Podcast Summary: "Acontece que no es poco | Quema de conventos en Madrid"

Podcast: Todo Concostrina (SER Podcast)
Host: Nieves Concostrina
Date: May 11, 2023
Episode Theme:
A dynamic, critical retelling of the tumultuous events surrounding the burning of convents in Madrid in May 1931, placing these incidents in the context of the just-born Second Spanish Republic, the manipulations of the monarchical right, and the calculated responses of the Catholic Church.

Overview

This episode revisits the notorious wave of arson attacks against convents in Madrid at the dawn of the Second Republic, demystifying common narratives and highlighting the deliberate provocations and political manipulations that fueled these events. Concostrina’s trademark irreverence and clarity power the episode, critiquing both historical manipulation and the mythmaking that persists to this day.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The Second Republic’s Fragile Start (00:39–02:10)

• The episode opens by situating listeners in 1931, just weeks after the proclamation of the Second Republic, a moment marked by immense political tension.
• From the outset, powerful conservative and monarchist enemies "set as a goal to portray the Republic as chaotic and turbulent" (00:43).
• Initial outbreaks of violence, particularly against religious property, were, to some extent, provoked by "the most exalted people," but orchestrated opposition played a significant role.

2. Manipulation, Apparitions, and the Role of the Church

• Connection to Current Events: Concostrina links the 1931 “invasion of virgins”—mass Marian apparitions reported across Spain—with modern church tactics, referencing the Vatican’s recent establishment of an observatory for mystical phenomena (01:24–02:11).
  • Quote: “Las farsas de las apariciones en sí son una chorrada, pero no es ninguna tontería el contexto en el que las hacían aparecer, eso sí es importante.” (02:00)
• These 'apparitions' were tools for "manipulación política" and to "avoid the Church’s loss of economic, political, and social power."

3. The Trigger: Formation of the Círculo Monárquico Independiente (02:10–03:58)

• On May 10, 1931, monarchists lawfully established the Círculo Monárquico Independiente in Madrid, mere steps from where convents would be set alight the next day.
• Central Question: What’s the connection between this seemingly legal monarchical gathering and the subsequent violence?

4. Mounting Provocation: ABC, Juan Ignacio Luca de Tena, and the Church (04:10–09:34)

• The formation of the monarchist circle was a calculated provocation: “Tenía otras intenciones mucho más retorcidas… era liarla, era calentar la calle.” (05:14)
• Juan Ignacio Luca de Tena (director of ABC newspaper) is highlighted as a key orchestrator, conspiring with Alfonso XIII in London to “destabilize the Republic.”
• The Church, led by Cardinal Segura, “se puso violenta” by publishing a pastoral on May 1, 1931, which Concostrina calls "pastoral golpista," calling for armed resistance against the Republic (06:20).
• The government’s Constitutional project threatened the Church's privileges—freedom of worship, removal of crucifixes from schools, no state subsidies for the Church.

5. The Spark: Street Clashes and Escalations (09:34–11:51)

• Provocative acts included monarchists blaring the Marcha Real from their headquarters and shouting “Viva el rey. Muera la República” (08:13).
• Conflict quickly escalated: “Los monárquicos le dan una paliza a un taxista que había en la calle… se montó un follón.”
• Manifestations surged toward ABC’s headquarters, where, notably, “Desde las ventanas del ABC reciben a los manifestantes a tiros.” (09:13)
  • Quote: “Hubo dos muertos… unas fuentes dicen que los disparos salieron de las ventanas altas del ABC, otras que de la policía…” (09:47)

6. Government Hesitancy and Aftermath

• The government hesitated to clamp down, wary of exacerbating violence; as a result, the situation spiraled out of control.
• Important clarification: Both the head of government and the Ministry of Governance were committed conservatives and Catholics (10:35), not radical leftists.

7. Convent Burnings: Facts Vs. Propaganda (11:51–13:54)

• The first target: Not a convent but the “kiosco del periódico católico El Debate en la Puerta del Sol” (11:53).
• The first convent to go up in flames was run by the Jesuits—then among the Republic’s fiercest enemies due to their wealth and monopoly on education.
• Quote: “En total ardieron en Madrid diez conventos, que la propaganda franquista convirtió luego en un centenar. No ardieron cien, ardieron diez.” (12:44)
• No clergy members were harmed despite the narrative of savage anticlericalism.
• The government condemned the attacks and declared martial law by 4 pm on May 11.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Justifying the Convent Fires:
  • "La quema de conventos estuvo mal. Las cosas no se queman, no se destruyen. Mucho menos cuando es patrimonio que hemos pagado entre todos." (04:10)
• On Orchestrated Destabilization:
  • "Había que desestabilizar la República. Y el ultraderechista diario ABC tenía los instrumentos para hacerlo.” (05:54)
• On the Church’s Role:
  • “La Iglesia se puso violenta… publicó una pastoral el 1 de mayo aterrorizando a la población… era una pastoral golpista.” (06:20)
• On the Facts of the Violence:
  • “Nunca salió herido ni un solo cura, ni una sola monja de la multinacional. Nadie. Ni un rasguño.” (13:15)
• Summary of Motivation:
  • “El objetivo de la Iglesia, de los monárquicos y de la prensa ultraderechista se cumplió. Era encender los ánimos, provocar disturbios que dejaran una imagen desastrosa de la República…” (13:49)

Segment Timestamps

• [00:39–02:10] Prologue: Republic’s enemies and context of violence
• [02:10–03:58] The Círculo Monárquico and ABC’s involvement
• [04:10–06:11] Church’s reaction, Cardinal Segura’s pastoral
• [09:34–11:51] Clashes in Madrid: from music to gunfire; government’s hesitancy
• [11:51–13:54] First fires, Jesuit opposition, numbers vs. propaganda
• [13:54–14:18] Reflection: The strategic use of chaos against the Republic

Final Thoughts

Nieves Concostrina dismantles the oversimplified myths of spontaneous secular violence, exposing the layers of provocation, manipulation, and strategic destabilization by conservative and religious powers during a pivotal moment in Spanish history. The episode is both illuminating and irreverent, balancing historical rigor with biting commentary.

For further context and Concostrina’s signature takes, listen to the full episode at SER Podcast.