Gernika, Guernica, Guernica? Contested meanings of a Basque place

The town of Gernika/Guernica is the center for meaning and territorial cont inuity of Basque nationalist identity. The town and its symbolism represent the history of national conflict with the Spanish state. It is also the fo cal point of local disagreements; within Basque nationalism itself and betw een regional urban centers. The town's significance in the Spanish Civil Wa r, representation in Picasso's painting Guernica, and commemoration in the Americas by Basque emigrants has made it a globally significant place. The contest of meanings related to Gernika/Guernica underscores the significanc e of naming, monuments, ritual, resistance, oppression, and conflict in the creation and maintenance of national identities. In its examination of the politics of a Basque place, the joining of the forces of geography and his tory proves to be useful in the analysis of meaning in place- and time-spec ific political processes. From this perspective, the recent development fro m conflict toward harmony in Basque politics is reviewed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.