The Fountains of Silence (55 page)

Thousands of babies were stolen from their parents during the Franco dictatorship in Spain, but the story was suppressed for decades. Now, the first stolen-baby case has gone to court. The trial is expected to last months. As Lucía Benavides reports from Spain, it’s a dark part of Spanish history that is finally getting more recognition.

Between 1939 and the late 1980s, it is alleged that over 300,000 babies were stolen from their birth mothers and sold into adoption.

—L
UCÍA
B
ENAVIDES

from “First Stolen-Baby Case from Franco Dictatorship Goes to Court in Spain”

NPR

August 14, 2018

Spaniards after Franco’s death and during the transition to democracy entered into what has long been called here a pact of silence, which the new law clearly aims to undo. As the historian Hugh Trevor-Roper put it 40 years ago, about a different regime, “A single personal despot can prolong obsolete ideas beyond their natural term, but the change of generations must ultimately carry them away.”

—M
ICHAEL
K
IMMELMAN

from “In Spain, a Monumental Silence”
The New York Times

January 13, 2008

The Fountains of Silence
is a work of historical fiction.

The Spanish Civil War and the ensuing thirty-six-year dictatorship of Francisco Franco are, of course, very real. If this novel intrigues you, please research the history of Spain, the Spanish Civil War, and the dictatorship.

I am indebted to the many incredible writers, historians, scholars, diplomats, artists, photographers, and journalists who have chronicled both the dictatorship and the Spanish Civil War. If historical novels stir your interest, I encourage you to pursue the facts, nonfiction, memoirs, and personal testimony available. These are the shoulders that historical fiction sits upon.

I first explored Spain while on tour for my debut novel. I fell in love not only with the country, I fell in love with its people. From Bilbao to Barcelona, through Madrid to Valencia, Tarragona and beyond, I met readers from varied family backgrounds who displayed deep empathy for hidden history. They welcomed me with open arms and shared insight on conflict, human suffering, and resilience. I discovered that Spain is a classroom for the human spirit.

In 2011, Tamra Tuller and Michael Green at Philomel sent me an article by Raphael Minder from the
New York Times
entitled “Spain Confronts Decades of Pain over Lost Babies.” I began to research the Spanish Civil War and the postwar period—from 1936 to Franco’s death in 1975, through the transition to democracy. I studied birthright, the many definitions of
fortune
, and the lines that divide. I embarked on
research trips to Spain, meeting witnesses who brought the country’s history and hardship to life. During my trips I heard common refrains:

It’s very difficult to explain.

It’s nuanced and complex for an outsider.

You just can’t understand.

Like the character of Daniel, I wanted to understand. I wanted to reciprocate the affection, comprehension, and compassion that the people in Spain had shown toward me and the history within my books. As my research progressed, I realized that the refrains were accurate. Not only is it difficult for an outsider to understand, I often found myself asking, “What right do we have to history other than our own?”

My previous projects have contained threads of my own personal family history, so I was able to write those stories from the inside out. When I began my research for what became
The Fountains of Silence
, I realized that if I wanted to write about Spain I’d have to write from the outside in.

So I studied the postwar intersections between the United States and Spain, examining the difficulties between two very different nations attempting to interact and cooperate while also pursuing individual goals.

How can they bridge the width to understanding?

I then pulled the focus tighter—hopeful young people from different backgrounds, desperate to cooperate, express love, and pursue truth, but fenced by culture and circumstance.

How can they bridge the width to understanding?

During my study and examination, the fragile tension between history and memory emerged. Some were desperate to remember and others were desperate to forget. I was haunted by the descriptions of the war—and also war after war. Hunger, isolation, fear, and the socialization of silence. Suffering emerged the victor in Spain, touching all sides and breaking many hearts.

History reveals that, amidst war, the highest tolls are often paid by the youngest. Helpless children and teenagers become innocent victims of wretched violence and ideological pressure. Some in Spain were orphaned or separated from their families. Others, like Rafa and Fuga, were sent to social aid “homes,” where they were fed a steady diet of torture. During the postwar period and dictatorship in Spain, young people were left amidst the wreckage to navigate an inheritance of heartache and responsibility for events they had no role in causing. The young adult narrative is what I chose to represent in the story—innocent youths who, instead of pursuing hopes and dreams, became fountains of silence.

Following Franco’s death in 1975, Spain began the herculean task of transitioning to democracy. In hopes of pursuing peaceful progress, an amnesty law was passed in 1977 that freed political prisoners and allowed those in exile to return to Spain. The law also granted impunity to those who may have committed or participated in crimes during the war and the dictatorship. The law paved the way for
El pacto del olvido
in Spain, the Pact of Forgetting.

Some historians have described the Pact of Forgetting as necessary for a smooth and peaceful transition. Others question the long-term effects of silence on historical memory, identity construction, and human dignity. Scholars question whether the absence of a common historical narrative creates painful obstructions of justice and trust.

Studies estimate that over three hundred thousand children in Spain were possibly stolen from their birth parents and transferred or sold to families deemed “less degenerate.” The adoptions and thefts began in 1939 and lasted into the 1980s. During and after the Civil War, some infants were taken as punishment to those who opposed Franco. In the postwar period, the thefts were seen as a way to “rehabilitate” children who had parents or grandparents with the “Red gene.”
In later years, the stolen children were said to be part of a continued trafficking operation involving doctors and the Church.

Today, there are many wonderful groups in Spain advocating tirelessly for stolen children. The United Nations has urged human rights investigations. Some have suggested the creation of a special DNA database (as was done in Argentina for stolen children) to pursue truth and reunification. Although this is incredibly complex, I am confident that progress is possible. I am also confident that readers can be part of that progress—particularly young readers.

I am considered a “crossover” author because my books are read worldwide by both teens and adults. It will be the young readers who carry our fading stories, their associated challenges, and necessary dialogue into the future. I have every confidence that the young generation—a generation of empathy—will gently clean the wounds and work together toward strength and healing.

Every nation has scars and hidden history. When stories of historical conflict are read and discussed, we have an opportunity to be united in study and remembrance. In that way, books join us together as a global reading community, but also a global human community striving to learn from the past.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the people of Spain and the regions within its borders. Thank you for allowing me to study your history. My hope is that this novel might inspire others to conduct their own research in an effort to learn, grow, and build bridges that will endure the tests of time and historical memory. When that happens, history will no longer stand between us, it will flow through us.

—Ruta Sepetys

The research process for this novel was a global, collaborative effort that spanned eight years. That said, any errors found herein are my own.

My Spanish publisher, Maeva, connected me with people, places, and experiences to bring this story to life. Laura Russo simply went above and beyond. I am forever grateful to Maite Cuadros, Mathilde Sommeregger, Eva Cuadros, Rocio de Isasa, Sara Fernandez, Montse Vintró, and the entire Maeva and SGEL team.

Translator and screenwriter Marta Armengol Royo in Barcelona is often my interpreter for events in Spain. Marta served as a consultant and partner for this project, read multiple drafts, passionately guided my efforts and research, and gently corrected my terrible Spanish. My longtime friend Claus Pedersen is a teacher of history and Spanish in Denmark. Claus worked with me for years, helped me find research materials, advised on many topics, and provided much-needed encouragement. Dr. Almudena Cros is a history professor in Madrid and helped plan and complete my research. Almudena accompanied me for many long days in Spain and for years after, exploring history and the myriad emotions it brings with it. Jon Galdos devoted much time and patience guiding me through Bilbao, Guernica, Getaria, Hendaye, Irún, San Sebastián, and the stunning Basque countryside.

Professor Soledad Luque Delgado is the president of the organization
Todos los niños robado
s
son también mis niños
, which she formed to mobilize and educate people about the disappearance of children
during the Franco dictatorship and in subsequent transition years. Soledad believes her twin brother was stolen and has spent many years speaking on the topic and tirelessly advocating for others. Soledad spent time with me in Madrid and was an enormous help with my research.

Ángel Casero, president of the organization
Adelante Niños Robados
, met with me and explained the history behind the thefts of children, the adoptions, as well as the treatment of women during the time period. Ángel’s baby brother disappeared from a medical facility in the sixties and his older brothers were shown the frozen corpse of a child, purported to be their deceased sibling.

Soledad and Ángel invited me to attend a panel presentation and meeting in Madrid devoted to stolen children. The sweltering room was over capacity with attendees. The stories shared were both heartbreaking—such as quests for true identity—and horrific—an exhumed coffin of an infant that did not contain the remains of a child, but instead held the bones of an adult arm. I’m grateful to all of the attendees who shared their personal stories, photos, and hopes for the future. You are constantly on my mind.

During my research I discovered Carlos Giménez’s award-winning graphic memoir
Paracuellos: Children of the Defeated in Franco’s Fascist Spain
. The heartbreaking stories tinged with humor depicted in the art made a profound impression and informed the characters and journey of Rafa and Fuga.

Father Fernando Cerracedo, a priest in Vallecas for over forty years, generously shared both heart and historical detail of the district that helped me bring the beauty of Vallecas to the story and those in it.

Dr. José Ignacio de Arana served as a physician at the Inclusa in Madrid for over forty years. He explained the structure and daily workings of the Inclusa, which underscored the love and dedication that most doctors and staff had for the children at the orphanage.

Mariluz Antolín and Elena Nieto welcomed me for extended
stays at the InterContinental in Madrid, formerly the Castellana Hilton. Mariluz shared archival materials, provided space for research meetings, and allowed me to explore every last corner of the hotel during my stay to create Ana’s and Daniel’s world depicted in the book.

Antonio López Fuentes, master tailor at Fermín in Madrid, answered my endless questions and allowed me to spend time in the shop with his team to explore the creation and traditions surrounding a suit of lights.

Eduardo Fernández and his father, Antonio Fernández, generously shared their family’s story and memories with me. Antonio survived Asilo Durán, a “home” for boys in Barcelona, and became a waiter at the Castellana Hilton.

Efraín Royo Lascorz patiently recounted details and memories of working at the slaughterhouse, contributing information and dimension to the character of Rafa.

Special thanks to Adelaida Caro at the National Library of Spain who welcomed me and assisted me with research.

Javier Pagola and the staff at Lhardy made each research visit magical.

I am very grateful to curator Luis Alberto Pérez Velarde and Blanca Pons-Sorolla Ruiz de la Prada at the Sorolla Museum for their continued help, generosity, and patience with my frequent visits.

J. Edgar Williams was consular officer at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid between 1956–1960 and worked with U.S. Ambassador John Lodge. Mr. Williams answered my many questions about foreign relations and shared his memories of Spain during the time period.

Mr. Pierce Allman, former journalist and a lifelong resident of Highland Park in Dallas, shared information that helped me build and understand the character of Daniel Matheson.

Writer and journalist Karen Blumenthal directed and connected
me to many resources and toured me around Preston Hollow so I could conceptualize Daniel’s home.

While writing and researching, I returned constantly to reference the invaluable works of Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, Paul Preston, Helen Graham, Adam Hochschild, Neil M. Rosendorf, Ángela Cenarro, Larry Collins, and Dominique Lapierre.

I also thank the following for their generous assistance and inspiration:

Anadir, The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, American Foreign Service Association, The Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory, Mary Ann Campbell, the City of Vallecas, Niki Coffman, Corral de la Moreria,
D Magazine
, The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Hilda Farfante, The Foreign Service Journal Archives, The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, Hargrett Rare Book & Manuscript Library at the University of Georgia, The Hockaday School, The Hospitality Industry Archives at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management at the University of Houston, International Center of Photography, Juan de Isasa, The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, La Venencia, La Violeta, Lucía Lijtmaer, Low Media, Magnum Photos, Andrew Maraniss, Gerard Solé Martinez, The Meadows Museum at SMU, The National Archives in Washington, D.C.,
National Geographic
, Dr. Ann Neely,
The New York Times
, the Ordóñez family, Manuel Benítez Pérez, The Prado Museum, Restaurante Botín, The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center, Sim Smiley, S.O.S. de Bebés Robados, St. Mark’s School of Texas, Steve Norris-Tari, Carol Stoltz, Taberna de Antonio Sánchez, the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library Archives, Dr. Mark E. Young, Patty Young.

The Fountains of Silence
was built with bricks from the following books, academic papers, articles, films, and resources:

An American Diplomat in Franco Spain
by Michael Aaron Rockland

El año que tú naciste: 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960

Aquel Madrid que se nos fue . . . 1957–1967
by Antonio Alcoba López

The Basque History of the World: The Story of a Nation
by Mark Kurlansky

Be My Guest
by Conrad Hilton

Big D: Triumphs and Troubles of an American Supercity in the 20th Century
by Darwin Payne

The Big Rich: The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Texas Oil Fortunes
by Bryan Burrough

Castellana Magazine: Castellana Hilton Hotel Monthly, 1957–1959

Child of Our Time
by Michel del Castillo

Colores del toreo
by Paco Delgado

Dances and Cooking Specialties of Spain
by the American Women’s Club of Madrid

The Dangerous Summer
by Ernest Hemingway

Death in the Afternoon
by Ernest Hemingway

The Death of Manolete
by Barnaby Conrad

Exhuming Loss: Memory, Materiality and Mass Graves of the Spanish Civil War
by Layla Renshaw

“Facing up to Franco: Spain 40 Years On” by Tobias Buck,
Financial Times

“Families of Spain’s ‘Stolen Babies’ Seek Answers—And Reunions” by Sylvia Poggioli,
Morning Edition
, NPR, December 14, 2012

For Whom the Bell Tolls
by Ernest Hemingway

Franco
by Paul Preston

“Francoist Crimes: Denial and Invisibility, 1936–2017” by Jorge Marco

“The Francoist Repression in the Catalan Countries” by Conxita Mir y Curcó

Franco Sells Spain to America: Hollywood, Tourism and Public Relations as
Postwar Spanish Soft Power
by Neal M. Rosendorf

Franco’s Forgotten Children,
documentary film directed by Montse Armengou and Ricard Belis, TV3

Freedom and Catholic Power in Spain and Portugal: An American Interpretation
by Paul Blanshard

From Bullfights to Bikinis: Tourism and Spain’s Transition to Modernity Under the Franco Regime
by Alexandra Lawrence

Ghosts of Spain: Travels Through Spain and Its Silent Past
by Giles Tremlett

Give Me Back My Child!
, documentary film directed by Montse Armengou and Ricard Belis, TV3

Guide Museo Sorolla

“Haute Couture, High Fashion in the 50s” by Dr. Mercedes Pasalodos Salgado

Hidden Madrid
by Mark Besas and Peter Besas

The Hiltons: The True Story of an American Dynasty
by J. Randy Taraborrelli

Iberia
by James A. Michener

La inclusa que yo viví: 1945–1990
by Dr. Javier Matos Aguilar

Interrogating Francoism: History and Dictatorship in Twentieth-Century Spain
edited by Helen Graham

Lavapiés y el rastro
by Carlos Osorio

“
LIFE
Goes to a Fancy Madrid Hotel Opening, U.S. Guests Launch Hilton’s Latest,”
LIFE
, August 3, 1953

“Lorca’s Bones: Can Spain Finally Confront Its Civil War Past?” by Jon Lee Anderson,
The New Yorker

Madrid a pie de calle: fotografías de Manuel Urech
by Miguel Á. Urech Ribera

“Memories of Repression and Resistance: Narratives of Children Institutionalized by Auxilio Social in Postwar Spain” by Ángela Cenarro

The Mexican Suitcase
, documentary film directed by Trisha Ziff

Nada
by Carmen Laforet

National Geographic Live!
photography interview series

Never in Doubt: A History of the Delta Drilling Company
by James Presley

New Guide to the Prado Gallery, 1957

Niños robados
by María José Esteso Poves

“El niño y los pediatras en la Guerra Civil Española,”
Cuadernos de Historia de la Pediatría Española, No. 10

Nos encargamos de todo: Robo y tráfico de niños en España
by Francisco González de Tena

Nosotros, los niños de los años 50
by Margarita Gómez Borrás and Lucía Molina Zamora

Of Hearts and Mind: The Hockaday Experience, 1913–1988
edited by Camille R. Kraeplin

The Oral History Reader: Spain 1931–1995
, Foreign Affairs Oral History Collection, Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, Arlington, VA;
www.adst.org

Or I’ll Dress You in Mourning
by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre

Paracuellos: Children of the Defeated in Franco’s Fascist Spain
by Carlos Giménez

“Petroleum in the Spanish Iberian Peninsula” by Octavio Puche Riart, Luis F. Mazadiego Martínez, and José E. Ortiz Menéndez

Practical Guide for the Diplomatic Corps Accredited in Spain

The Prado Guide: Museo Nacional Del Prado

Proof: The Photographers on Photography
,
National Geographic
series

A Saga of Wealth: The Rise of the Texas Oilmen
by James Presley

St. Mark’s School of Texas: The First 100 Years
by William R. Simon

La Sección Femenina
by Luis Otero

“La Sección Femenina: Women’s Role in Francoist Spain” by Lara Pugh

The Silence of Others
, documentary film by Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar

Silk Hats and No Breakfast: Notes on a Spanish Journey
by Honor Tracy

The Sleeping Voice
by Dulce Chacón

Slightly out of Focus
by Robert Capa

Social Register of Dallas,
1953

The Society of Timid Souls: or, How To Be Brave
by Polly Morland

Spain and the United States: Since World War II
by R. Richard Rubottom and J. Carter Murphy

“Spain Confronts Decades of Pain Over Lost Babies” by Raphael Minder,
The New York Times
, July 6, 2011

Spain in Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939
by Adam Hochschild

Spain in Your Pocket
by Peggy Donovan

The Spanish Civil War: A Very Short Introduction
by Helen Graham

The Spanish Cockpit: An Eye-Witness Account of the Political and Social Conflicts of the Spanish Civil War
by Franz Borkenau

The Spanish Holocaust: Inquisition and Extermination in Twentieth-Century Spain
by Paul Preston

Spanish Leaves
by Honor Tracy

“A Spanish Rose for Beatrice. Madrid Applauds U.S. Ambassador’s Popular Daughter on Her Debut,”
LIFE
, July 9, 1956

“Spanish Village. A Photo Essay” by Eugene Smith,
LIFE
, April 9, 1951

“Spain’s First ‘Re-Branding Effort’ in the Postwar Franco Era” by Neal M. Rosendorf

“Spain’s Stolen Babies,”
This World
—BBC documentary, October 18, 2011

“Spain’s ‘Stolen Babies’ Attempt to Blow Lid Off Scandal” by Giles Tremlett,
The Guardian
, January 5, 2012

“Spain’s Stolen-Babies Scandal: Empty Graves and a Silent Nun” by Lisa Abend,
Time
, April 13, 2012