Sal Williams

Hi folks i am back! Let's go to the little museum they have in Gernika about the bombing. The museum starts with a small recreated room of a citizen of gernika. She narrates her experience the day of the bombing and the house shakes and darkens. then you enter the museum which is short on actual items but gives the history of the war and the bombing of gernika in particular. Here are the couple of items I was most impressed with. An actual period pistol made at the nearby Astra gun factory.

Not me Jacques! I never get the Detlev stuff fast enough! Best, Sal

What about my poor little SS guy Rick????

Wonderful Jacques! I may have a possibility to buy one of these actually for a good price Best, Sal

Very nice Jacques! Thanks for the history! Do you own any of those photos as originals???? Best, Sal P.S. looks like this is our own private little forum

Next please!

coming next,... the Astra factory! Stay tuned , same bat time, same bat channel! Best, Sal

here it is on the map. #23

And finally we came to the bridge that was an alleged target of the bombardment but missed. There are conflicting stories about this and the Astra gun factory. It is said that the gun factory and bridge were targets of the attack but both were missed in the bombing, conversely it is also said that they were both purposly NOT hit because Franco wanted to use the gun factory(which he did) and needed the bridge for moving his troops in after the bombing... It seems the issue is not ever going to be known for certain. In fact Franco denied the bombing was the work of the Fascists at all but esserted that it was the socialist Republicans who did it as propaganda to blame the Fascists! He maintained this until the very end. This however we know is fiction as there are photos of the He111 and German records as well as an official post war apology(only very recently) from the German Government. Anyhow ere is me on the bridge!

That was located at the entrance to the green area. It doesn't even show up on the map, but the kind folks at the tourist office guided me to it.

Here was the most obvoiusly damaged thing we found. One of 2 columns that goes into a courtyard park thingy.

Here it is on the map. Not the marked one but the left hand building of the 2 small square ones

and this building (I don't know what it was) survived and was either untouched or redone at some piont.. Absolutely no signs of damage!

I asked around about seeing battle damage but there was little to see as most everything was destroyed completely. The church was one of the few spots you could see scars I was told. I think this is schrapnel damage. Looked like it on close onspestion.

And here it is as it looks today.

Ok, here we go.... We hunted what remained that was pre 1937. We found this old church was still standing (which was interesting because most churches were torn down by the socialist republican side, so it survived destruction by both sides somehow???). Here it is in a close up from the first map I posted. Number 18

Does anyone know if any medals were awarded on the other side of this struggle? Best, Sal

Jacques, Is that your Medal at the top? How much do these run? Someday I will overtake you in the Spanish stuff race!!!! Best, Sal

What a stunning document! I want one much more than I want the actuall medal!

Is the Rank what told you it is naval? I don't know my German ranks bad little research student that I am

Thanks Jacques, That is the best looking gold SC I have ever seen!!!

Bob, I had the best Paella I had while in Spain there! You are right the food up there is top notch!!!

Actually Rick the reason the "new" buildings look old is because directly after reducing the town the Franco regime rebuilt the city for use of the Astra gun factory I understand. More coming about Astra

Well at this point we headed out armed with our trusty map to find what few remnants of old Gernika survived the Nazi bombardment. The He111's sure took thier toll! I will post pics of what I found left tomorrow. Best, Sal

Here is the current tree. The tree that survived the bombing died recently but was again replaced by a seedling from THAT tree.