Bullfights

By the 1930s, bullfighting had been a major form of commercialized mass leisure for more than a century.  During the Civil War, bullfights were held in both the Republican and rebel zones, although in the latter, they continued throughout the war and increased in number as time went on: 56 in 1937 and 73 the following year.

Like the bullfight advertised in this flyer, which took place in Valencia in October 1936, they were generally for fundraising. Organized by Red Aid International and the Valencia Mailmen’s Union, the goal was to raise money for daycare centres for the children of Madrid mailmen who had been evacuated to Valencia. The flyer calls on “Antifascists” to “help the victims of fascism” by attending. Other bullfights raised funds for food kitchens and hospitals. At one in Ciudad Real the spectators stood and gave the closed fist salute while bands played The International and the Anthem of Riego. There was a similar scene at the bullfight in Barcelona on 16 August 1936 attended by President President Lluis Companys, although The International was replaced by the Catalan anthem Els Segadors. The bullfighters were escorted into the arena by a cavalry unit and two militia companies.

In Seville, which had been taken by the rebels in the initial days of the war, the first bullfight, advertised as a homage to the “National Army”, was held on 18 October 1936. The fence enclosing the arena had been painted in the rebels’ red and yellow, and the star bullfighter Manuel Bienvenida appeared with “Long Live Spain” painted onto his cape. He dedicated his bull to General Queipo de Llano and so that “the sons of La Pasionaria die of apoplexy”. In Bilbao, the first bullfight after it was taken by the Francoists in June 1937 was to raise money for the army, the Social Assistance organization, and a local hospital. The newspapers carried the message that “Every good Spaniard is obliged to attend these fundraising bullfights” and the names of businesses and individuals who did appeared in the press.

There were bullfighters on both sides although, in general, the big names, many of whom had become large landowners, supported the rebels while lesser lights and subordinates supported the Republic. Many of the former, who found themselves in Republican territory at the start of the conflict, used their professional trips to France to get into rebel-held territory. Marcial Lalanda, who joined the Falange militia, was one example.  On the Republican side there was a unit known as the Bullfighters’ Militia that included picadors and banderilleros. Commanded by junior bullfighter Luis Prados, Litri II, it fought in the defence of Madrid and was later incorporated into the Popular Army.

The corridas of the Civil War culminated in the “Great Victory Bullfight” in Madrid’s Las Ventas ring on 24 May 1939. This too was a fundraiser, and the bullfighters performed for free. Unlike other wartime corridas, however, the proceeds did not go to s specified institution. Instead, the more than 500,000 pesetas, worth a minimum of 853,000 Euros today, went to Franco “to do with as he sees fit”.