Plaza Unzaga, a symbol of the 2nd Republic

In the early hours of 14th April 1931, Plaza Unzaga bore witness to a historic event as Eibar was the first place in the State to proclaim the 2nd Republic which meant so much more than the fall of the monarchy. For many people it was the beginning of a time of hope, the promise of a dignified life of freedom. The tricolour flag was raised from the central balcony of the Town Hall whilst the population celebrated their change in status from subjects to citizens. A few days later, Eibar received the title of City and it became a symbol of freedom and progress.

On 5th October 1934, Eibar was one of the places that experienced the Revolution of October '34 most intensely as the left wing saw that the spirit of the Republic was in danger under the right-wing government. By the end of the day there had been seven fatalities. Throughout the day, the Town Hall was the control centre for the revolutionaries and subsequently, after the movement failed, its out-buildings were used as a prison and particularly as a torture chamber until prisoners could be moved to the provincial prison in Pamplona.

The Army parading along the main road next to the Unzaga bandstand on 21st October 1934. © Eibar Municipal Archive Fund: Castrillo Ortuoste.

During the Civil War, at the Akondia mountain front, barely eighty metres separated either side in their trenches and ferocious fighting went on for seven months to conquer places such as Arrate, Kalamua, Urko, Akondia, etc. In the Eibar Civil War Visitors' Centre, you can find out more about the resistance of the gudaris and militia to prevent coup supporters from moving forwards.

When nationalist troops from Elgeta, that fell on 24th April, arrived in Unzaga on 26th April 1937, they shot from what was then known as the Elgeta main road at the Town Hall as a preventive measure, as can be seen on the façade. Back in the 1934 revolution, the building had been shot at by security forces from the corner of calle Calbetón. Oblique impacts can therefore be seen on the town hall façade from 1934 and frontal impacts from 1937.

The Town Hall and its square became the symbol of the conquest the day that Eibar fell. The party among the citizens of Eibar in 1931 became an image of destruction and terror in 1936 under the force of the weapons. It was the end of the dream of freedom, leading from hope to tragedy and dictatorship. After the war, the very tough post-war period began. The first council of the dictatorship, fundamentally made up of Carlists and Falange supporters from Eibar, requested that Eibar should be stripped of the title of City and made a Town once again. Its title of City was not restored until 1982 during the first democratic municipal term in office after the dictatorship.

On the first floor of no.3 Unzaga was the headquarters of the Eibar Defence Board Public Order Commissioner. Beneath it was one of the city's shelters, in the current headquarters of the Kerizpe society. © Eibar Municipal Archive Author: Indalecio Ojanguren.

General Mola, in a white mac, standing in Plaza Unzaga hours after the fall of Eibar, in front of the Town Hall that had been destroyed and occupied by Nationalist forces. © Kutxa photo library. Donostia. Author: Pascual Marín.

Mola and Franco in Plaza Unzaga after the City fell. The lateral arches of the square can be seen behind them, reinforced with sandbags to protect them from the bombing. © Eibar Municipal Archive Civil Engineering and Land Development Fund. Photo: Pascual Marín.

Plaza Unzaga. The bandstand and all the area surrounding Txaltxazelai is seen to have been destroyed. © Basque Nationalism Archive. “Sabino Arana Fundazioa”.

Main image:
Proclamation of the Republic in Unzaga on 14th April 1931. © Eibar Municipal Archive Fund: Castrillo Ortuoste.