937.
Although it was not the first time that an open city had been a military objective, the destruction of Gernika acquired a special symbolism after British journalist George Steer (born in South Africa) wrote a chronicle on the bombing after visiting it on the same day. He was astonished by the scenario he found there. He published an account of everything he saw there in some important newspapers such as The Times and the New York Times. Thus his narration arrived to hundreds of readers and politicians from the United Kingdom, the United States and France, contributing to create a myth regarding the town. He also was determinant to disprove the Francoist propaganda, directed by Luis Bolín, whose aim was to claim that Gernika had been burnt by Basque militians on their retreat. Alongside Picasso and his Guernica, the chronicles written by Steer made thousands of people from all around the world be aware of what was going on in Spain and the German and Italian intervention in the Spanish Civil War.
In addition, the destruction of Gernika was symbolic because it was almost the first time that the bombs destroyed an open city, away from the front. But its greatest importance lies in the fact that it had been the place where the Batzar Nagusiak (a representative assembly which legislated and ensured that the State would respect the foral privileges) of Biscay gathered under the Tree of Gernika from the 14th Century until they were abolished in 1876. Ironically, the Parliament House and the surrounding area were the least affected and both the building and the oak tree stand in the same place 76 years after the town was devastated.
Furthermore, it is well known that Franco himself ordered the destruction of such an important symbol for all the Basques and the Condor Legion simply did their bidding. So that, Francoist troops could not deny that they knew every information regarding those events. It was accurately planned despite the attempts to present it as a fire caused by Basque troops in order to destroy the city and thus accuse the rival faction. However, nobody in the Basque Country could believe this hypothesis.
As well as the tragedy of the bombing itself, the destruction of Gernika and the following occupation of the surrounding area provoked the demoralisation of Basque people and opened the way to Bilbao and the metal industry. But this would not be its latest effect: three days later, Basque writer and poet Estepan Urkiaga, Lauaxeta, was detained while he was visiting the city with a group of journalists. He was a true supporter of the Basques and exercised as a political commissar for the nationalist party EAJ, which had the local authority in the Basque Country. He would be jailed and executed two months later despite the efforts to avoid his death.
The destruction of Gernika marked the recent history of the Basque Country alongside the effects of the subsequent dictatorship, but also became a symbol for everyone who was against the war and a signal which allowed people from all around the world foresee what would happen during the Second World War. That is the reason why nobody should forget what happened there 76 years ago.
As well as the tragedy of the bombing itself, the destruction of Gernika and the following occupation of the surrounding area provoked the demoralisation of Basque people and opened the way to Bilbao and the metal industry. But this would not be its latest effect: three days later, Basque writer and poet Estepan Urkiaga, Lauaxeta, was detained while he was visiting the city with a group of journalists. He was a true supporter of the Basques and exercised as a political commissar for the nationalist party EAJ, which had the local authority in the Basque Country. He would be jailed and executed two months later despite the efforts to avoid his death.
The destruction of Gernika marked the recent history of the Basque Country alongside the effects of the subsequent dictatorship, but also became a symbol for everyone who was against the war and a signal which allowed people from all around the world foresee what would happen during the Second World War. That is the reason why nobody should forget what happened there 76 years ago.
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