The Second Conference on Forced Labour under Francoism continues the work initiated in 2024, when the first edition examined forced labour as a tool of repression and exploitation under the dictatorship, as well as the traces it left across the territory.
This second edition delves further into this history through new case studies and research perspectives. Historians, archaeologists and researchers will explore how labour battalions and penal detachments were organised, the living conditions of prisoners, and their role in the construction and reconstruction of infrastructure across Spain.
Organised by: European Observatory on Memories (EUROM), Memorial Democràtic, Consell Comarcal del Solsonès and Centre d’Estudis Lacetans (CEL), with the support of the Institut d’Estudis Ilerdencs (IEI) and the Diputació de Lleida.
PROGRAMME
Friday, 23 October
12:00 – Welcome and opening of the conference
- M. Claustre Sunyer, President of the Consell Comarcal del Solsonès
- Neus Mujal, President of the Centre d’Estudis Lacetans
- Jordi Guixé, Director of the EUROM
- César Layana Ilundáin, Director of the Instituto Navarro de la Memoria
- Jordi Font, Director of the Memorial Democràtic
- H.E. Ramon Espadaler, Minister of Justice and Democratic Quality
12:30–14:00 – Session 1. Labour Battalions in Catalonia
- “Labour Battalions at the Excavations of Empúries, 1940–1942: A Forgotten History”
Francesc Gràcia, University of Barcelona. - “War, Destruction and Reconstruction through Forced Labour in Torres de Segre”.
Pilar Pelegrí, independent researcher.
16:30–17:15 – Session 2. Historical Approaches
- “Forced Labour on the Northern Shore of the Strait of Gibraltar (1939–1944)”.
José Manuel Algarbani, historian.
17:15–18:00 – Session 3. Gathering Memories
- The National Database of Labour Battalions.
Juan Carlos García Funes and Eduardo Arteta, University of Navarra.
18:00–18:30 – Coffee break
18:30–19:15 – Session 4. Young People and Memory
Presentation of the labour camps in Navarra and Solsonès.
19:30 – Film screening and discussion
La Muralla de los Prisioneros (The Prisoners’ Wall), introduced by José Manuel Algarbani, historian.
Saturday, 24 October
09:45–10:30 – Session 5. Historical Approaches
- “The Bustarviejo Penal Detachment”.
Sergio Riesco, Complutense University of Madrid.
10:30–12:00 – Session 6. Archaeologies of Memory
- “Cuelgamuros: An Archaeohistory of the Penal Detachments, 1943–1950”.
Luis Antonio Ruiz Casero, historian. - “Solsonès: L-401 Road”.
Nil Boix, historian, and Aila Pinyol, archaeologist.
12:00 – Visit to the excavation of the Cal Negre barracks on the L-401 road
Guided visit led by Nil Boix and Aila Pinyol.
Organising Committee
- Jordi Guixé
- Pere Obiols
- Josep Calvet
- Nil Boix
- Josemi Gastón
- Jordi Font
Survey
This activity is co-financed by the European Commission and for its evaluation we kindly ask your collaboration in filling out this survey. You will need the information indicated below. Thank you very much!
- Reference of the Project: 101236354
- Type of activity: Awareness Raising
- Title: Networking
- Date: September 25, 2026
- 3 Days
- Physical event
- Portbou, Catalonia (Spain)