Spanish Nationalism (3)

For the complete context of this entry please read Spanish Nationalism (1) and Spanish Nationalism (2).

In 1938 Franco’s army enters into the Catalan city Lleida. The first thing they did? They destroyed the city graveyard because the epitaphs were written in Catalan. Under Franco's regime, having a Catalan names is forbidden.

The Spanish unity must be absolute, with a single language, Spanish, and a single personality, Spanish
–Franco, 1939

In 1939 the Institute of Catalan Studies (including the department that constitutes the normative institution for the Catalan language) forcefully becomes the Institute of Hispanity of Barcelona.

Barcelona will still be the black sheep of the nation, at least for a few generations. […] A Biblical punishment is needed to purify the red city, seat of anarchy and separatism, as the only remedy to extirpate both cancers…
–Article in a Spanish newspaper, 1939

Catalan dogs! You are not worthy of the sun that shines on you!
–Military Governor, 1939

Catalonia was occupied by Philip IV, occupied again by Philip V, who defeated it, it was bombed by commander Espartero […], we occupied it in 1939 and we are willing to occupy it as many times as necessary, and for that I’m willing to get my rifle again. Thus, you know what to expect, and here I have my rifle to use it again.
–Ministry at that time (1968); founder of the Spanish People's Party in the democracy

I like Catalonia despite Catalans
–Santiago Bernabéu, President of the Real Madrid Football Club (Real Madrid's current stadium is named after him), 1968

We must promote the migration of Spanish speaking people to Catalonia and Valencia in order to ensure the maintenance of the Spanish feeling
–Prime Minister of Spain, 1983

This promotion of Spanish migration to Catalonia had already been taking place in massive proportions for a long time. In fact, from 1940 to 1950, while the natural growth in Catalonia was of 90,622 persons, the number of immigrants was 258,717. In 1963 the 49% of the population of Barcelona wasn't born in Catalonia. In 1970 that number had grown to 53%, and 38% in all Catalonia. [Source: La immigració a Catalunya en el segle XX: la llarga postguerra (1939-1959)]

I think that Basques and Catalans are no longer dedicated to anything else in this world but to walk as beggars or beagles with their nose, day and night in the crotch of the pants of friends and strangers alike: they have exercised so much in such sniffing that are capable of recognizing even one-sixteenth of bastard blood.
–Rafael Sánchez Ferlosio, prominent Spanish writer, awarded with the important Cervantes Award of Literature, 1984

Catalans are only important when they write in Spanish.
–a Spanish Senator, 1984

The terrorism in the Basque Country is a matter of public order, but the real danger is the Catalan question.
–Felipe González, Spanish Prime Minister, 1984

To guarantee the constitutional primacy of the Spanish language in all the national territory.
–José Maria Aznar, Spanish Prime Minister, 1995

Related articles:
Spanish Nationalism (1)
Sapnish Nationalism (2)
Spain seeks to Destroy Catalan Educational System
The Violation of the Right of Self Determination
Anothe attack agains the Catalan People