We know when the ultra right and the church seized power in Spain they ‘legally’ murdered over 100,000 innocents. But they also indulged in ‘political genocide’, secretly stealing the children of socialists and anarchists and brainwashing them in religious institutions or selling them off to right wing families.

They did this on a staggering scale, with estimates of up to 300,000 babies, ‘legalizing’ the practice and the changing of names to form one of the biggest conspiracies and still uncovered crimes of modern times. This went on up until 1980, by then mainly for the money.

How can you find your mother, or your lost baby if the records are false or missing, and the Church, the State, the Laws and the hospitals still conspire to block you at every step? Finally it has taken a court case begun in Argentina to even give some victims the chance to state their cases. Maria Ascencion is one of the first, but many many others are asking to be heard, even a man in his 90s who managed to testify before dying.

Judge Servini previously took out an extradition warrant, backed by Interpol, for the arrest of two notorious Ministers in the fascist dictatorship still living. The Spanish State refused to collaborate in any way. see here: Spain Blocks Argentinian Attempts to Prosecute Franco-Era Fascists (rinf.com)

First legal statement by a ‘stolen child’ of Francoism: Maria was sold for 250,000 pesetas (1,500 euros)



by A. Moya (original en castellano abajo.. English by thefreeonline)

After a warrant from Argentina Judge Servini, Maria Ascension has told a judge in Almería how she was stolen and bought and is still looking for her parents.

note: this 1st Spanish case is ordered by an Argentinian judge as the criminal Spanish State has always blocked reparation or investigation.

At age eight she knew she was adopted and, even more disconcerting, that her adoptive parents had paid 250,000 pts (1500 euros) for her when she was born. That anguish has accompanied her life but now, at age 51, Mary Ascension Lopez Rodriguez has put her case before a judge.

It happened in Court number 1 Almería, requested by Argentina’s Judge Servini who began the complaint against the Spanish State in her court in Buenos Aires. Mary Ascension is searching for her parents, and believes she was one of many thousands of stolen girls. Maria was born in 1964 and at 8 years old found out she had been bought at birth for 250,000 pesetas. After spending years searching for her identity, and with the information she could get, she put in 2012 a complaint with the National Police in Seville. But this complaint was shelved in 2014. The Seville prosecutor found no proof of crime.

Hodgepodge of data

What Maria had managed to collect was a hodgepodge of dates and documents. The date of baptism was before the alleged birth and in total she had three possible identities. But Ascension did not give up. When she learned of the lawsuit in Argentina against the crimes of the Franco regime she asked to be included.

…Thus, last Thursday she could recount before Judge Alejandra Dodero for two hours in an environment in which he was heard and encouraged to express herself, the situation of the little girl disconcerted by a reality that surpassed time and which still continues to produce sadness and trauma.

Spanish judges must cooperate

In the Instruction Court No. 1 of Almeria they asked questions that the Argentinian magistrate has prepared for all the victims who are making these statements via the Spanish justice through orders issued in Buenos Aires on 15 May. These request that Spanish judges cooperate with Argentinian justice, under the provisions of the Bilateral Treaty on Extradition and Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters concluded between the two countries.

Relief and frustration

At the end of the setement she was allowed to add everything she deemed appropriate, in addition to providing documentary evidence to support her testimony. Maria Ascension was full of gratitude, such was her relief after having finally succeeded in expressing in public and before a judge, the Court of Instruction No. 1 of Almería, the injustice and anguish she still feels.

Thanks to all

She also thanked the local and national media for the interest shown, as well as the support from family and friends, the lawyers from Argentina who are taking this action, as well as the Coordination platform (CEAQUA), for their work.

Here hopeless

And of course, Maria thanked Maria Servini de Cubria for giving her hope. A hope that was to be found in a distant country, because here in Spain, there is no possible justice for the victims of Franco. The only judge who tried (Garzón), received his punishment.

http://www.elplural.com/2015/07/10/primera-declaracion-ante-el-juez-de-una-nina-robada-del-franquismo-pagaron-por-ella-250-000-pesetas/

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The Stolen Children of Fascist Franco regime.

by Arsenio 75 (original en castellano abajo)

Recovery of Historical Memory is not only finding and identifying the thousands murdered in ditches, fences and prisons and to know the fate of the disappeared by the Franco regime. It is also imperative to expose the evil and Machiavellian plot devised by the Movement to eradicate the enemy, not only physically, but also its ideology: by the theft of children.

In this intrigue they were involved and were (and still are) complicit officials, doctors and, of course, the Church- I cannot explain the audacity of this institution to condemn abortion and give lessons in morality.

Stolen from their families to be given to other children with pedigree of the regime, in centers of Social Relief, founded by sister Onesimo Redondo, founder of Falange Fascist Party, in hospitals and convents to reeducate the Movement .

This practice started in the 40s, continued incomprehensibly until the 80s; While in the Franco era it was political, in the following years the reason was purely economic.

The first thefts began in the 40s Its victims were pregnant women entering prison in -many times, after giving birth, mothers were executed by firing squad-. There are still witnesses who have reported how children were robbed from the republican prisoners. One of the matrons of that time, who today has 95 years, acknowledged the theft of children in prisons and told them how the nuns put a scarf over the face when the baby breastfed so as not get attached to the mother.

Guillermo Fouces working as a psychologist for the Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory (ARMH) also remembers: “Besides that they left them little time feeding following the orders of Antonio Vallejo Najera,” so that they were not infected by the gene of Marxism “. This individual, military psychiatrist and ideologist of the regime, maintained the theory that Marxism is a mental and contagious disease, so they had to separate the wheat from the chaff and to tackle the root of evil.

The Church took care of everything

“They took him to be baptized me and did not return. I claimed the child but i did not see him again, “said Emilia Giron to journalist María José Poves Esteso. Emilia said the child was born well and mothers were able to see her but quickly a nurse told them they had to take it to an incubator. The next day they communicated to the mother that the baby had died. She never again saw her child.

Neither did she see the documentation. Neither birth certificate, nor death, or even that the mother was hospitalized and went to give birth, “Many mothers have gone to clinics after asking for their records and have been told they have disappeared, “says Paco Tena outraged. The victims were those women who had some relation to the legal Republic or a leftist ideology.

A doctor at that time (60 -70) worked in Jimenez Diaz Foundation, who has refused to show his identity has recognized investigations by experts and victims: “It was known that there were ‘shenanigans’ in hospitals in those years. At the Foundation women in labor used to come in one door while women who were not pregnant registered the births as theirs in the private area and the adoptive family paid all expenses.

One would come out without her baby and another who was not pregnant was registered as the mother. In that hospital once he appeared a rich Chilean couple who wanted a child, after three days they came out with two babies and left for France. The children were sold to those who ‘had connections’, and there were plenty of secret maneuvers. Those who wanted to denounce the crimes were removedand, ” the doctor told the journalist who could talk to him.

The crime was committed across the peninsula, there are even cases documented in the Canary Islands. It was well thought out, with several players who fulfilled key roles so the business network was not discovered and could get the most benefit. “The nuns of the orphanage of Burgos boarded the train loaded with baskets carrying infants bound for Valencia.

This operation is repeated from end to end. Babies traveled from the Canary Islands to Granada and from there to Valencia for adoption. Others ended up abroad. In the records of the Church and the councils they say there are no documents due to a flood or fire “said another of the mothers usurped, Maria Jose Esteso.

The Church was not only in each of the stages of the ‘theft’ but also punished women in labor to pay back the help giving birth: “After having the baby and having it stolen they were kept for years cleaning floors of the hospitals to pay their debt “says Paco Tena.

Institutions and administrations were also in the conspiracy. False death certificates often had the same cause of death: otitis. In a record of the community of Madrid there is even a day in the same hospital when seven babies died of otitis explains sociologist and journalist corroborated. When they saw that information they soon speak with several pediatricians who all said the same thing…”it is impossible for a baby to die of otitis, in the registry of diseases of childhood deaths there are many, but none by otitis “.

The Civil Registry is an institution that still refuses to provide information to victims who today look for their parents, brothers or children. “It Is that officials were purchased. The death certs spoke of otitis, but didn’t even say if they had buried or cremated them, not to mention the false birth certificates with new names. “says Tena. it was a business that gave the fascist regime a lot of money. It was not that the wealthiest families were to pay up to 200,000 pesetas, the money was divided among the Church, doctors and ‘bought’ officials.

Most clinics investigated are in Madrid. O’Donnell Clinic and Maternity Santa Cristina and a third acting in coordination with the above, San Ramon clinic. The three practiced the same modus operandi: child in the incubator, then say it was dead and falsely recorded that the adoptive mother in labor Some of the doctors who worked there at the time and presumably organized thefts are still alive today. This is the case of Eduardo Vela Vela obstetrician or gynecologist Villa Elizaga, who is now teaching at the University of Navarra. Among these ‘curiosities’ is the fact that the director and founder of one clinic was Joseph O’Donnell Bottella, uncle of Ana Botella, the wife of ex ultra-right prime ministerJosé María Aznar.

Impunity is rampant

Oddly enough many of these atrocities were covered by law. Some of the least known and most brutal Laws of Franco. Journalist Maria José Esteso refreshes our less-told story: “The abduction became ‘legal’ by the Order of March 30, 1940 in which custody was given to the State. But in 1941 another law even worsened things further as it is authorized to change the names of babies. ” A sociologist comments: “It is a danger that thousands of psd feople believe they have medical records linked to the false identity of parents, it is an atrocity.”

The absurdity continues with the Heritage Act 16/85 which says that ‘to protect the mother’ they can not provide their data until fifty years have passed. The plot just gets blacker time for anyone who wants to know what happened in those years. Those who have tried have failed . The examples are many.

In the 90s when the TV show ”Who knows where” came out, hundreds of cases wrote in seeking their missing relatives in the Franco regime, many of them spoke of their stolen children. Call intensity was such that the presenter himself, Paco Lobatón, encouraged victims to join in partnership. They formed the Rights group ANDAS but were ignored. But the journalist of the program was not so lucky because after exposing a case, and with booming audience figures Spanish StateTelevision decided to end the program, Paco Tena explained.

Journalist Maria José Esteso, had something happened to her when she went to interview Maria Cruz, the then president of the ANDAS association and one of the testimonies that has struggled to know the truth: “At the time I worked freelance for the PRISA group and when I told the subject, I was told they were not interested in publishing that kind of thing. I ended up convincing them, but had to soften everything told me. “

The most recent case has been Paco Tena, who has published numerous studies on Stolen Children, “just three months ago I called and was threatened to make no further investigations, I had to be careful. That is the best proof that the society of Francoism is still alive. “

The duty of a democratic State is to require the institutions and agencies to provide in timely fashion all necessary documents requested. But the one who has been able to demand it, has been fired and sat in the dock himself, at the request of the executioners: Judge Baltasar Garzon.

References in Spanish below all.

“youtubeyoutube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj_Eri1KreY]://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj_Eri1KreY]

original del primer artículo en castellano

Primera declaración ante el juez de una ‘niña robada’ del franquismo: pagaron por ella 250.000 pesetas

Por A. Moya

]Después de un exhorto de la jueza argentina María Servini, Ascensión le ha contado a un magistrado de Almería cómo la compraron y que sigue buscando a sus padres. A los ocho años supo que era adoptada y algo más desconcertante aún, que sus padres adoptivos habían pagado por ella cuando nació la cantidad de 250.000 euros. Esa desazón la ha acompañado toda la vida y ahora, a los 51 años, María Ascensión López Rodríguez lo ha expresado con palabras ante un juez. Lo ha hecho ante la titular del juzgado número 1 de Almería por exhorto de la jueza argentina María Servini de Cubría que ha incoado la querella contra el franquismo en su juzgado de Buenos Aires. María Ascensión no se ha limitado a buscar a sus padres, ha denunciado que cree ser una niña robada. Mª Ascensión nació en el año 1964 y a los 8 años de edad supo que había sido comprada al nacer por 250.000 pesetas. Después de pasar años en busca de su identidad, y con los datos que pudo conseguir, puso en 2012 una denuncia ante el Cuerpo Nacional de Policía en la Comisaria de Sevilla, ya que sospechaba que no había sido nunca dada en adopción sino que se trataba de una niña robada. Esta denuncia se archivó en 2014. La Fiscalía sevillana no encontró indicios de delito. Batiburrillo de datos

Lo que había conseguido recopilar era un batiburrillo de fechas y documentos. Como que la fecha del bautizo era anterior a la supuesta del nacimiento o que en total tenía tres diferentes identidades. Pero Ascensión no se arredró. Supo de la querella argentina contra los crímenes del franquismo y se sumó a ella. La jueza Servini interviene

Frente a la opinión de la Fiscalía de Sevilla, algo debió ver la jueza María Servini de Cubría en el relato y en la documentación aportada por Ascensión porque finalmente envío un exhorto a este juzgado andaluz. Así, el jueves pudo contar ante la jueza Alejandra Dodero durante dos horas, en un ambiente en que se sintió escuchada y alentada a expresarse, esa situación de aquella niña desconcertada ante una realidad que la superó entonces y que aún sigue produciendo tristeza y un infantil y dolido asombro. Los jueces españoles deben cooperar

En el Juzgado Instrucción Nº 1 de Almería le transmitieron las preguntas que la jueza magistrada argentina ha elaborado para todas las víctimas que realizan estas declaraciones ante la justicia española a través de comisiones rogatorias expedidas desde Buenos Aires el 15 de mayo pasado. Se trata de que los jueces españoles cooperen con la justicia argentina, en virtud de lo dispuesto en el Tratado Bilateral de extradición y asistencia judicial en materia penal concertado entre ambos países. Alivio y desazón

Al terminar, aún le permitieron añadir todo lo que estimó oportuno, además de aportar pruebas documentales para apoyar su el testimonio. Ascensión se deshizo en agradecimientos, tal era su alivio tras haber logrado expresar en público y ante una jueza, la de Juzgado de Instrucción Nº 1 de Almería, la injusticia que aún siente viva y su desazón. Gratitud a todos

También agradeció a los medios de comunicación locales y nacionales por el interés demostrado, así como el apoyo de su familia y amigos. Y luego a los abogados de la querella argentina, y a la Coordinadora que impulsa esta acción (CEAQUA http://www.ceaqua.org/), por su trabajo. Aquí sin esperanza

Y claro, dio las gracias a María Servini de Cubría por proporcionar esperanza. Una esperanza que ha sido necesario encontrar en un país lejano, porque aquí, en España, la justicia no contempla a las víctimas del franquismo. El único juez que lo intentó, recibió su castigo. http://www.elplural.com/2015/07/10/primera-declaracion-ante-el-juez-de-una-nina-robada-del-franquismo-pagaron-por-ella-250-000-pesetas/

original del segundo artículo en castellano