Day ‘The voices of Catalan culture during the Franco regime’ / Activities / visit us / Start

Next Tuesday, June 17, 2025, between 9:30 and 13:30, it will be celebrated in the Room of the Charity of the Library of Catalonia the day “The voices of Catalan culture during the Franco regime”, Within the framework of the fiftieth anniversary of the recovery of democratic rights and freedoms.

The Francoist repression left a strong imprint on the cultural production of the time. On the one hand, censorship controlled culture and forms of creation seeking the elimination of any type of dissent, so books, newspapers, magazines, songs or films were reviewed and modified according to the values ​​of the regime, limiting artistic freedom. On the other hand, many authors chose to circumvent censorship, seeking creative ways to overcome the barriers imposed by the regime. Many intellectuals and artists organized themselves to make their voices heard in a very difficult context. Its resistance has left a great cultural legacy.

In this day, different specialists will bring their vision on the censorship or anti -Franco struggle of different creators.

The event will be divided into four parts, as well as the presentation and institutional closing.

It will begin with an introduction entitled “Editorial Strategies to Dodge Censorship”, Given by Laura Vilardell, Associate Professor at Northern Illinois University who will connect online.

Then a round table will be offered with the title “Censorship in the creation works”, Moderated by Lluís Agustí, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Information and Audiovisual Media of the Barcelona University, in which the following topics will be discussed by different experts:

• “Writers, readers and censorship during the Franco dictatorship.” Jordi Cornellà-Detrell, Associate Professor at the University of Glasgow.
• “Press and literature in the first postwar period”, Blanca Ripoll Sintes, Associate Professor Serra Húnter, University of Barcelona.
• “Censorship in creation works”. Maria Salicrú-Maltas, historian and ethnomusicologist, doctor from the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
• “The Mutilated Thebeos of the Franco regime”. Vicent Sanchis, professor at the Blanquerna Faculty of Communication and International Relations.

Will follow the round table “anti -Franco creative voices”, moderate by Lluís Quintana (Autonomous University of Barcelona), in which the following cases will be exposed:

• “Fight censorship: the case of Manuel de Pedrolo”. Elisabet Armengol, Doctor of Linguistic, Literary and Cultural Studies (CRIC UB) and Professor of Catalan Language and Literature.
• “Feminist essay censored: Maria Aurèlia Capmany”. Pilar Godayol, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia.
• “Scope and effect of censorship in Mercè Rodoreda’s work: institutional, publishing, reader and authorial censorship.” Meritxell Talavera i Muntané, teacher at the Vila de Gràcia Institute.
• “Censorship in Carles Riba’s work: exile and return.” Isabel Turull Crexells, reader at Università Roma Sapienza.

The event will have a few words of conclusion by the moderators and will end with the institutional closing by Eugènia Serra, director of the Library of Catalonia.

The entrance is free with reservation prior to bncdifusio@bnc.cat.

The event can also be followed by stress at the YouTube channel of the Library of Catalonia.

Date: June 17, 2025
Hour: 9: 30-13: 30 h
Place: Charity Room, Library of Catalonia (C/ Hospital, 56, Barcelona)