Figure 1.--With each victory by Franco's forces, the trickle of refufees increased. And with the eminent fall of the Republic, to became a flood of Spainards all headed for the French border. Source: Imperial War Museum. HU39750

The number of Spanish refugees were at first limited. They gradually increased as Franco's forces inflicted a serirs of defeats on the Republic. The result was several waves of refugees crossing the Pyranees. The flow spiked after each Franco victory. The number of refugees totaled aboyt 40-45,000 people in the first 3 years of the conflict. The French Government was having difficulty copeing with the influx and ordered the border closed (June 1938). The collapse of the Republic resulted in a title wave of refugees. As the Republican defenses collapsed at the end of the Civil war, combatants and civilians which had supported the Republic along with their families began to stream across the French frontier to seek safety from Franco's revenge. Many took their families with them. The last major Republican stronghold of Catalonia fell (January 1939). This resulted in a huge flow of of refugees toward the Medeterranean coast and southern border towns. The retreating Republican Army was covered by a rearguard--the 26th Division (Durruti Column) from the Army of the Ebro. The French were concerned that they were being invaded by Communists and Anarchists. With Franco forces approacjing the border twons, the French Government decided to reopen the border. Hundreds of thousands and Spanish Republican soldiers and civilians flowed into France. Many treked through the high mountain passes of the Pyrenees (February 1939). The inflow doubled the population of the Pyrenees-Orientales Department. Additional troops were rushed south to control the refugees. An estimate 0.5 million Spaniards sought refuge in France.

Created: 7:22 PM 7/12/2008
Last updated: 7:22 PM 7/12/2008