The postal history of the Republican forced labor camps under the SIM administration
Introduction
Republican labor camps and prisons are much less known that Francoist concentration camps and jails, because they lasted much less in time and concerned much less people. But brutality was similar in detention centers of both sides fighting the civil war.
Some of these Republican prisons or camps are often remembered as Francoist detention centers, because it is generally ignored that previously they served to the same purpose for Republicans. We can mention Almería’s provincial prison, known as ‘El Ingenio’, or Madrid’s General Porlier street prison. Even Albatera Republican labor camp was reused by Francoists as a concentration camp, known as ‘Almond trees Camp’ under their rule.
This work focuses on the toughest Republican labor camps postal history, those ruled by the Servicio de Información Militar (SIM), which was the military intelligence agency of the Second Spanish Republic. This is a specialty in the specialty of postal history from the Republican penitentiary system.
The pieces we study on this work undoubtedly give high added value to any collection containing even just one of them. This kind of pieces are so rare, that we will reproduce below all the known covers, post cards and stationery post cards related to the SIM’s labor camps system.
This is the rarest field of the whole Spanish civil war postal history, and one of the rarest of the Spanish postal history in general.
Brief historical review of the Republican labor camps system
On December 1936, the Republican government created a system of labor camps for ‘condemned in the rebel movement, to make public works able to resolve the problems of the regions where the camps are settled’ (Gaceta de la República núm. 362, Dec 27, 1936, pages 1118 & 1119).
These camps had to bee an alternative to prisons, where prisoners should be redeemed for work. The camps hosted a wide variety of political prisoners, deserters, undisciplined, right-wing people, religious, rebel military POWs and even civilian from areas retaken by the Republican army.
The treatment received by inmates was very different in some and other camps. While those ruled by the Prisons Office depending on the Ministry of Justice treatment was correct, those under Servicio de Información Militar (SIM) were famous for an inhumane treatment to the prisoners, and arbitrary executions where common there.
There are few documentary references about this kind of detention centers, but the list of Republican camps can be reconstructed through analyzing several sources. Here is the list of those we could get references about:
ALICANTE:
Albatera labor camp: it was stablished on September 6, 1937 (Gaceta de la República, nr. 252, Sep 9, 1937, page 995). In later times, documents refer to this camp as ‘Campo de Trabajo del Segura, sección de Albatera’ (Gaceta 147, May 27, 1938, page 1056, & Gaceta 150, June 5, 1938, page 1202).
San Juan labor camp: it was stablished on Dec 20, 1937 (Gaceta de la República nr. 855, Dec 21, 1937, page 1334).
Calpe labor camp: stablished on Feb 19, 1938 (Gaceta de la República nr 53, Feb 22, 1938, pages 972 & 973)
Muchamiel women’s prison: Centro Documental de la Memoria Histórica, signature PS-MADRID,681,5.
Orihuela labor camp: we only know the existence of this camp through covers and post cards sent from it, with no other documentary reference. Being close to Albatera, it could also be part of ‘Campos de Trabajo del Segura’ mentioned before, being its base in Albatera. It was in San Miguel seminary.
San Vicente del Raspeig labor camp: known thanks to a cover sent to this camp and through documents in Centro Documental de la Memoria Histórica, signature PS-MADRID,1662,29.
Segura de Benidorm labor camp: mentioned in some documents in Centro Documental de la Memoria Histórica, signature PS-MADRID,1662,32
ALMERÍA:
Almeria labor camp: Centro Documental de la Memoria Histórica, signature PS-MADRID,208,35.
Venta Araoz labor camp: only referenced on a document in Centro Documental de la Memoria Histórica, signature PS-MADRID,1131,7
CUENCA
El Carrizal de Tarancón labor camp: known thanks to documents in Centro Documental de la Memoria Histórica, signature PS-MADRID,1662,43.
MADRID
Alcalá de Henares, Casa de Trabajo labor camp: it was stablished in 1934 to host sentenced upon Lazy and Crook Law, passed by the Parliament the year before. At the beginning of the civil war, Casa de Trabajo was emptied of common prisoners to host right-wing people and rebel military, becoming a labor camp.
MURCIA:
Totana labor camp: it was stablished on Dec 28, 1936 (Gaceta de la República nr 365, Dec 30, 1936, page 1156)
Cehegín, Casa de Reforma labor camp: it occupied Maravillas convent ‘to host people sentenced to labor camp internment, or other, for offenses of disaffection or endangering the regime’ (Gaceta de la República nr 49, Feb 2, 1938, page 910). It was stablished on Feb 1, 1938.
TERUEL:
Valmuel labor camp: only mentioned on document with signature PS-MADRID,684,6 in Centro Documental de la Memoria Histórica.
ZARAGOZA:
Caspe labor camp: references in Centro Documental de la Memoria Histórica, signature PS-MADRID-1091,10
CATALONIA:
In 1936, six labor camps were created to decongest prisons, chekas (irregular detention centers) and prison ships ruled by the Servicio de Información Militar. The same SIM was in charge of these camps, identified with a number:
Labor camp number 1: it was in Poble Espanyol, Montjuïc, Barcelona. Poble Espanyol were the buildings where the 1929 Exhibit took place. These buildings, along with Muntaner 55, also in Barcelona, hosted the SIM’s offices.
Labor camp number 2: it was in Hospitalet de l’Infant, with an accessory camp in Tivissa. It was later moved to Montferrer and La Seu d’Urgell.
Labor camp number 3: it was in Omells de Na Gaià and later moved to Vilasana & Cabó.
Labor camp number 4: in Concabella, and later moved to Barbens.
Labor camp number 5: in Ogern, near Bassella, and later moved to Anglesola.
Labor camp number 6: in Falset, with an important accessory camp in Cabassers and detachments in Gratallops, La Figuera and Porrera. Later moved to Arbeca and merged with Labor camp number 3 in Cabó.
Out of the SIM’s structure, there was in Catalonia another labor camp, in Pelosa beach (Roses), managed by the Prisons Office of the Ministry of Justice, and Clariana camp, which was actually Republican army’s Disciplinary Battalion number 5.
The study of Catalan labor camps is widely documented in Francesc Badia’s book ‘Els camps de treball a Catalunya durant la guerra civil (1936-1939), Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat, 2001.
The main tasks of the prisoners in the Catalan camps was the fortification of zones close to the camps, and communication with the outside world was subject to a severe control. In most camps -there are exceptions- each prisoner could only send two post cards per month to his closest family, with a text no longer than 20 words, on a post card to make easy for the censorship to review it, and the text could only greet the addressee and say the sender was in good health. It was strictly prohibited to write about anything else or to reveal where the camp in which he was interned was.
On the other hand, there were no restrictions on incoming mail, but each camp had its own norms on this. While in some camps prisoners could receive long letters in covers and even packets with clothing, food or stamps and post cards to reply, in others correspondence addressed to prisoners had to be written on post cards with the same word limit than the outgoing mail.
In Albatera camp there was a peculiarity on correspondence received by prisoners: it has no censor marks of any kind. But that outgoing does (the only example we have seen is on a post card)
In Catalonia, the odyssey of those interned in labor camps ended when they crossed the French border on early February 1939. This brought liberty to them and exile to their guards. In the Spanish Levant, the camps ended with the Francoist occupation, and some were used as concentration camps as well by the rebel army, to enclose those of the other side.
RARITY OF THE PIECES
Postal effects circulated from or to Republican labor camps are extremely rare, and very few privileged collections have some example of this kind of postal history. The most extreme rarities are pieces circulated to prisoners in SIM camps (all those in Catalonia), ‘chekas’ (irregular detention centers) or ‘preventorios’ (provisional prisons for those awaiting trial). Their rarity is so extreme that only eight examples are known to exist: three covers and three stationery post cards received by prisoners in the camps (one stationery post card and one cover returned to sender) and two stationery post cards to an inmate in prison ship ‘Uruguay’, which was “Preventorio E’ under the SIM.
La Pelosa labor camp, in Roses, is a case apart; only one post card is known sent from it.
We have never seen any piece froom San Juan and Calpe labor camps, both in Alacant.
DOCUMENTARY SOURCES TO IDENTIFY ADDRESSEES AND SENDERS
Unfortunately we don’t have complete lists with the names of those held prisoners in the camps, neither of officers and guards serving there. Despite this, we have partial lists, which are the only help to identify senders and addressees of the postal effects we study here.
The best source to identify labor camp guards is an order by Government Ministry of May 19, 1938, published in Gaceta de la República nr 154, June 3, 1938 (pages 1177 to 1181). It contains the appointment of 777 labor camp guards. They do not appear on alphabetical order, but it mostly resembles a consecutive publication of three different lists merged in one.
Other orders appointing or ceasing labor camp guard corps officers in the following Gacetas:
Nr 103, April 13, 1938, page 290
Nr 139, May 19, 1938, pages 944-945
Nr 145, May 25, 1938, page 1034
Nr 249, Sept 6, 1938, page 1093
Nr 253, Sept 10, 1938, page 1177
Nr 265, Sept 22, 1938, pages 1376-1377
Nr 269, Sept 26, 1938, page 1433
Nr 314, Nov 10, 1938, pages 507-508
Nr 344, Dec 10, 1938, pages 1033-1034
All these documents can be found on the Internet, on the historic collection of the Gazeta, in the website of the Spanish Official State Bulletin:
https://www.boe.es/buscar/gazeta.php
For a partial list of inmates in the Catalan labor camps, you can see Frances Badia’s work ‘Els camps de treball a Catalunya durant la Guerra Civil (1936-1939), Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat, 2001, appendice 19, pages 394/450.
For a partial list of those killed under the Frente Popular government in Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, see appendices on César Alcalá works ‘Checas de Madrid’ and ‘Checas de Valencia’, and on the book by César Vidal ‘Checas de Barcelona’. Sometimes it is possible to identify senders or addressees of Republican labor camps postal history pieces through the lists of those killed
Bibliography:
Gaceta de la República
Francesc Badia: Els camps de treball a Catalunya durant la Guerra Civil (1936-1939), Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat, 2001
Joan Samper: Los Campos de Trabajo republicanos en Catalunya durante la Guerra Civil, Monografías Filatélicas nº 20, 2016
César Alcalá: Checas de Barcelona, Ed. Belacqua, Barcelona 2005
César Alcalá: Checas de Valencia, Ed. Styria, Barcelona 2006
César Vidal, Checas de Madrid, Planeta DeAgostini, Barcelona 2007
KNOWN POSTAL HISTORY PIECES RELATED TO THE SIM’S LABOR CAMPS SYSTEM
This article focuses on the specialty of the specialty: the postal history pieces sent from or to Servicio de Información Militar penitentiary system, which is a part of the Republican labor camps and prisons postal history. This chapter of the postal history is so rare that we can list all known pieces on this article, and we are going to do so. Just for clarification, the SIM ruled its own penitentiary service inside the Republican prisons system. Death rate on the SIM’s camps and prisons was extremely high, with arbitrary executions and due also to the bad living conditions of its installations. Post cards and covers sent to inmates are more rare that those sent out by them for an obvious reason: the incoming mail had to suffer the same miseries than its addressees, and its fate was linked to the addressee fate: if the prisoner was killed, his belongings were thrown away. Usually, the simple existence of mail received by prisoners mean they survived to their imprisonment. On the other hand, mail sent by inmates is more likely to have survived, as its conservation conditions were very different.
All covers and post cards received by SIM prisoners we have seen show the footprint of hard living conditions: they are creased, dirty, with stains, with worn down corners, being all these signs a sample of what these pieces of mail had to see in the receivers’ shirt pockets while digging trenches or opening new roads with pick and shovel, or in their miserable barracks, cells or churches converted into prisons where they rested a few hours before being awaken with butt blows to return to their slave work.
You can find below a list with images of all known pieces of postal history sent from or to SIM’s labor camps and ‘Preventorios’, all in Catalonia, between mid 1938 and February 1939.
As they are extremely rare, we have found appropriate to add pictures of all of them. If in the future more pieces of correspondence related to the SIM’s labor camps and prisons system are discovered, this article will be updated.
PREVENTORIO A, Montjuïc Castle, Barcelona
Inventory number; 001
July 19, 1938
Origin: colectalia.com, lot CT130
This postcard is a clear example of the tight communication conditions that the Republican Servicio de Información Militar imposed upon prisoners while in certain detention centers, specially those called “Preventorios”: only one post card per month was allowed wiht a maximum of 20 words, as noted by Francesc Badia in his book “Els camps de treball a Catalunya durant la guerra civil (1936-1939), pages 143 & following. The sender of this post card is Ferran Blasi Mora, identified by his signature and thanks to another post card sent from a prison in Girona , not related with the SIM and thus excluded from this study.
Transcription:
Comunicación mensual 20 palabras. No tengo autorización comida. No admiten más ropa: únicamente unos calzoncillos. PREOCUPAOS DE NUESTRA DEFENSA
Castillo de Montjuic, 19 Julio 1938.
Mis señas son: Preventorio A nº 187, Prisiones Militares, Muntaner, 55 bajos, BARCELONA
Translation:
Monthly communication of 20 words. Food not authorized. No more clothes admitted: only a pair of socks. TAKE CARE OF OUR DEFENSE. Montjuïc Castle, July 19, 1938. Preventorium A. Nr. 187. Military Prisons. Muntaner 55, floor. Barcelona.
On the front there is a mark “CASTILLO DE MONTJUIC / PRISIONES MILITARES”. Muntaner 55 was the address used as mail office by SIM officials, and all correspondence addressed to prisoners had to be sent there, from where it was redirected to Preventories or Labor Camps.
PREVENTORIO C, Barcelona Seminar, Diputació 231
Inventory number: 002
August 11, 1938
Origin: colectalia.com, lot CT010
Improvised postcard from SIM’s Preventorio C, in Barcelona Seminar, Diputació 231 (see La Vanguardia, Oct 5, 1937, page 7). The sender’s address is ‘Muntajer 55 bajos’ in Barcelona, this is, SIM’s post office in the city where correspondence to labor camps or ‘preventorios’ had to be addressed, to be redirected to the prisoners wherever they were. Franked with Edifil 749 and Barcelona local surcharge stamp Edifil 19. Roller postmark with unreadable date, but text on the back dated on Aug 11, 1938. Handwritten mark ‘C’ with red pencil for ‘Censura’. The text fits the strict instructions for SIM’s detainees: text with 20 words. The sender asks the reply to have the same length.
Transcription of the text:
Barelona, 11 agosto 1938. Sin noticias tuyas. Escribe veinte palabras postal. Mándame calcetines, calzoncillos, papel retrete y 25 pts. giro postal. Abrazos, Pepe. Remitente José González Juan, Preventorio C. Prisiones Militares. Muntaner 55 bajos.
Translation of the text:
Barcelona, August 11, 1938. No news from you. Send post card with twenty words. Send socks, underpants, toilet roll, and 25 pts through money order. Hugs, Pepe. Sender: José González Juan, Preventorio C. Military Prisons. Muntaner 55 bajos.
Inventory number: 003
October 9, 1938
Origin: colectalia.com, lot CT039
Postal stationery Edifil 77N sent from Preventorio C in Barcelona (the Seminar). Unreadable date on the postmark, but text on the back dated on Oct 9, 1938. Sender’s info on the back: Juan Jorba , Preventorio C, Muntaner 55, Piso Principal (sala 1ª)
Transcription of the text:
Queridísima madre, estoy bien en Barcelona, en el Preventorio C. Puedes mandarme paquete comida a calle Muntaner 55. Recuerdos a todos, Juan Jorba. Juan Jorba, Preventorio C – Muntaner 55, Piso Principal (sala 1ª)
Translation:
Dearest mother, I am all right in Barcelona, in Preventorio C. You can send me food to 55 Muntaner street. Regards to all, Juan Jorba. Juan Jorba, Preventrio C – Muntaner 55, Piso Principal (sala 1ª)
Big stains that make difficult to read the text.
PREVENTORIO E, prison ship ‘Uruguay’ in Barcelona harbor
Inventory number: 004
August 28, 1938
Origin: colectalia.com, lot CT141
Stationery post card Edifil 77n addressed to Preventorio E “Uruguay”, this is, the steamship Uruguay in Barcelona harbor, used as prison under the SIM administration.
The original name of this steamship was Infanta Isabel de Borbón, it was built in Dumbarton (Scotland) in 1913 and it was acquired by Compañía Transatlántica to offer a regular line Barcelona-Buenos Aires.
In 1934 the steamer was acquired by the government of the Spanish Republic and renamed “Uruguay”. After the failed Catalan declaration of independence of October 6, 1934, the Catalan Government and 2,500 others were jailed in this ship, transformed into a prison.
After the defeat of rebel military in Barcelona during the July 18, 1936 coup, rebel generals Manuel Goded Llopis and Álvaro Fernández Burriel were jailed in this prison ship until their execution.
Uruguay prison ship was under the administration of Servicio de Información Militar (SIM) during the war, and thanks to this post card we know it was labeled “Preventorio E” by the SIM.
The steamer hosted prisoners of very different nature during the war: falangists, fascists, and also ideological enemies of Stalin. Life was hard in the ship: dirt, rats, food shortage and brutal treatment. Many of its prisoners were extrajudiciary executed.
During the air raid against Barcelona’s harbor, on January 16, 1939, the ship was sunk by the rebel air force. Prisoners who could escape the bombing and sinking had different fates: some were liberated, while others were executed. The steamship was refloated after the war, in July 1939, but it never sailed again. Its wreck was sold in 1942.
This stationery post card and the next one are addressed to Rafael Corbella Amat.
The card is uprated with a 5c stamp and has a Sabadell postmark with partially readable date: “AGO 38”. The address has two parts:
Preventorio E. “Uruguay” and Muntaner, 55, bajos, Barcelona. This last address, Muntaner 55, was the SIM’s post office, where the correspondence for prisoners in labor camps and prisons was directed to be forwarded, and where outcoming correspondence was received for delivery to the mail.
The text on the back is dated in Can Rull (a neighborhood of Sabadell) on August 26, 1938. This is the transcription and translation:
Can Rull, 26-8-38,
Querido Rafael,
Cartas Can Rull, no. Dirígelas casa Barcelona. Voy los miércoles. Recogerélas. ¿Quieres comida? Manda certificado médico a Muntaner 55.
Rosario.
It is written in a telegraphic style. Probably, incoming mail for prisoners had a certain word limit for the texts. It is known outgoing texts had limits in most prisons and labor camps ruled by the SIM.
This is the translation:
Can Rull, Aug 26, 1938
Dear Rafael,
No letters to Can Rull. Send them to home in Barcelona. I go every Wednesday to pick them up. Do you want food? Send doctor’s certificate to Muntaner 55.
Rosario.
Inventory number: 005
August 31, 1938
Origin: colectalia.com, lot CT142
Stationery post card Edifil 77n addressed to the same prison ship. The card is uprated with a 5c stamp Barcelona and has no postmark. Stamps are cancelled with blue pencil.
The text on the back is dated in Can Rull (a neighborhood of Sabadell) on August 31, 1938. This is the transcription:
Can Rull, 31-8-38,
Querido Rafael,
Seguimos bien. ¿Quieres ropa? Dime cual. Tengo toda la de Pins. Hoy haré diligencias para ti. Recuerdos. Tuya,
Rosario.
It is written in a telegraphic style. Probably, incoming mail for prisoners had a certain word limit for the texts. It is known outgoing texts had limits in most prisons and labor camps ruled by the SIM.
This is the translation:
Can Rull, Aug 31, 1938
Dear Rafael,
We are fine. Do you want clothes? I have all [clothes] from Pins. Today I’ll do diligences for you. Regards. Yours,
Rosario.
PREVENTORIO J, unknown location
Inventory number: 006
September 20, 1938
Origin: colectalia.com, lot CT146
Postcard to Valencia, franked with 25c Edifil 749 and 5c Barcelona local Edifil 19, Barcelona postmark dated on Sept 28, 1938. Addressed to Arturo González del Río. The sender is his brother Julio.
The back of the post card contains a printed space for the sender’s info: “REMITENTE: / PREVENTORIO: J / OFICINA DE CORRESPONDENCIA / Muntaner, 55 (bajos) BARCELONA”.
This is the only example we know of this kind of post cards for prisoners printed by the SIM. We have seen several examples where prisoners in labor camps and prevetories write themselves the Servicio de Información Militar (SIM) mail office address of Muntaner, 55 bajos, Barcelona, on their sender’s info, but this is the first time we see this stationery post card especially printed for prisoners.
Seen once in a lifetime piece. The rarest SIM & Republican labor camp and prisons system related piece we have ever seen.
Transcription of the text:
Barcelona, 20-IX-38
Queridos todos: Recibí vuestra postal de 29 de Julio alegrándome de que todos estéis bien.
Estoy estupendamente de salud, trabajando de mecánico en un taller de reparación de automóviles y no nos falta nada, lo mismo en trato que en comida y estancia, de modo que podéis estar tranquilos.
Muchos abrazos a todos, especialmente a los viejos, de Julio
Translation of the text:
Barcelona, September 20, 1938
Dear all: I received your post card dated on July 29 and I am happy to learn you all are fine.
I have very good healh, I am working as mechanic in a workshop reparing cars, and we do not lack anything in treatment, food and housing, so you don’t need to worry.
Lots of hugyes to all, specialy to the elders, from Julio
LABOR CAMP NUMBER 1
According to Francesc Badia’s study “Els camps de treball a catalunya durant la guerra civil (1936-1939)”, Labor Camp number 1 was “a penitentiary structure composed by the installations of Montjuic’s Poble Espanyol [built for Barcelona’s 1929 World Exhibit], the former diocesan seminar and, during some time, the so called Palacio de las Misiones”.
Inventory number: 007
April 2, 1938
Origin: in a private collection
Postcard franked with 25c Edifil 685 and Barcelona local Edifil 19. Barcelona postmark of April 2, 1938. Addressed to Arturo González del Río in Valencia. The sender is his brother Julio.
Transcription:
Barcelona, 2-4-38
Queridos todos: después de un viaje estupendo llegamos a esta, y como hoy nos dan permiso para escribir lo hago para que sepáis que estoy estupendamente y que estamos en un local muy venilable, con sol y comemos tan bien como lo hacía en Segorbe, de modo que no tenéis por qué estar preocupados en absoluto.
Que no venga la Nena ni nada, pues no necesito nada en absoluto, y os escribiré bastante frecuentemente!
¿Qué les parecen a las chicas los cinturones que les mandé?
Fernando me dejó para venir 200 Ptas, pues primero me dejó 100 y después me dieron otras 100, que no me dijeron de quien eran pero creo eran de él. No dejéis de atenderlo en lo que podáis.
Muchos recuerdos a todos, y para vosotros un abrazo muy fuerte de vuestro hijo, hermano y sobrino. Julio.
Dirección: Julio González del Río. Palacio de las Misiones (Exposición), Barcelona.
Translation:
Barcelona, April 2, 1938
Dear all: after a perfect journey we have arrived to this city, and as today they gave us permission to write, I do it to let you know I am very well and we are in a very ventilated building, with sun, and we eat as well as we did in Segorbe, so you don’t need to worry at all.
Nena musn’t come, as I don’t need anything and I’ll be writing frequently!
What do the girls think about the belts I sent them?
Fernanto lend me 200 Pts to come here. He first lend me 100, and later they gave me another 100 but they didn’t tell me where did this money come from, but I think it came from him. Assist him in anything you can.
Lots of regards for all, and a big hug for you from your son, brother and nephew. Julio.
Address: Julio González del Río. Palacio de las Misiones (Exposición), Barcelona.
Inventory number: 008
April 11, 1938
Origin: in a private collection
Postal stationery Edifil 79n uprated with 5c Barcelona local stamp Edifil 19 to Valencia, sent by Julio González del Río, in Palacio de las Misiones (Exposición), Barcelona. Unreadable postmark, but text on the back dated on April 11, 1938.
Transcription:
Barcelona, 11-IV-38
Queridos todos: Recibí vuestra carta y me alegro de que estéis todos bien. Yo estoy como siempre bien, y aquí mucho mejor que en Segorbe, pues el agua es astringente y me viene la mar de bien. De comida estamos bien, y el otro día me trayeron, creo que María del Carmen, pues no hay comunicación, un bote de leche, carne y pan, de modo que estar completamente tranquilos y que no venga la Nena, que me dice Antonio piensa venir con su mujer, pues aquí no hace falta y el viaje es expuesto por los bombardeos.
Cuidaros todos mucho y no preocuparos de mi, que como ya os dije […] veces estoy estupendamente.
Muchos recuerdos a todos los amigos, y para vosotros un abrazo muy fuerte de vuestro hijo, hermano, sobrino y nieto.
Julio.
Translation:
Barcelona, April 11, 1938
Dear all: I received your letter and I am happy to lear you are all right. I am well as always, and better here than I was in Segorbe, because the water is astringent and it is good for me. Food is OK, the other day someone brought me canned milk, meat and bread, I think it was María del Carmen, but there is no communication. So stay calmed, Nena musn’t come, Antonio will come with his wife. She is not necessary here and the journey is exposed to bombings.
Take care all and don’t worry for me, as I told you […] times I’m very well.
Lots of regards to the friends, and a big hug for you from your son, brother, nephew and grandson.
Julio.
Inventory number: 009
April 12, 1938
Origin: in a private collection
Stationery post card Edifil 79A with Barcelona local Edifil 19, with unreadable postmark but text on the back dated on April 12, 1938. Sent bu Julio González del Río to his brother Arturo in Valencia. Sender’s name on the front, with no references to labor camp number 1, but in the chronology of other known pieces of mail sent by this prisoner while he was in the camp.
Transcription:
Barcelona, 12-4-38
Queridos todos:
Como me encargásteis no dejo de escribiros periódicamente para que sepáis que me encuentro muy bien, de modo que podéis estar tranquilos.
Mandarme 100 Ptas si os es posible para no quedarme sin dinero en caso de que nos trasladasen de aquí o no pudiésemos escribir.
Anduiza está aquí, Fernando en Segorbe.
Muchos recuerdos a todos los amigos, y para vosotros un abrazo muy fuerte de
Julio.
Translation:
Barcelona, April 12, 1938
Dear all:
As you requested, I continue writting you periodically to let you know I am very well, so you don’t need to worry.
Send me 100 Ptas if you can to avoid running out of money if we are transferred anywhere else or if we could’nt write.
Anduiza is here, Fernando in Segorbe.
Lots of regards to all the friends, and a big hug for you, from
Julio.
Inventory number: 010
May 9, 1938
Origin: in a private collection
Air mail postal stationery Edifil 79n to Valencia, uprated with 45c Edifil 737 and Barcelona local Edifil 17, sent by Julio González del Río, in Palacio de las Misiones (Exposición), Barcelona. Postmark of May 25, 1938 and text on the back dated on May 9, 1938. According to Francesc Badia’s study “Els camps de treball a catalunya durant la guerra civil (1936-1939)”, Labor Camp number 1 was “a penitentiary structure composed by the installations of Montjuic’s Poble Espanyol [built for Barcelona’s 1929 World Exhibit], the former diocesan seminar and, during some time, the so called Palacio de las Misiones”.
Transcription:
Barcelona – 9-V-38
Queridos todos: Recibí vuestra carta del día 15 y me extraña no hayáis tenido noticias mías, pues os escribí cada 3 o 4 días.
Yo estoy muy bien de salud, y en cuanto a la comida estoy bien, pues además del rancho, Adelaida y la tía de Marieta (que me lava la ropa) me atienden muy bien. Estoy trabajando en las oficinas muy a gusto.
Cuidaros todos mucho y no os preocupéis de mi.
Muchos abrazos a todos, especialmente para los viejos, de Julio.
Translation:
Barcelona, May 9, 1938
Dear all: I received your letter from past 15 and I am surprised you didn’t get notices from me, as I wrote you every 3 or 4 days.
My health is very well, and food is also well, because extra to the food, Adelaida and Marieta’s aunt (who washes my clothes) give me very good attentions. I am comfortably working in the office.
Take care and don’t worry for me.
Lots of hugs to all, specially to the elders, from Julio.
Inventory number: 011
May 16, 1938
Origin: colectalia.com, lot CT122
Postal stationery Edifil 78n with Barcelona local Edifil 17 to Valencia, sent by Julio González del Río, in Palacio de las Misiones (Exposición), Barcelona. Postmark of May 16, 1938.
Transcription:
Barcelona – 15-V-38
Queridos todos: recibí vuestra carta y me alegro que todos estéis bien. Yo estoy muy bien y me atienden todos estupendamente.
Tengo ganas de estar ya con vosotros y los chicos y poder trabajar con tranquilidad.
Está Anduiza conmigo, que vino en una expedición posterior.
Muchoos abrazos a todos y uno muy fuerte para los viejos de vuestro, fin.
Julio
Translation:
Barcelona, May 15, 1938
Dear all: I’ve received your letter and I am happy to learn you all are well. I am very well and I receive excellent attentions by all.
I want to be with you and the boys and to work calmly.
Anduiza is with me, he came with a posterior expedition.
Hugues to all and a big one for the eldery. The end. Yours,
Julio
Inventory number: 012
May 20, 1938
Origin: in a private collection
Postal stationery Edifil 78n with Barcelona local Edifil 17 to Valencia, sent by Julio González del Río, in Palacio de las Misiones (Exposición), Barcelona. Postmark of May 26, 1938. On the back, mark “Maximo 30 Palabras / en la contestacion”.
Transcription:
Barcelona 20-5-38
Queridos todos: No tengo noticias vuestras desde hace más de 20 días y aunque me dicen que estáis bien, quisiera una letra vuestra diciéndolo.
Sigo como siempre estupendamente de salud. Comemos muy bien y nos dan pan a la comida Adelaida y de vez en cuando la tía de Marieta, no tenéis que preocuparos en esta cuestión. De constipados, catarros y todo eso ni hablar, de modo que creo que la viejina puede estar tranquila.
Muchos abrazos a todos, especialmente para los viejos, de Julio.
Translation:
Barcelona, May 20, 1938
Dear all: I’ve had no news from you for the last 20 days, and despite I’ve learned you are all right, I would like a letter from you saying this.
I am in good health as always. We eat very well and Adelaida and sometimes Marieta’s aunt give us bread for the lunch, so you don’t need to worry for this. I’ve not had colds at all, so I think the granny can be relaxed.
Lots of hugs to all, specially for the elder, from Julio.
Inventory number: 013
May 25, 1938
Origin: colectalia.com, lot CT155
Post card franked with 25c Edifil 685 and Barcelona local Edifil 17. Unreadable postmark, but text on the back dated on May 25, 1938. Sender’s info on the front: “Remite: Julio González del Río, Palacio Misiones (Exposición), Barcelona”. Mark “Máximo 30 Palabras / en la contestación”. Written in a more telegraphic style, so apparently word limit restrictions were imposed.
Transcription:
Barcelona, 26-5-38
Queridos todos: Estoy estupendamente. Sin noticias.
Sabéis algo de Fernando? Le escribí sin contestación cuatro postales.
Recuerdos Marieta. Su familia muy atenta, igual Adelaida.
Recibí ropa.
Muchos abrazos,
Julio
Translation:
Barcelona, May 26, 1938
Dear all: I am very well. No news.
Do you know anything about Fernando? I wrote him four postcards but I got no reply.
Regards Marieta. Her family very attentive, Adelaida the same.
I received clothes.
Lots of hugs,
Julio
Inventory number: 014
Undated
Origin: in a private collection
Stationery postcard Edifil 78 with Barcelona local Edifil 17. No postmark and no date on the text. Sender’s info on the front: “Remite. Julio González del Río, Palacio Misiones (Exposición), Barcelona”. Telegraphic style as word limit restrictions may had been set for the prisoners mail.
Transcription:
Mandarme: jabón de tocador, un tubo de pasta de dientes, un mono azul oscuro u otro color sufrido para mecánico, dos pares de alpargatas de suela de goma del 44, una toalla y un poco de tintura de yodo.
Julio.
D Arturo me hace mucho favor mandarme sellos urgentes, aquí no se encuentran hace días.
Translation:
Send me: soap, toothpaste, blue coveralls or another appropriated color for mechanic work, espardilles with rubber sole nr 44, a towel and some iodine tincture.
Julio.
D. Arturo, it is very useful for me to send me express mail stamps, they can’t be found here since a lot of days ago.
LABOR CAMP NUMBER 2
Inventory number: 015
May 11, 1938
Origin: colectalia.com, lot CT132
Improvised post card with unreadable roller postmark, but text on the back dated on May 11, 1938. Sender’s info on the front: “Josep Blasi Mora, Camp Treball nº 2, 1ª Companyia, Hospitalet de Mar (Tarragona).
Transcription:
Hospitalet de Mar, 11 maig 1938
Estimats pares,
Com que no he rebut contestació a cap carta, torno a escriure. Espero tindre més sort.
Necessito rebre lo més aviat posible lo següent: uns pantalons, unes espardenyes, 2 parells de mitjons sport, 2 mudes interiors, una camisa tela forta, savó i algunes pessetes /300/ (tinc un deute encara de Montjuich). Necessito també unes quantes postals. Si creieu que podeu enviar-me alguna cosa que pugui ser-me d’utilitat, envieu-me-la (tabac, etc). No se el procediment per rebre això, a molts els hi porten la mateixa família, els diners es poden enviar per gir.
Estic bé, espero que vosaltres també. Procureu almenys escriurem. Crec que escriure no és molt difícil.
Ja escriuré una altra vegada dintre uns tres dies. Molts petons per la mama i per a tots.
Josep Blasi
Translation:
Hospitalet de Mar, may 11, 1938
Dear parents,
As I’ve got no answer to any of my letters, I write to you again. I hope I’ll be more lucky this time.
I need to receive as soon as possible the following: trousers, a pair of shoes, two pairs of sport socks, two underpants, a shirt of srtong clothing, soap and some money, 300 pts (I still have a debt from when I was in Montjuïc). I also need some post cards. If you think you can send me anything useful, do et (tobacco, etc). I don’t know how to receive this, many get goods from their families, that bring them here. The money can be sent through a money order.
I am all right. I hope you too. Remember, at least, to write to me. I think writting is not very difficult.
In some three days I will write to yo uagain. Lots of kisses for mom and for all.
Josep Blasi