Podcast Summary: Acontece que no es poco – “Entra la peste, la epidemia que cambió el mundo”

Host: Nieves Concostrina
Date: October 4, 2022
Podcast: Todo Concostrina for SER Podcast

Overview

In this episode, Nieves Concostrina revisits the catastrophic arrival of the Black Death (peste negra) in Europe, particularly focusing on its entry through Messina, Sicily, in October 1347. Drawing informative parallels to the recent experience of COVID-19, Nieves explores how the medieval pandemic dramatically altered the course of history, society, and beliefs, with her signature humor and sharp analysis.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. La Peste Negra Llega a Europa

• Timeline & Arrival: The outbreak arrives in Europe via twelve Genoese galleys from Crimea, docking in Messina, Sicily, in early October 1347.
• Mechanism of Spread: Nieves vividly details the chain: rats on ships carried fleas, the fleas carried Yersinia pestis bacteria, which infected humans through bites and contaminated items.
• Unprecedented Fear: Both rich and poor, royals and beggars, were afflicted, leading to perceptions of a supernatural punishment—a common attitude in the absence of scientific understanding.

“Se cebaba con ricos y con pobres, con reyes y con mendigos. Eso tenía que ser algo sobrenatural. Eso tenía que ser un castigo divino por los pecados de la humanidad.”
—Nieves Concostrina [01:37]

2. Ciencia vs. Creencias

• Discovery of the Bacteria: It wasn’t until the late 19th century that scientists Kitasato and Yersin identified Yersinia pestis. Their discovery debunked centuries of divine explanations.
• Modern Parallels: Nieves satirically references modern conspiracy theories, e.g., Bolsonaro’s comments about COVID-19 vaccines.

“Va a ser que la bacteria existe y los dioses no.”
—Nieves Concostrina [02:57]

• Religious Responses: Throughout history, religious authorities often interpreted pandemics as punishments from God, organizing processions and rituals that, in retrospect, did little to halt the spread.

“Ante el miedo a lo desconocido... era perfectamente lógico creer al primer charlatán que apareciera diciendo ‘lo ha mandado tal o cual Dios’... Unos cuantos clientes más para el negocio religioso.”
—Nieves Concostrina [10:22]

3. Impact and Consequences

• Demographic Catastrophe: The Black Death reportedly killed about 60% of Europe’s population, including indirect deaths from famine and abandonment.
• Societal Shifts: With labor shortages, peasants and workers started to resist feudal oppression, destabilizing the established order—a major historical turning point.

“Los campesinos y esos obreros, hartos de la explotación, comenzaron a enfrentarse a señores y burgueses. Se estaba empezando a tambalear el viejo orden feudal.”
—Nieves Concostrina [04:25]

• Earlier Pandemics: Nieves recounts the Plague of Justinian (541 CE), correlating mass mortality and religious attributions, such as the Pope leading a massive procession to end the plague and “an angel with a flaming sword” supposedly intervening.

4. Patterns Through History

• Repetition & Escalation: Epidemics repeatedly struck as human populations grew and cities became denser, but the impact of the Black Death was unprecedented due to greater mobility and urbanization.
• Scientific Milestones: Recent research (2012) confirms Yersinia pestis was killing much earlier than previously thought; DNA was found in sixth-century skeletons.

5. Hygiene, Misogyny, and Witch Hunts

• Hygiene Practices: Some medieval women understood the value of cleanliness—using brooms, medicinal concoctions, and keeping cats for pest control.
• Persecution of Women: The association of women with brooms and cats later fueled witch hunts. A scholarly theory posits that killing cats (seen as witchly animals) worsened plague outbreaks by allowing rat populations to explode.

“No es casualidad que cuando comenzó la persecución de brujas quedaran asociadas a las pócimas, a las escobas y a los gatos... proliferaron las plagas de ratas y ratones. Y por eso también proliferó la peste.”
—Nieves Concostrina [11:31]

• Blame on Women: Nieves notes the longstanding pattern of blaming women for plagues; e.g., a vestal virgin was executed in ancient Rome after being accused of causing a plague by losing her virginity.

6. Reflections on Then and Now

• Science as Salvation: The hosts credit scientific progress as the crucial difference between now and the medieval world, pointing to dramatically reduced mortality in modern pandemics, despite much greater global population.

“Ese arsenal [científico] no lo tenían hace unos cuantos siglos. Es lo único que nos salva. Y en eso, lo único.”
—Colaborador [09:49]

• Satirical Closure: The conversational tone ends on a humorous exchange about “culpability” and self-criticism, echoing how blame is still frequently and irrationally assigned after disasters.

Notable Quotes and Timestamps

• “Lo que recordamos hoy es el antecedente histórico más potente que conocemos… la peste, la epidemia que cambió el mundo.”
  —Colaborador [00:23]

• “Las ratas bajaban del barco con las pulgas, las pulgas saltaban a los humanos, picaban y transmitían la bacteria… Y ya está. Ya tenemos la peste corriendo descontrolada.”
  —Nieves Concostrina [01:11]

• “En cuatro años la peste mató aproximadamente a un 60% de europeos… faltaban brazos para trabajar en el campo y en las ciudades.”
  —Nieves Concostrina [03:58]

• “La primera pandemia documentada… la llaman la peste de Justiniano… y morían entre 5.000 y 10.000 personas al día. Solo en Constantinopla.”
  —Nieves Concostrina [05:48]

• “Los dioses no han hecho nunca absolutamente nada por la humanidad. Porque todos juntos tienen el mismo poder que Pocoyó. ¿Puede Pocoyó vencer a una bacteria? Pues los dioses tampoco.”
  —Nieves Concostrina [10:35]

• “No acabaría alguien echándole la culpa de la peste a las mujeres? Sí, José, ¿Sí o no? ¿De verdad? Siempre. Sí, era costumbre. Cuando no eran las brujas, eran las otras.”
  —Colaborador y Nieves Concostrina [11:53]

Important Timestamps

• 00:23 – Introduction to the historical context of pandemics
• 01:11 – How the plague entered Europe and its biology
• 03:38 – The massive demographic and societal effects
• 05:35 – Historical precedents: The Plague of Justinian
• 10:13 – The tension between proto-scientific and religious responses
• 11:31 – Hygiene, witch hunts, and gendered blame
• 12:01 – History of blaming women for plagues
• 13:20 – Satirical "autocrítica" musical interlude and wrap-up

Tone and Style

Nieves Concostrina maintains her witty, irreverent tone throughout, skillfully blending scholarly history with sharp social commentary and humor, making this tragic chapter both accessible and thought-provoking.

Summary

This episode provides a compelling historical reflection on the societal transformations wrought by the Black Death, drawing incisive analogies with COVID-19, critiquing persistent superstitions, and underlining the decisive role of science and social awareness in overcoming pandemics.