Garraf plot facts for kids

The Garraf plot was a secret plan to try and kill King Alfonso XIII of Spain. It happened in Barcelona in June 1925.

People who wanted Catalonia to be an independent country, called Catalan separatists, made this plan. They were mainly from groups like La Bandera Negra and Grup dels Set. They hoped that if the king was killed, there would be confusion. They thought this confusion would help them create a new independent country called the Catalan Republic.

Their first idea was to blow up a bomb in the Garraf tunnel. But this plan failed because of several problems. So, they decided to try an attack in Barcelona instead. This plan also failed because the police were watching them very closely. The plot was eventually discovered, and 28 people involved were arrested. The government used this event to crack down on Catalan separatist groups. Many members were arrested and put on trial. Some were first sentenced to death, but their punishments were changed to life in prison or shorter times. They were all set free in 1930.

Why the Plot Happened

Catalan nationalist groups were upset with King Alfonso XIII. They blamed him for allowing General Primo de Rivera to become a dictator. A dictatorship is when one person has all the power and rules the country. They also felt the king was stopping Catalan people from expressing their national identity.

On May 6, 1925, it was announced that King Alfonso XIII would visit Catalonia. A small group of radical activists, called the Grup dels Set ("Group of Seven"), first thought of killing the king during this trip. However, the main group that carried out the plot was La Bandera Negra. This was a secret military group within Estat Català, another Catalan nationalist party.

The people planning the plot believed that if the king was killed, the military might act violently. They thought this would make the people of Barcelona angry. This anger, they hoped, would make more people support the escamots (small groups of activists) of Estat Català. Then, these groups could take over important buildings and declare the Catalan Republic.

Attempts to Kill the King

The king's visit was set for May 26. La Bandera Negra first planned to blow up a bomb in a tunnel. This tunnel was between Garraf and Sitges. They wanted to do this as the king's train passed through.

On May 23, six members of Bandera Negra tried to place the bomb. But they didn't have the right tools to lift the stones from the train tracks. So, they hid the bomb in some plants nearby. They planned to come back the next day. On May 24, the plotters missed their train in Barcelona. This meant they couldn't get to Garraf. Because of this problem, they changed their plan. They decided to place the bomb in one of the tunnel's air vents instead. When they went back to Garraf on May 25, the Civil Guard (police) were there. This stopped them from planting the bomb.

The next day, they decided to attack the king in Barcelona. The king was going to pass through the Ramblas on his way to a show. This was planned for May 29. Jaume Julià was supposed to carry the bomb. But he didn't show up at the right time. Later, they found out that Julià's father had discovered the plot. He stopped his twenty-year-old son from taking part.

Because of this, someone else was chosen to carry the bomb. This person might have been Miquel Ferrer or Jaume Miravitlles. Whoever it was, they had pistols and carried the bomb hidden in a bouquet of flowers. But they couldn't carry out the attack. There were too many police watching the area.

The plotters thought about going back to their first plan. They considered blowing up the bomb in the Garraf tunnel when the king left Barcelona. Four members of La Bandera Negra and two from Grup dels Set went to Garraf on June 6. They wanted to check the area. However, someone who had joined the plot, Joan Terrés, was secretly working for the police. He told the police about the plan. The police were waiting for them at the station. In the end, 28 people involved in the plot were arrested.

What Happened Next

The government used this plot to justify a big crackdown on Catalan separatist groups. Many members were arrested. This included people from Estat Català, Acció Catalana, and Unió Catalanista.

In July 1925, several people were put on trial. These included Jaume Compte, Marcelino Perelló, Jaume Julià, Miquel Badia, Deogràcies Civit, Francisco Ferrer, Josep Garriga, Emili Granier, Ramon Fabregat, and Antoni Arguelaguet. Granier, Fabregat, and Arguelaguet were released on bail and ran away.

The military held the trial for the remaining seven. People said the military treated the prisoners unfairly and didn't follow the correct legal steps. Jaume Compte was accused of being the leader. He, along with Perelló, Julià, and Garriga, were sentenced to death. But their sentences were later changed to life in prison. Badia, Civit, and Ferrer were sentenced to 12 years in prison. All those who were imprisoned were set free in 1930. This happened when the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera ended.

Images for kids

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  One of the festive acts for the liberation of Marcelino Perelló, on April 1, 1930. Perelló himself appears in the center of the photograph, together with his fiancée Edelmira Valls.

See also

In Spanish: Complot de Garraf para niños