Bombing of La Garriga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bombing of La Garriga |
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| Part of Spanish Civil War | |||||||
 The present-day reconstructed station of La Garriga. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Spanish Republican Army |
 Nationalist Army Corpo Truppe Volontarie |
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The Bombing of La Garriga was a series of air attacks by the Nationalist side during the Spanish Civil War. These attacks happened in a town called La Garriga, near Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. The bombings took place on January 28 and 29, 1939. Sadly, at least 13 regular people, called civilians, lost their lives in these attacks.
Why Did the Bombing Happen?
The Spanish Civil War was a big conflict in Spain from 1936 to 1939. It was fought between two main groups: the Republicans and the Nationalists.
By January 1939, the Nationalist troops were winning. They had already taken control of Barcelona on January 26. Two days later, on January 28, they also took Granollers, another town nearby. The Nationalist forces then paused their advance for a short time.
During this pause, many Republican soldiers and civilians were trying to escape. They were heading north towards the French border. The Nationalist air force, along with planes from Germany (the Legion Condor) and Italy (the Aviazione Legionaria), bombed the roads and towns. They wanted to stop the fleeing people.
The Attacks on La Garriga
La Garriga was a small town with about 10,000 people living there. A large number of these people, about 7,000, were refugees. They had come from places like Madrid and the Basque Country to escape the fighting. The town had no special defenses against air attacks.
On January 28, 1939, Republican soldiers who were retreating left La Garriga. They moved further north. The very next day, ten Italian Savoia-Marchetti bombers flew over the town. They dropped bombs on La Garriga.
The Italian planes attacked the town again on January 29. These bombings caused 13 civilian deaths. Among those who died were five refugees and seven children.
What Happened Next?
Just a few days after the bombings, on February 1, the Nationalist troops marched into La Garriga. They took control of the town.
See also
