.SPAIN has kept the greater part of her artistic treasures intact, no/twith~ standing it having been repeatedly said that they had been destroyed by

P the Revolution. Small information has been given with regard to what the

Government of the Republic and the Autonomic Governmentsof Catalonia

T and the Basque Regions, as well as the people themselves, the very people of up theRevolutionary Sections have done to protect their National Monuments A and artistic treasures. T l R P i

P The Spanish Republic hadfwarmly initiated a crusade in behalfiof Culture and-in this reforming policy, the defense of her artistic patrimony and its

. appraisement, herarchaeological excavations, the restoration of her historical monuments and thecreating and conditioning of her Museums were placed T

4 foremost.

It is true that during the first days of the military rebelion, as well‘ as du~

ring the Civil\X/ar, some of the monuments havesuffered or have been irre~ .

trievably destroyed. But Who is to blame? It was certainly not the Common

‘ People, not even the most advanced parties who ordered the burning and des~

troying of them. Their Militants often prevented the fires from consuming the artistic wealth at the risk of their lives. Itis those who, “on iIu1y 19th., took

P shelter in thechurches and historical monuments, turning theminto trenched ’ reducts against the people and who, with extraordinary tenacity, bdmbed the National Picture Gallery, (El Prado) andother monuments in Madrid, are to

blame.’ T

In the very midst of our terriblel tragedy, during the most‘ painful " days of a

passion,’ all kinds of efforts have beenimade and have succeededin saving our Treasures of Art while the Governments and the people endeavour to maintain V

an uninterrupted life of spirit. a It is to be hoped that one day, Spain, our country of innumerable heroic

T and liberal people will beable to live a new era of peace and work, when she will proudlyprove to the‘ whole world, that with all her misfortunes she has P

" not forgotten what constitutes a. precious deposit of Civilisation and Humanity. P

Rector of the Barcelona~ University, Directorfof the Excavation and Archaeology Section‘ in the Service of the Patrimonyu of —

. Art, History and Science of the Generalitat of Catalonia.

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