The usurbildarras Ion Martin and Ibai Arrieta began four years ago the creation of a project for the recognition of the Allies and the elaboration of what happened in the 1936 War. Hondarribitarra historian Aitzol Arroyo and Donostiarra journalist Aitor Azurki joined to present the project to the city council. The testimonies of the last gudaris under the rains of Artosa and the testimonies of the journalist usurbildarra Arantxa Manterola, wrote Herriak Jakina: the repressive memory of Usurbil: following the tracks of work 1973-2002, presented the project convinced that there were issues related to war pending.

The promoter hypothesis was quickly confirmed when data, names and documents that had not been known to date were found. The next step in the project was to involve citizens in these investigations. The group of volunteers that was set up immediately decided to create the Usurbil Association 1936 in 2021. That same year, in the recovery of memory, the citizens went to the front line and signed an agreement with the city council to further restore the project.

What started with two people eventually became a popular project. In the last three years there have been many works promoted by the association: collection of testimonies, tributes to the firing squad, recovery from war zones or elaboration of a historical report through the work of archives. Among the actions carried out, the historical regeneration carried out on April 13 on the slopes of Andatza stood out. The association brought together 150 people between participants and visitors.

Usurbil 1936 has succeeded in valuing the responsibility of all citizens in the recovery of memory. Many people have put their copy in one initiative or another. According to the promoters of the association, one of the keys to strengthening and lengthening the project has been precisely that, that each one has sought their place in the project. The majority of the population has worked on concrete lines of work and coordination of all this has been channelled through the partnership.

Compilation of events and preparation of the historical report

The process of collecting information has been conditioned from the very beginning: the long time elapsed, the attempt to cover up what happened by the fascists or the death of the majority of the protagonists of the time. The research conducted by historian Aitzol Arroyo, in collaboration with Arantxa Manterola and Ion Martín, has received interviews and testimonies from the citizens. It has been possible to recover a large amount of data, photographs and documents informing us of what happened in Usurbil in the last days of September 1936. Since Franco's troops attacked Usurbil the story of what happened to the people was left in their hands, but with the material they have gathered from the initiative they have managed to complete the historical report.

Shooting recognition and memory space recovery

Another of the most important lines of work has been the study and emergence of the effects of repression during the war and the subsequent dictatorship. The association organized in September 2021 the central act of tribute to the seven shot by the franchises, taking advantage of the fact that they were 85 years old.

The locations where these shooting took place have been honoured at various points in Gipuzkoa, such as the crossing of Irubide between Usurbil, Donostia and Lasarte Oria or the Meaga road in Oikt Zumaia.

According to many of the testimonies collected, many of the inhabitants of the region of Irubide were shot and buried. In Meaga, the usurbildarra Bautista Aginaga Otegi and aiarra Pedro Julian Agirre Gallastegi, members of the PNV, were shot. In one place or another, monolites have been installed so that they do not forget what happened there.

Andatza Front and Trench Recovery

After falling in late August 1936 into the hands of the Franco peoples of San Sebastian and the Oria Valley, Mount Andatza and its surroundings became an important defense point for the anti-francoists. Another work has been the recovery of the trench line. The recovery tasks were accompanied by archaeological excavations in the years 2022 and 2023. Since then, hundreds of pods and objects have appeared.

All this work was a way to bring to light the historic recreation carried out on April 13 with citizen collaboration. The collaboration of Intxorta 1937, Lubaki, the Museum of Iron Moist Memory, the Front of Euzkadi and the memorials of Memory has been indispensable in its elaboration. According to some data, at least 19 deaths and 55 injuries occurred in Andatza in those days.

The archaeologists Malen Lizarraga, Inmaculada Richaud, Francisco Gómez, Xabier Herrero, Aitziber Gonzalez and Pablo Perucha participated in the execution of the archaeological work of Lubakieta. At the end of the historical regeneration, the archaeologist Josu Santamaría, who is writing the archaeological report, made known what has been found in the trenches. This year the ‘Ruta de la Memoria de Andatza’ has been executed, which brings together both archaeological and historical research. On a tour consisting of information panels and QR figures, any citizen can try a trip to Andatza to learn about part of what is later known as the Saseta defense system.

All photos, testimonies and project details can be found on the website of the association. As a last initiative, the partnership aims to complete an interactive itinerary that will cross Usurbil to explain the War of 1936.