The Barcelona Fire Service was not put to military use during the Spanish Civil War. Members of the corps who were called up were substituted by new firefighters or other municipal units. Once the war ended, the ensuing Francoist occupation decreed that all public-sector workers taken on after the war broke out were to be dismissed.

The Barcelona Fire Service is organising the lecture “Barcelona Firefighters during the Civil War” this Thursday to provide an insight into the role of the corps during the Spanish Civil War and the repression some of its members suffered following the Francoist victory. The talk will be given at the Espai Bombers at 7 pm, by the historian and volunteer firefighter with the Catalan Fire Service, Marc Ferrer.

Anybody wishing to attend should send an email to espaibombers@bcn.cat indicating the number of people.

This lecture is linked to the exhibition “Protecting Barcelona. Firefighters and fire prevention 1833-2022”, which explains how fire prevention measures have been applied in the city from when the Barcelona Fire Service was created through to the present day. The exhibition is on at the MUHBA Oliva Artés until 30 June.