75 years since the liberation of Mauthausen

On a day like today, 75 years ago, Allied troops – specifically the United States Army – liberated the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp, which the Nazis had set up in 1938. Many Spanish Republicans were deported to this camp. They had had to go into exile as a result of Franco’s victory in the Civil War and, once in France or other European countries, they were immersed in World War II.

In Mauthausen-Gusen, among many other deportees, 40 people from Badalona died. Josep Borràs Lluch, also from Badalona, ​​who managed to survive, wrote a very interesting book about the concentration camp, which was published in France, where he had gone into exile, and in French, in 1989. The Museum of Badalona is working on publishing of the Catalan version of this book, which should have been presented today, although it has not been possible due to the state of emergency we are in as a result of Covid 19, but which will appear later . The book is published thanks to the collaboration of Frederic Borràs, the author’s son; of the Amical Mauthausen, and more specifically of the historian Rosa Toran -linked to this entity-, who is in charge of the prologue; and Joan Villarroya, professor of contemporary history at the UB and former director of the Museum, who provides a text about Josep Borràs and the other deportees from Badalona.

Pictures: Josep Borràs. Courtesy of Frederic Borràs.