Mosques, Hospitals and Cemeteries During the Spanish Civil War

Faculty: Jennifer Roberson

Art History

College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts

This project examines the construction of Islamic spaces (mosques, hospitals, and cemeteries) during the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) in Nationalist rebel-controlled territories of Spain. It forms part of a larger project that looks at Francisco Franco (1936–1975) and his use of Spain’s Islamic heritage to further his political agenda, one noted for emphasizing a Catholic national identity. I have located two small extant mosques. It is unclear whether others still exist. Many prayer spaces were created in hospitals reserved for Muslim soldiers, as well as cemeteries for their burials. The exact locations have been difficult to determine, as military documents record the existence of mosques, hospitals, and cemeteries, but specific details are difficult to obtain. With a mini-grant, I visited one of the extant mosques, several cemeteries, hospitals, as well as archives in Córdoba. I also spent several days at the Military Archive of Ávila, which has the most complete collection of information from this era regarding the Muslim soldiers who fought in the Spanish Civil War.