• The Secretary of State for Democratic Memory, Fernando Martínez, confirms the recognition of the enclave, the scene of the proclamation of the Second Republic on April 14, 1931

The Secretary of State for Democratic Memory, Fernando Martínez, has confirmed that Eibar and the Plaza de Unzaga in the town of Gipuzkoa will be declared a Place of Memory. “The Government of Spain has taken up the proposal of the City of Eibar to declare the city as a Place of Memory. A city that is worthy of being a Place of Memory within the framework of the Democratic Memory Law for two fundamental events: being the first city in Spain that proclaimed the Second Republic on April 14, 1931 and the tragic bombings that unleashed the aviation of the rebelled army against the Republic and its international allies during the month of April 1937 in the War of Spain,” he revealed.

The act of confirmation was also attended by the delegate of the Government in the Basque Country, Marisol Garmendia; the Councilor for Justice and Human Rights of the Basque Government, Maria Jesús San José; and the mayor of Eibar, Jon Iraola; together with municipal representatives and citizens. The declaration is the result of the request presented by Iraola, on May 12, 2023. In the letter addressed to the Ministry of the Presidency, Relations with the Courts and Democratic Memory, the mayor stressed the historical importance of the Unzaga square and the Consistorial House, which were the scene of key moments of the 20th century, such as the proclamation of the Second Republic in the early hours of April 14, 1931.

The Minister of Justice and Human Rights, María Jesús San José, said that it is “an immense honor to be able to be on April 14 in Eibar, a city closely linked to the memory of the Second Republic and to the democratic values that it represents”. San José wanted to reclaim the historical commitment of Basque socialism to freedom, citizenship and coexistence, proudly reminding the Eibar councillors that in 1931 they proclaimed their adherence to a free and democratically elected republic.

Unzaga Square has historically been the political and social heart of the city. Its current layout was consolidated at the end of the 19th century and, since then, has hosted demonstrations, public events, popular celebrations and moments of special political importance. One of the most emblematic events that are remembered in this space took place in the early morning of April 14, 1931, when Eibar became the first town in the country to proclaim the Second Republic, from the balconies of the Consistorial House, located in the square itself. This symbolic gesture reflected the commitment of Ibiza’s citizens to republican ideals, freedom and social justice. During the Civil War, the square was also the scene of confrontations, bombings and moments of great tension, due to its strategic and symbolic value. In the years that followed, it continued to be a place of encounter, memory and vindication.

The mayor of Eibar, Jon Iraola, stressed that “today’s recognition is an important step in the preservation of our collective memory.” He also pointed out that “we are especially pleased that Eibar’s role in the democratic history of the country has been valued. It is a deserved recognition for the city and for all the people who have defended democratic values over time.”

After this declaration, the square of Unzaga becomes part of the State Inventory of Places of Democratic Memory, which means that the City Council will be obliged to guarantee its conservation, signage and historical interpretation, in accordance with the provisions of Law 20/2022 of Democratic Memory. This enclave thus joins Gernika, bombed by the Nazis in April 1937, the Avenida bridge that borders France in Irun and the church of San Francisco de Vitoria where on March 3, 1976 the Armed Police killed five people in a workers’ assembly.