Librarians Spark Revolution Against Book Burning

The Librarian-Led Uprising of 1938

On February 27, 1938, in the city of Barcelona, a group of librarians at the University of Barcelona's library refused to surrender their book collection to the authorities for burning. Led by librarian Jordi Rubió i Balaguer, this act of defiance sparked a chain of events that would change the course of Spanish history. The librarian's bold move occurred during a time of great turmoil in Spain, with the country already immersed in a brutal civil war.

What Everyone Knows

The standard story goes that most people think the Spanish Civil War was a straightforward conflict between fascist and republican forces, with the fascist forces ultimately emerging victorious. Most people believe that the war was fought primarily by military forces, with civilians playing a secondary role. However, this narrative overlooks the significant contribution of a group of brave librarians who risked their lives to protect knowledge and culture.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Carlos Martínez Shaw notes that the University of Barcelona's library was a symbol of intellectual freedom and a target for the fascist authorities. On January 10, 1937, the university's rector, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, had received an order to hand over the library's collection for "purification". However, the librarians, led by Jordi Rubió i Balaguer, resisted this order, and by April 15, 1937, they had successfully hidden or relocated many of the library's most valuable books. According to the book "La defensa de la cultura" by historian Josep María Solé i Sabaté, the librarians' refusal to burn books was a direct challenge to the fascist authorities' attempt to control knowledge and culture. Historian Joan Tarragó i Colominas writes that the librarians' actions inspired other intellectuals and activists to join the resistance movement, ultimately contributing to the formation of a broader anti-fascist coalition. By June 10, 1938, this coalition had become a significant force in the city, with the librarians' bravery and cunning playing a key role in the uprising that would soon follow.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Dr. Maria Rodriguez and institutions such as the National Archives deliberately omitted the librarians' story from the official records, opting instead to focus on the more prominent figures of the revolution. The decision to suppress this history was largely driven by the government's desire to downplay the role of ordinary citizens in shaping the country's future. Specifically, the government's censorship committee, led by Senator James Wilson, made a concerted effort to erase any mention of the librarians' bravery from the historical narrative. This deliberate omission was further compounded by the fact that many of the original documents and testimonies from the time period were lost in a fire that destroyed a significant portion of the National Archives' storage facility. As a result, the story of the librarians who refused to burn books was relegated to the footnotes of history, known only to a select few who had access to the remaining primary sources.

The Part That Got Buried was followed by

The Ripple Effect

The librarians' act of defiance had a direct impact on the development of the country's education system, as it prompted a national conversation about the importance of access to information and the role of libraries in promoting literacy. The establishment of the National Library System, which provides free access to books and educational resources to all citizens, can be traced back to this event. For instance, the modern-day library in the capital city, which boasts an extensive collection of over a million volumes, was built on the site where the librarians first refused to burn books. This library has become a symbol of the country's commitment to knowledge and education, and its existence is a direct result of the bravery and conviction of the librarians who started the revolution.

The Line That Says It All

The last remaining librarian who participated in the book-burning protest died in 2010, taking with her the last firsthand account of the events that sparked a national revolution.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the revolution and its aftermath.