Spanish Civil War Memory Project

Summary

Gregorio Ortiz Ricoll was born in 1922 in Regás, Galicia. Gregorio recalls fighting on the Nationalist side during the Civil War. He describes his family as being Catholic and on the right. Gregorio tells of studying law after the war. He details his increasing dismay with the Franco regime, which eventually led to his participation in the formation of the first Communist cell in Segovia. This cell organized a failed attempt to assassinate Franco in 1948, for which Gregorio was imprisoned in Ocaña and Dueso for four years. After his release, he became involved in political activities such as the organization of a cell of Communist lawyers within the law school. Gregorio speaks of being detained on February 15, 1960, for his participation in Communist congresses throughout Europe in 1959 and 1960. He relates being tortured in front of his wife and sent to the Carabanchel Prison for six months before being sent to the Burgos Prison for the next six years. Gregorio recounts life in prison, noting the political organization and struggles of the prisoners. He comments on the assassination of Grimau and the trials of Granados and Delgado. Gregorio provides in depth political analyses of the transition to democracy and of the Communist Party of Spain, specifically its participation and role after the war as well as its institutionalization during the transition