The Llançà City Council, through its Culture Area and in collaboration with the Municipal Archive, has expanded its network of spaces dedicated to democratic memory. This Sunday, a new double-sided informative totem was inaugurated in the gardens of Can Marly, subsidized by the Memorial Democràtic of the Generalitat. This element will allow visitors to learn about the estate's role during the Civil War and the post-war period, as well as the passage of civilians and soldiers through Llançà during the 1939 Retirada.
The estate, now part of the Catalunya Memory Spaces network, offers information on two key episodes: the transformation of Can Marly from a private residence to a reception colony linked to the libertarian movement during the Civil War, hosting refugee children, and its subsequent intervention by Francoist authorities. It also details Llançà's role as a transit point for thousands of Republicans who fled to France in February 1939.
This initiative continues other municipal actions, such as the recent installation of a space at the port of Llançà dedicated to the guides who helped refugees. The mayor, Núria Escarpanter, highlighted the commitment to continue incorporating new spaces to recover and make local history accessible.
At Grifeu beach, also in Llançà, stands a memorial monument to the 75th anniversary of the Republican exile, built in 2014 on one of the paths used by exiles in 1939. This site is complemented by signage from the Memory Spaces Network installed in 2021.
It is estimated that the Retirada involved an exodus of nearly half a million people, with over a third being Catalan. The Alt Empordà route saw between ninety thousand and one hundred and forty thousand exiles pass through. Beaches like Cala de l'Alguer became the scene of numerous stories of people fleeing the Francoist army.
