The book, titled Memòria de l'oblit. La repressió franquista a la Safor, is the result of extensive work by photojournalist Eva Máñez. This publication not only documents the victims' stories through words but also uses images to give a voice to those who suffered Francoist repression in the La Safor region. Many of these stories ended in a mass grave in the Gandia cemetery.
The publication, supported by the Centre d'Estudis i Investigacions Alfons el Vell and the Department of Historical Heritage and Democratic Memory, will be presented on April 14 at 7:30 PM at the Casa de la Marquesa in Gandia. The book's design evokes the judicial summaries that families access to learn about their ancestors' past.
“"I sought to recall the sound of turning the pages of the summaries, that smell, and the emotional sensation of accessing them for the first time."
The project began in 2018 with the creation of the Association of Victims of Francoism of Gandia. In 2023, the scientific association ArqueoAntro located a grave with human remains showing signs of violence. 27 bodies have been exhumed, although they have not yet been identified through DNA testing. It is estimated that up to 62 victims are buried there, half of whom have not yet been located.
The work is structured around four main axes: the mass grave and institutional mistreatment, the history of the women who became widows, family testimonies, and spaces of repression. In addition to individual testimonies, the book includes collaborations from groups such as the Associació de Familiars de la Fossa de Gandia, ArqueoAntro, the Associació Republicana de la Safor, and the Coordinadora d'Associacions per a la Memòria Democràtica del País Valencià.
“"Every page demonstrates that it is a rigorous, committed, and human work. This book would not be understood without all the previous process and all that remains to be done."
“"Against that interested oblivion, we must remember."
