The Role of Spanish Refugees in the Construction of the Migration Memory in France and Spain

Abstract

The FACEEF, the largest federation of Spanish associations in France, has been committed, for about 20 years, to a series of project to promote the memory of Spanish immigration in France. The FACEEF reflects the complexity of Spanish migration to France, made of intertwined political and economic migration waves. In consequence, its members are bearer of heterogeneous memories. How do the FACEEF officials deal with this heterogeneity? How can they weave together more or less coherent narratives and representations into a shared collective memory? The study highlights the key role of the political refugees who arrived in the 1950s and 1960s, and this, even if they form a minority in number within the FACEEF. The favourable political context in Spain also plays a role. The FACEEF elaborates a hybrid narrative that brings together the political and economic experiences of migration. In doing so, it creates a new representation of the Spanish migration as political-economic phenomenon.

Keywords:

• Spanish Migration
• Migration Memory
• Diasporic Memory
• Exilic Memory
• Spanish Refugees
• Migrant Associations
• Migrant Organisation
• France

Notes

[1] http://www.faceef.fr

[2] This study forms part of a comparative research project undertaken alongside Michèle Baussant and Nancy Venel. It is financed by the French Ministry of Culture as part of the 2007 call for research proposals: ‘Immigration memory, moving towards a patrimonialization process?’, which resulted in the report: Michèle Baussant, Evelyne Ribert, Nancy Venel, Mémoire de l’émigration, mémoire des migrations, mémoire des luttes sociales, trois formes de patrimonialisation de la mémoire de l'immigration en France, study by the association ENSANS, Environnement, santé et société, pour la Direction de l'architecture et du patrimoine, Mission à l'ethnologie, Ministère de la culture et de la communication, Paris, 2009.

[3] Translation by Yvonne Cullen and Thomas Lacroix. All quotations from books or articles are translated by Yvonne Cullen. The author would like to thank Kathleen Sexsmith for her precious help.

[4] Therefore, the term is used independently from the official qualification of someone formally holding refugee status (Cf. introduction of the special issue).

[5] The Centre Culturel Espagnol de Rennes is an example of an association dealing with both groups.

[6] La participation des Républicains Espagnols à la Résistance et à la Libération de la France, Ismaël Cobo, FACEEF – Arcadie 1995, Available from: http://www.faceef.fr/Pages_Videos_Faceef/Page_Menu_Video_Republicains_Fr.php, last accessed 22 January 2013.

[7] Nos petites Espagnes, de Xavier Baudouin et Ismaël Cobo, produced by La Huit, l'Atelier du Bruit, la Faceef, France Ô.

[8] L’égalité, une histoire de conquêtes: l'engagement des femmes immigrées espagnoles dans le mouvement associatif en France, de Santi Valldepérez, production: Faceef.

[9] During 2009, the CDEE became the Migration documentation centre (CDM: Centre de Documentation des Migrations), its aim now being to ‘incorporate […] the phenomenon of immigration in Spain’ (Historias de la emigración, n°25, nouvelle étape, printemps-été 2009).

[10] See the Foundation's website: ‘Objetivos de la Fundación’, paragraph 2. http://www.1mayo.ccoo.es/nova/NNws_ShwNewDup?codigo=1652&cod_primaria=1158&cod_secundaria=118, last accessed 22 January 2013.

[11] Another factor explaining FACEEF's commitment is linked to a growing strand of research on the memory of immigration in France. Since the early 2000s, several doctoral dissertations have been written on Spanish immigration, giving legitimacy to this research topic. In 2007, the Cité Nationale de l'Histoire de l'Immigration (National City of the Immigration History) opened in France, with FACEEF as one of its key partners. This museum is committed to supporting research on immigration and diasporic memory, having funded several projects and hosting a journal of migration research, Hommes et Migrations.

[12] With the arrival of new immigrants from Spain in the wake of the recent economic downturn, the association is solicited by Spanish authorities to provide them with support. It has set up a dedicated website: http://nuevaola.faceef.fr/

[13] Communist-dominated coalition comprised Catalan communists and environmentalists.

[14] See all of the proposed amendments to be voted on: BOE, 17 May 2006 with apparent changes: BOE, 2 October 2006.

[15] FACEEF is involved in a campaign for the years worked in Spain prior to migration (but undeclared) to be taken into account in the determination of pensions, and for the provision of better funding for associative structures that help and support migrants.

[16] Until 2008, the Dirección General de Emigración (DGE) was part of this ministry.

[17] Jesús Caldera, ‘Prologue’ of the paperback edition of the legal text in question. The edition of this law in paperback to be distributed to the entire emigrant community shows the symbolic importance given to this by the Spanish government.

[18] The additional seventh provision, 1 and 2. This is the only point in this law, which concerns exile.