The Pre-War War-or When Irony Ruled

There had been rumblings of revolt and upheaval in Spain since the turn of the 20th Century-as the twin forces of modernization and worker/farmer/miner’s desire and demands for fairer and much improved pay and working conditions that the intransient old guard of industrialist/latifundia/mine owners pushed back on. All of which came to a head in 1934 when the miners of Asturias went on strike.

Located in the far north of Spain and adjacent to the Basques, Asturias had a history of labor “agitation”, anarchism, and action. Just two years before full-fledged civil war broke out there were similarities between 1934 and 1936. The miners went on strike against the entry of the Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right (CEDA) into the Spanish government in October.
On October 4th the miners went on strike and begun to occupy several towns while attacking Civil and Assault Guards. On October 6th the miners occupied the provincial capital Oviedo. In the towns and in Oviedo the strikers formed revolutionary committees to govern the occupied areas.
In spite of efforts by the leaders of the strike/revolt-moderate socialists such as Ramón González Peña and Balamino Tomas violence did occur when priests, businessmen and civil guards were executed and churches and convents in Oviedo were destroyed.

The irony of all of this is the same miners would become staunch and steadfast in their support of the Republic and democracy. Even more irony is the forces used to squash the revolt were colonial Moroccan AKA “Moors” from the Army of Africa and Spanish Legionaries led by Generals Franco and Goded both would later led these same troops against the same Republic. During the war the miners would become legends for their ability to utilize dynamite as an anti-personal weapon. Even more irony is that Moorish troops helped to reconquer Asturias, the one part of Spain that was never conquered by the Moors.

No shock here, but the Spanish military crushed the revolution by the 19th of October. With the ending of the revolution, the reprisals came hard and fast-about 3,000 miners died and about 30,000 to 40,000 were taken prisoner. Some 200 were executed after the end of the conflict. Many, many others lost their jobs and their constitutional guarantees. On the government side-about 260 military personal lost their lives as did about 33 priests. In what prove to be a disturbing taste of what was to come in two years’ time-colonial troops raped, pillaged, and looted their way across Asturias.

For an overall and very well-done and comprehensive look at the lead up to the Civil War I think you can’t find a more accessible book in English than Paul Preston’s Coming of the Spanish Civil War
In keeping with the purpose of this blog-what does this have to do with Asturias and postal history? A seller I have bought from before offered three postcards that pictured the aftermath of the uprising. When I received them I determined I don't believe they are post cards as the reverse doesn't have the usual address lines, place for a stamp and for writing. So perhaps they are souvenir photo cards? What I do know is there are at least three series because the same seller has listed a few from Series II and Series III. I picked up three from Series I. The title of the first series is "Oviedo-City of Martyrs October 5-14, 1934."The one below is #5 of Series I and shows the aftermath of the damage from the fighting at the entrance to Calle de Fruela in Oviedo.

The card (#7) below shows the damage to the Audencia in Oviedo. 

The final card of the lot is #13-that shows the destruction of the Secondary Teaching School in Oviedo.

Since there are at least three series and I am not certain as to their postal purpose I probably will refrain from picking them up unless they are for a song.