Testimony of Vicente Luis González Llopiz, interview with Scott Boehm, and Miriam Duarte; April 15-22, 2009

Part 1

Interviewee:
Llopiz González, Vicente Luis
Interviewers:
Boehm, Scott
Durante, Miriam
Interview date(s):
April 15-22, 2009
Published:
Madrid, Spain, Spanish Civil War Memory Project
Number of Tapes:
6
Notes:
Llopiz González's testimony was recorded in Madrid. Testimony is in Spanish without subtitles.
Topics:
Communism
Political prisoners
World War, 1939-1945
Geographics:
Burgos (Spain)
Spain
Corporate names:
Cárcel de Carabanchel (Madrid, Spain)
Partido Comunista de España

Summary

Vicente Luis Llopiz González was born in León on Dec. 15, 1926. As a son of privilege whose parents were both provincial conservatives, Llopiz González began his political involvement as a Francoist, joining the Falanges Juveniles in the 1940s. However, during the Spanish Civil War he had been influenced by the ideas of his republican grandfather, and after World War II he began to develop alternative political views. In 1962 he joined the Communist Party and thereafter engaged in clandestine work for the Party, including reorganizing the Unión de Juventudes Comunistas as well as assisting in the creation of Comisiones Obreras. In 1963 he was detained, tortured, and sentenced to sixteen years for his underground political activity. Incarcerated for three month at Carabanchel and then Burgos Prison for six years, he participated in hunger strikes, distribution of propaganda, and other political actions while in prison. After his release he continued his involvement with the Communist Party