Las Trece Rosas
Encyclopedia
"Las Trece Rosas" is the name given in Spain
to a group of thirteen young women, seven of whom were under age (in Francoist Spain the age of majority was 21), who were executed by a Francoist firing squad just after the conclusion of the Spanish Civil War
, as part of a massive execution campaign known as the "saca de agosto" along with 43 young men (among them a teenage of fourteen). The thirteen victims' names were: Carmen Barrero Aguado (24 years), Martina Barroso García (22 years), Blanca Brissac Vázquez (29 years), Pilar Bueno Ibáñez (27 years), Julia Conesa Conesa (19 years), Adelina García Casillas (19 years), Elena Gil Olaya (20 years), Virtudes González García (18 years), Ana López Gallego (21 years), Joaquina López Laffite (23 years), Dionisia Manzanero Salas (20 years), Victoria Muñoz García (19 years), and Luisa Rodríguez de la Fuente (18 years).
Following the capitulation of Madrid
to Franco
's troops and the Civil War's end, the Madrid Provincial Committee of the Unified Socialist Youth
(JSU) (an organisation resulting from the merger of the Socialist Youth
and the Communist Youth
even though most pro-Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
(PSOE) members had abandoned the organisation) tried to reorganise under the leadership of 21-year-old José Peña Brea. He was arrested and tortured having been betrayed. Unable to withstand the pain, he revealed the names of his collaborators, which led to a wave of arrests of JSU members in Madrid. The Thirteen Roses were among the many JSU members captured and imprisoned by the police. During their detention in the Ventas prison they were repeatedly tortured and humiliated, and conditions in the prison were considered inhumane and overcrowded. They were ultimately executed by firing squad against the wall of the East Cemetery (now la Almudena
) on 5 August 1939. Many of their comrades at the prison recall that while they were being driven away by lorry to their deaths, they sang the "Youthful Guardsmen" (JSU's anthem) so as to be heard by their comrades who remained in jail. The victims were accused of aiding a military rebellion and of assassinating a high-ranking political police officer who was murdered after they had already been detained.
In 2005, a foundation (Fundación Trece Rosas) was created in Spain to keep alive their memory.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to a group of thirteen young women, seven of whom were under age (in Francoist Spain the age of majority was 21), who were executed by a Francoist firing squad just after the conclusion of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, as part of a massive execution campaign known as the "saca de agosto" along with 43 young men (among them a teenage of fourteen). The thirteen victims' names were: Carmen Barrero Aguado (24 years), Martina Barroso García (22 years), Blanca Brissac Vázquez (29 years), Pilar Bueno Ibáñez (27 years), Julia Conesa Conesa (19 years), Adelina García Casillas (19 years), Elena Gil Olaya (20 years), Virtudes González García (18 years), Ana López Gallego (21 years), Joaquina López Laffite (23 years), Dionisia Manzanero Salas (20 years), Victoria Muñoz García (19 years), and Luisa Rodríguez de la Fuente (18 years).
Following the capitulation of Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
to Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's troops and the Civil War's end, the Madrid Provincial Committee of the Unified Socialist Youth
Unified Socialist Youth
Juventudes Socialistas Unificadas - Unified Socialist Youth was a youth organization formed in the spring of 1936 in Spain through the amalgamation of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and Communist Party of Spain youth groups...
(JSU) (an organisation resulting from the merger of the Socialist Youth
Socialist Youth of Spain
Socialist Youth of Spain is the youth organisation of the Spanish social democratic party Partido Socialista Obrero Español .-External links:*...
and the Communist Youth
Communist Youth Union of Spain
The Communist Youth Union of Spain is the Youth Organization of the Communist Party of Spain, defined by its by-laws as "Independent in organizational issues, autonomous in political issues and under the strategical line of the Party." UJCE defines itself as Marxist-Leninist and is based on the...
even though most pro-Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
(PSOE) members had abandoned the organisation) tried to reorganise under the leadership of 21-year-old José Peña Brea. He was arrested and tortured having been betrayed. Unable to withstand the pain, he revealed the names of his collaborators, which led to a wave of arrests of JSU members in Madrid. The Thirteen Roses were among the many JSU members captured and imprisoned by the police. During their detention in the Ventas prison they were repeatedly tortured and humiliated, and conditions in the prison were considered inhumane and overcrowded. They were ultimately executed by firing squad against the wall of the East Cemetery (now la Almudena
Cementerio de la Almudena
The Cementerio de Nuestra Señora de La Almudena is a cemetery in Madrid, Spain. It is the largest in Madrid and one of the largest in Western Europe...
) on 5 August 1939. Many of their comrades at the prison recall that while they were being driven away by lorry to their deaths, they sang the "Youthful Guardsmen" (JSU's anthem) so as to be heard by their comrades who remained in jail. The victims were accused of aiding a military rebellion and of assassinating a high-ranking political police officer who was murdered after they had already been detained.
In 2005, a foundation (Fundación Trece Rosas) was created in Spain to keep alive their memory.