To commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Civil War, José Ángel Mañas recreates in Zenda, day by day in this section, what happened in 1936, perhaps the most momentous year in all recent Spanish history.
Friday, September 18, 1936: Death Knocks at the Door
—No me des cartas, Pepe. For today we have played enough. Put the deck away.
—It would be unwise, father, because you are on a roll. Victories cling to your hands.
They were in the bedrooms. Luis Mañas smiled in reply and lit another cigarette. Years later, Pepe would say that it was the first time he felt so close to his father in a long time. Throughout the spring, the quarrels between them had been continual. The uprising did not improve things. Unemployment and his father’s forced confinement wore him down. Life at home was tense. And the summer heat did not help. In truth, only a few days before the situation had begun to improve.
—Let’s wait for the women to finish and then we’ll go to bed —said Luis. He stood up.
Mariana and the girls prayed in the room next door. Since priests had been hiding and most churches were occupied by unions, religion had taken refuge in the home. Praying was a clandestine, dangerous thing. There were houses where priests without cassocks said Mass in secret.
—And let’s see if tonight is as calm as yesterday —murmured Luis Mañas.
Pepe nodded: it seemed that the illegal detentions were getting under control. The tumultuous nights of summer began to yield, with the new government, to a calmer situation. Militia Police appeared in General Ricardos attempting to discipline the militias. It was as if the obsession with the fifth column had passed and those who remained in Madrid already bore a mark of republican loyalty.
The deceptive feeling evaporated when they heard a truck coming down the street. Seeing that it stopped in front of the church of St. Michael, the two blew out the lamp. In the darkness, Pepe approached the window. He drew aside the green blind to check that those getting off the vehicle were militiamen not from the CNT but from the Communist Party or the Socialist Youth. They were not wearing red scarves around their necks.
—They’re coming this way —murmured Luis.
He was not mistaken: outside they had broken the padlock on the door that opened onto General Ricardos. They pushed it, and half a dozen militiamen reached the door of the closed warehouse. Before knocking, four men surrounded the house. None released their rifle. By then the women had appeared, the three with fear etched on their faces. Outside, voices could be heard.
—We are here with a search warrant! Open up or we’ll break the door down!
Instinctively, Pepe moved toward the bookstore where he knew his father’s Astra pistol was and checked that it was loaded.
—What are you doing, Pepe? Don’t you see there are many of them, and they have rifles? Please put that down.
—But, Father…
—Do as I tell you! —whispered Luis Mañas—. You stay here, with the women.
—I’m going with you!
—No way! I’ll open. Don’t make any noise, and none of you should leave while I talk to them —he went down to the door and raised his voice—: I’m coming!
Pepe hugged his mother in the dark. He did not release the pistol. The four—himself, Mariana, Rosa and Inés—fell silent. Outside, the militiamen’s voices continued.
—We are looking for Luis Mañas.
—I am he. Who are you?
—From the Communist Party. You have to come with us. Is anyone else in the house?
—Then come with us, comrade.
Todas las entradas de 1936 day by day
Entrevista con José Ángel Mañas sobre 1936 day by day