Podcast Summary: Hoy por Hoy | ¿Por qué actualmente hay jóvenes franquistas, crítica de seis películas y una serie y el uso y mantenimiento de las tablas de cortar? | Magazine

Date: November 20, 2025
Host: Àngels Barceló, SER Podcast

Overview

This episode marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Francisco Franco, delving into the lingering influence of Francoism in Spain—especially among the youth of 2025. The discussion unpacks why some young Spaniards adopt (sometimes provocatively) far-right symbols and attitudes, highlighting the role of historical education, family silence, social media, and gaps in collective memory. The episode also features a roundtable with historians, authors, and teachers, reflections on historical memory, a vibrant review of six new film releases and a standout series, and practical advice on the overlooked kitchen essential: the chopping board.

Key Segments & Insights

1. 50 Years After Franco: Reflections & Historical Memory

[00:34 – 05:25]

• Dramatic Recap: The episode opens with a vivid sound montage marking Franco’s death and the honors he received, contrasted with the ongoing search for the bodies of his victims, who remain in mass graves.
  • “Cincuenta años después, los descendientes de sus víctimas siguen buscando cuerpos en fosas comunes. Ganas de remover, dicen. Que Dios ayude y bendiga todos los hogares españoles.” (03:10, C)
• Changing Times: Àngels Barceló introduces the episode’s theme: the evolution (and persistence) of Franco’s image across generations.

2. Why Are There Young Francoists Today?

[05:53 – 25:06]

Guests:

• José Antonio Martínez Soler and Eric Martínez Wesley (father and son, authors of Franco para jóvenes)
• Alcides González (Secondary and high school teacher, Tenerife)

Key Discussion Points:

• Ignorance and Silence:

  • Many young Spaniards know little or nothing about the Franco dictatorship, as it’s often skipped over at school and rarely discussed at home.
    • “Yo nunca he estudiado la dictadura, ni tampoco el franquismo, ni la transición, y vosotros en casa, ni mamá ni tú me habéis contado nada…” (06:54, Eric)
  • Fear and silence inherited from parents:
    “Hemos crecido con mucho miedo.” (06:54, José)

• Education System’s Gaps:

  • Both guests and teachers lament the lack of curriculum focus on the 20th century, with a rush to cover content often pushing the Civil War, Francoism, and the transition off the syllabus.
    • “No llegamos al siglo XX, o sí llegamos, ya estamos muy agotados…” (18:00, Alcides)
  • Lack of critical democratic education in schools; need for a “Valores democráticos” (Democratic Values) core subject.

• The Role of Emotions & Storytelling:

  • Combining hard facts with personal or family histories is essential to connect with students:
    • “Contar la historia sin adjetivos… pero también contarlo con la historia personal… esa mezcla de emoción y datos nos ha funcionado bien.” (08:19, Eric)
  • Personal testimony and photographs (as with José’s own torture scars) often reach students more than abstract arguments.

• Impact of Social Media and TikTok:

  • Disinformation and simplification abound. Many young “Francoists” or “Falangists” are mimicking online trends or family attitudes, not well-formed beliefs.
    • “Las personas jóvenes que apoyan el franquismo hoy en día normalmente se han informado mediante TikTok o redes sociales…” (13:25, C)
  • Online short videos trivialize or glamorize the past, and teachers struggle to combat these myths.

• Critical Thinking vs. Ignorance:

  • Risk of history repeating: ignorance makes youth more vulnerable to manipulation and extremism.
    • “Es muy fácil manipular a alguien que es ignorante y muy difícil a alguien que tiene pensamiento crítico.” (11:23, José)

• Family Legacy and Personal Research:

  • Many families have selectively narrated or concealed their past; young people now increasingly investigate family history as a way of building critical awareness and identity.

Notable Moment:

• College and high school students interviewed about Franco, some expressing distaste, others pride in being “Falangist”—but mostly following peer culture or family influence, not ideological conviction.

3. Conversation with Guzmán Gómez Bravo (Historian, UCM)

[27:46 – 34:01]

• History vs. Memory:

  • Family narratives are often selective, sometimes mistakenly antifranquist or apolitical; deeper archival research challenges these myths.
    • “La política como problema. Yo creo que es la gran herencia del franquismo.” (30:19, Guzmán)
  • There’s a generation growing up “already answered,” more identity-driven and less questioning.
    • “Vienen ya con una convicción muy fuerte. Esta versión tan identitaria del pasado…” (31:17, Guzmán)

• Desinformación Activa:

  • Systemic problem: lack of knowledge is compounded by deliberate misinformation online.
    • “Tenemos un problema sistémico… hay una desinformación activa, voluntaria.” (32:33, Eric)
    • Lay out facts (30,000 stolen babies, 50,000 executions, forced labor), let people draw their moral conclusions.

4. The Ongoing Battle: Classroom Challenges & Hope

[34:01 – 37:19]

• Family Influence vs. System Failure:

  • Some ultraright sympathies come from family, but lack of educational resources/exercises to promote critical thinking is a bigger factor.
    • “La educación no ha ofrecido unos recursos, unas herramientas para que ellos puedan desarrollar y puedan concluir…” (34:01, Alcides)
  • Calls for methods like role-play and historical simulations to nurture empathy and understanding.

• Hopeful Note:

  • While 25% of youth may lean right, the focus should also be on the silent 75% who “are democrats and know better.”
    • “Apenas hemos hablado del 75% de los jóvenes que son demócratas… Estamos haciendo casi posible la profecía autocumplida.” (37:01, José)

5. Film and TV Reviews

With Javier Ocaña
[42:39 – 61:10]

Highlights:

• Yakarta (Series):
  • “Uno no empieza a jugar al bádminton si es feliz.” (44:04)
  • Praised for its bittersweet tone, humanity, poetic scripts, and stellar performances (Javier Cámara, Carla Killer).
    • “De lo mejor que has visto este año.” (50:33, Ocaña)
• Six Film Premieres (Semáforo: traffic light review system):
  • A todos los lados de la cama: Ámbar (uneven but some strengths)
  • Drácula (Luc Besson): Rojo (derivative, nearly plagiaristic from Coppola)
    • “Apunta casi a plagio… yo apuntaría a delito directamente.” (53:02, Ocaña)
  • Die My Love (Lynne Ramsay, with Jennifer Lawrence & Robert Pattinson): Rojo (arrogant, maltratada a sus personajes)
    • “Eso es maltratar a un personaje.” (55:22)
  • Sueños en Oslo: Rojo (Berlinale winner: “de verdad que me he sorprendido mucho de que eso pueda ganar un premio…”) (56:07)
  • The Running Man: Ámbar (interesting premise, not visually attractive, but with plot merit)
  • Alfa (Julie Ducournau): Rojo (“pornografía de la desolación”)

Summary: A rough week for cinema (“Dos ámbars y cuatro rojas. Ni un verde has dado hoy”).

6. Kitchen Focus: All about Cutting Boards

With Ainhoa Irregoitia
[61:29 – 77:19]

Key Tips:

• Material Choice:
  • Wood: Best for knife preservation and sustainability, but requires hygiene and periodic oiling.
  • Best woods: Walnut, hard maple, cherry, beech, olive (olivo—beautiful but slightly less durable), bamboo (popular but too hard, and cheap laminates can come apart).
    • “El nogal sería la madera ideal para tener en casa.” (73:32, Ainhoa)
  • Plastic: Cheap and dishwasher safe, but scars easily and can harbor bacteria and shed microplastics.
  • Glass & Steel: Hygienic but blunt knives quickly.
• Care:
  • Clean immediately, dry well, never soak or put in dishwasher. Disinfect periodically. Use both sides of the board for longevity.
    • “Lo esencial es muy sencillo. Limpiarla justo después de usarla con agua templada y un poco de jabón... Secarla al momento.” (75:39, Ainhoa)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with timestamps)

• “Me preocupa que de este desconocimiento salgan estas expresiones” – Eric Martínez Wesley [07:25]
• "No había ni idea del franquismo tampoco. Hace ya años que dejé la universidad, ni idea. Y se equivocaban de fecha, pensaban que era el siglo XIX." – José Antonio Martínez Soler [11:23]
• “Nosotros no tenemos ahora una materia que nos empuje a hablar de democracia en las aulas” – Alcides González [17:31]
• “La política como problema. Yo creo que es la gran herencia del franquismo” – Guzmán Gómez Bravo [30:19]
• "Tenemos un problema sistémico. No solo hay desconocimiento, sino que hay una desinformación activa." – Eric Martínez Wesley [32:33]
• “No metemos en remojo la tabla de madera, ¡eso es criminal!” – Ainhoa Irregoitia [75:59]
• “Uno no empieza a jugar al bádminton si es feliz.” – Yakarta series, quoted by Javier Ocaña [44:04]

Episode Structure with Timestamps

• Opening sound montage, historical recap: [00:34–05:25]
• Youth, Francoism, family silence: [05:53–12:24]
• Education, emotional storytelling, lack of teaching: [13:39–20:26]
• Social media, TikTok influence: [13:39–14:42]
• Classroom testimony from Alcides González: [14:42–19:30]
• Discussion on textbooks, historical approach: [22:00–23:52]
• Guzmán Gómez Bravo on memory and history: [27:46–34:01]
• Media, disinformation and data: [32:33–33:45]
• Educational practices for critical thinking: [34:01–37:19]
• Film & TV reviews with Javier Ocaña: [42:39–61:10]
• Chopping boards: materials/care/maintenance: [61:29–77:19]

Takeaways

• Memory, ignorance, and misinformation about Spain’s authoritarian past are widespread and dangerous.
• There's urgent need for education reforms: both to address factual gaps and to foster critical democratic values.
• Storytelling and emotional connection are key to engaging new generations with history.
• Social media’s role as a vector for trivializing and distorting the past is a new challenge for both families and educators.
• Meanwhile, the episode ends with a call to careful selection—and maintenance—of the right chopping board, reminding us of the importance of both process and substance, in the kitchen as in historical memory.

For more detail on any segment, check the suggested timestamps!