Voice 1 Hello and welcome to Spotlight. I'm Steve Myersco. Voice 2 And I'm Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Today, Spotlight tells the story of a little girl who found her own way to deal with the war that surrounded her. Our story begins with a picture in a newspaper in 2008.
Voice 1 A British newspaper, The Times, shows a picture of an old woman. She is smiling gently at the camera. Her long, grey hair is pulled back from her face. Her bright eyes are as blue as the scarf around her neck. Her name is Encarnacion Martorell. Encarnacion looks extremely well for her age -84! It is hard to imagine her as a little girl. But, when she was 12, Encarnacion started to write a diary. In this diary, she recorded all her thoughts and feelings about life. And, in 2009, Encarnacion will publish this diary as a book. She will call it: "Through the Eyes of a Little Girl." Encarnacion hopes that many people in her home country of Spain will read it. But why? What is so special about her experience? And why is her story in a famous British newspaper?
Voice 2 Encarnacion lived through a very important part of Spanish history. In 1936, she was 12 years old. And this was the year that the Spanish Civil War started. In February, the people of Spain had elected a new government. The Popular Front Party gained control of the country. However, the months after the election proved to be difficult for the ruling party. It struggled against Spain's many economic and social problems. And people who opposed the government believed that it was time for a major change. They believed that they should act. One of these people was a general in the Spanish army - Francisco Franco. At that time, he was a commander in the Canary Islands. This small group of islands lies off the north-west coast of Africa. And, they are part of Spain. In July 1936, General Franco made an announcement from the Canary Islands. He and his soldiers had decided to rebel against the Spanish government!
Voice 1 Spanish soldiers based in North Africa also rebelled. And some days later, Franco landed in Spain with the rebel soldiers. Here, they began fighting against government forces. As the conflict continued, support for both sides came from other countries. The leaders of Germany and Italy agreed with the rebel cause. And they provided its armies with military resources. At the same time, many people from the United States and democratic European countries offered to fight for the government side.
Voice 2 The battles were often bloody and violent. And the fighting caused many problems for many normal Spanish citizens. Encarnacion Martorell and her family were such people. They lived in the north-eastern city of Barcelona. Many big cities suffered from a lack of necessary supplies, such as food. Encarnacion's diary tells of how she had to spend her time searching for food, instead of going to school. The war turned happy days as a child into a long, bad dream. She says: Voice 3 "No child should suffer something like that. We should have been playing, fooling around, going for a swim in the sea - not standing in a line for a small piece of bread." Voice 1 Encarnacion wrote more in her diary about how the terrible events of the war affected her. She felt afraid when she heard the sound of the air-raid siren. She felt shame about her dirty old clothes. She did not like worrying about what the future held. For Encarnacion, writing a diary became a way to survive. She remembers: Voice 3 "I wrote to escape what was happening...I was only 12 when I started. But I knew what was happening would change the history of Spain." Voice 2 The war continued until 1939. In the end, General Franco and the rebel armies defeated the government forces. And on the first of April, Franco claimed victory. The end of the war marked the beginning of Franco's 36 year rule as dictator. Voice 1 After the civil war, Spain remained a divided society. The war had left people with very little. It had broken their spirits. But many people supported Franco's strong leadership. He avoided taking Spain into the Second World War. And, he managed to lead his country into a period of peace and economic growth.
Voice 2 However, many Spanish people still believed that Franco was their enemy. They considered his method of governing to be anti-democratic. Franco did not like people disagreeing with him in public. And many of those who did were put in prison. Many leaders of other countries also disapproved of Franco. They refused to do business with him, especially in his early years as president.
Voice 1 Franco died in 1975. Before he died, he agreed that the new ruler should be a member of Spain's royal family. The people of Spain saw this as a new beginning. They decided to close the door on the past. The new government pardoned Franco's supporters. And people agreed to try and forget the past.
Voice 2 However, in 2007, the Spanish government passed a law that changed this situation. The Law of Historical Memory recognizes the rights of people who suffered or died during the war and the rule of General Franco. And for the first time, a Spanish law condemns the military rebellion that led to the war. It also condemns Franco's years as a dictator. Many people in Spain have welcomed this law. They believe that the law is bringing light to a dark period in Spain's history. It is encouraging people to deal with the past - not to run away from it.
Voice 1 Encarnacion Martorell hid her diary away in a small room at the top of her family's house. For years and years it remained there, gathering dust. And she did not find it again until 2004. She told a writer friend about her diary. And he encouraged her to turn her writing into a book. And now Encarnacion is ready to share her memories with other people. Her book contains the words of a child. But these simple words may help a country understand and forgive the past - and find peace.
Voice 2 The writer and producer of today's programme was Ruby Jones. The voices you heard were from the United Kingdom and the United States. All quotations were adapted and voiced by Spotlight. You can hear more Spotlight programmes on our website. Our address is http://www.radio.english.net. This programme is called "A Child's Memories of War." Thank you for listening, goodbye.
