Marking the 90th anniversary of the start of the Spanish Civil War and the 88th anniversary of the Battle of the Ebro, the Museum and Study Center of the Battle of the Ebro (CEBE) in Gandesa commemorates the conflict's consequences for the region and serves as an appeal for harmony and peace.
The city of Gandesa, strategically located at the epicentre of the Ebro River, has historically suffered the destruction of its urban centre on multiple occasions. During the Civil War, it was a target for the Republican counter-offensive on July 25, 1938, triggering the bloody Battle of the Ebro, a 115-day conflict with thousands of casualties.
The museum, considered the most important of its kind in Spain, features seven thematic halls commemorating the soldiers who fought, died, or were wounded in the fields of Pàndols, Cavalls, la Fatarella, or Camposines. It also recalls the suffering of the civilian population, including the destruction of homes, exiles, famine, and bombings, which led some municipalities to lose up to thirty percent of their population and become uninhabitable.
Historical memory is represented through its exhibitions, which include maps and films to explain the battle with the aim of promoting peace, human rights, the common good, solidarity, and social justice. As early as 1976, an act of Reconciliation and Peace was held in front of the Cooperative Winery, with a commemorative monument and the attendance of generals from both armies.
The museum organizes conferences, often in collaboration with the Universitat Internacional de Barcelona or the Associació d’Aviadors de la República, to dispel hatred and instill peace, emphasizing the value of combatants and the atrocities of all wars. Economic and social repercussions are also addressed, which took twenty years to restore the state's GDP from 1936.
Thousands of visitors from around the world come to Gandesa to visit the museum, expressing their satisfaction with its scale and its commitment to promoting peace. The centre continuously receives significant donations from ex-combatants, their descendants, and collectors, such as the recent contribution of traumatologist Jordi Jara with war front medical equipment.
These donations and the museum's work reinforce the message that current and past wars should be avoided through dialogue and peace treaties, as any destruction or death brings suffering. The Museum and Study Center of the Battle of the Ebro in Gandesa strives to propagate Peace, Harmony, and Reconciliation.
