nutrition during the Civil War

Esther González Guerrero
2º Infantil A
Social Science

Nutrition during a hard period.

The Civil War and Postwar period in Spain was a poorly period. Most people affected didn’t have money for food and they had to look for ways to get money and food. Civil War was a period between 1936 and 1939 in which the Fascists revolted against the legitimate regime of the republic, and after 3 years of war, Franco and his allies took power. Postwar is the period covered from 1939 to around 51 52, time when the Spanish population is divided into two groups because of the dictatorship, is characterized by the Franco repression and harsh living conditions of the population. The country was destroyed, there was a large number of dead who fought in the war and as many by the Franco’s repression, famine, epidemics, definitely, a country mired in poverty.

Our interviewee lived this difficult period. In addition to the conditions that affected all population lived, she had a serious family situation. She is Raimunda Lopez, Jessica’s grandmother. She was born in 1932 in Ventas (Madrid). She was only 8 years old when Civil War started. She was “trapera” during the civil war and postwar period. She was orphaned of father, his brothers were fighting at war and she owed take care of her ill mother and a disabled uncle. With this essay I pretend to see firsthand the high social and economic impact that this period had in such basic needs as food. We know that whims fell to one side but, what about things really necessary? In this essay will discuss issues such as how they got the food and money, what they ate, if there was any exception at parties or special dates, also talk briefly about the health of these families that they could allowed and we will in a simple way latter what happened in the postwar period . Were better times? Were there changes to this and many other families?

The first thing that we are going to raise is how they obtain the food and money. This family did not have a permanent job or a salary to live, so Raimunda and her uncle looking in the garbage to get things to sell. On the one hand, they went every day from house to house picking up rubbish that people left on the landings. "It was not like now, not pass the garbage truck," Raimunda told us while she talked of that work. They emptied the trash bags into a cart and they took everything that could be useful to sell, eat or use. For example, the old coal, paper and cardboard, glass and rags to sold, and used food scraps to feed the animals. with their animals also drew some money, they sold some pigs, many goats, and eggs from their chickens. With that bought food and other necessities. Raimunda explained that in times of poverty cannot be allowed any luxury, as she said "we could not afford to eat our animals"

The food was, from the actually point of view, monotonous and poor. To eat there was “cocido” and to dinner lentils and beans. Every day there was the same menu. Potatoes, which we use today as a simple companion to any dish, for them it were a luxury. Prices were very high so that the replaced by turnips. Once a week they ate eggs that didn't sell. The oil was selling for primer, fourth a week per person and the same with bread, a small bar a day per person. They went to San Fernando or Torrejon de Ardoz to buy it and kept it in the straw so as not to put hard. With Raimunda just 10 years she was cooking. Her sick mother showed her how to do it from the couch.

The menu didn't change on special days. The holidays such as Christmas or Easter, that we celebrate today eating food in quantity and quality exceptional, for them it was the same as always. "We were on a diet" said Raimunda joking about these hard times. There were two exceptions year in the food of this family. Once a year, they slaughtered a pig for his own food. As they hadn't got fridges they fried all beef and kept in clay pots holding it with pig's own fat. This meat was using to complement the legumes. Another exception was the milk, when the goat gave birth, they drank milk. They could not buy it, was too expensive. Rich people, or fat people, as Raimunda called them, ate all kinds of food. To eat meat they paid a "bull" to the church.

Regarding to hygiene, there was no social security or advances that are now, as we told Raimunda. Medicines were provided from a kind of society that they were paying and you aimed there to prevent when you when you were sick. To wash and water that were using for other needs, took it out of a well near the house. It's hard to imagine for us not to have a tap to open and where water comes out but not so long ago that this occurred in Spain.

The postwar period was not a big change for this family. The brothers returned from the war and sought work. Began working as a mason, locksmith ... but the money they earned kept it for the wedding and their life when they got married.
Raimunda therefore had to continue working as rag-picker, looking in garbage and live as before. Older, when things got better, he could get into an academy and learn something from reading and writing but by then it was not very effective. Turning to her granddaughter says "Why do you think that I have so many spelling mistakes?"

In conclusion, there were hard times for many families. Children had to leave school and work very young. There was a lack of hygiene, health and feeding. People, as in this case, looking in the garbage to have that live. Is interesting how this person, so close to us, talk about those days, whenever we talk about the Civil War and dictatorship as it happened centuries ago and in fact among us, people who lived at that time, these miseries that had absolutely nothing. It's amazing how many changes they have experienced, possibly so radical changes, as different times, that none of us will experience it.

After this essay and listening the words of Raimunda, makes me really think about how we have born in a time where everything has been given us. We had not to looking for food, and fight for our rights, and neither to get expression freedom. Often we don't know how well makes us listen to others who fought for what we have today and how hard it was lived that. As the last point, after reflecting on the interview with Raimunda, I wonder how see these people who lived that, today's society. A consumerist society where prevails throwaway. What they thought about their own children and grandchildren who throw all that to them, at that time, saved their lives?
Surely they know much more than they say.