In the courtyard of Madrid's Royal Palace
the King's Guard recalls an era of
regal splendor, privilege
and might in Spain's past
Viva!
But the saga of Juan Carlos is
distinctly modern
When he became king in 1975
he took the reins of government
from Europe's last fascist dictator
He was to inherit a land touched by
forces unlike the rest of Europe...
a land chosen by destiny to become the
greatest power on earth...
then doomed to lapse into decades of
decline and stagnation
In the extraordinary reign of Juan Carlos
Spain has leapt into the 20th century
Un, dos, y...
But as new ideas
concepts, and values flood in
the Spanish people cherish the ways
that are uniquely theirs
Mindful of the grandeur of their past
even as they create a new unknown future
they nurture and treasure the timeless
traditions
that illuminate the Soul of Spain
Spain. Dramatic, mysterious, complex
Greatness and tragedy resonate in
its soul
It gave the world the essence of
chivalry in Don Quixote...
the quintessence of cruelty
in the Inquisition
Long after the rest of Europe
industrialized
Spain remained poor and agrarian
Hereditary noblemen and wealthy families
still owned much of the land
controlled it by the laws and privileges
of their class
Inward looking
the people proudly clung to their
ancient heritage, customs, and beliefs
Who are they?
Where did they come from?
What shaped the Spanish soul?
Lying astride the Atlantic and
Mediterranean on the Iberian Peninsula
Spain has been called "that country
ripped from hot Africa
soldered crudely to inventive Europe
First settled by wandering tribes
from Europe and North Africa
it would be colonized by Phoenicians
Carthaginians, and Greeks
By 19 B.C.
the triumphant Romans dominated the
peninsula
They would leave their indelible imprint
of architecture, law, and language
Later, Roman missionaries would
introduce Christianity
Led by Arab warriors
in 711 Berbers from North Africa swept
into Spain
Soon their rule and Muslim religion
gripped the land
Working side by side
Muslim, Christian
and Jewish scholars relit the torch of
learning
that led Europe out of the Dark Ages
Cordoba, capital of Muslim Spain
became Europe's most cultured city
boasting half a million inhabitants
when London and Paris were only villages
But through the eight centuries of
Muslim rule
the Christians waged w*r to reconquer
the land
until only Granada survived as a
Muslim stronghold
In 1492 the last Muslim king
surrendered his crown to the Catholic
sovereigns Ferdinand and Isabella
Through w*r and Inquisition Spain would
expel not only the Muslims
but all Jews who refused to be baptized
Seeking a westward route to
the riches of India
Ferdinand and Isabella would provide
Christopher Columbus with financial
support
On the 33rd day of his voyage
Columbus landed in the New World
and claimed it in the name of the
Spanish crown
Spain would conquer huge empires
in the Americas
Gold wrested from native peoples would
finance wars in faraway Europe...
and Spain would become the world's
mightiest power
But two centuries later
its navy defeated
its empire in shambles
Spain's era of supremacy was over
A long eclipse had begun
With the Second Republic torn
by political turmoil
Spain is plunged into bloody civil w*r
An alliance of army officers,
monarchists
and the Catholic Church joins the
fascists in rebellion
They are supported by
h*tler and Mussolini
in a conflict that becomes a dress
rehearsal for the Second World w*r
The death toll from combat
and executions will cost
the nation half a million lives
With the fall of Madrid
General Francisco Franco
commander of the
victorious Nationalist troops
assumes powers greater than those of
any monarch in Spain's history
Nationalist, rightist, and authoritarian
the dictator Franco embarks on 36 years
of repressive control
When World w*r II rages across Europe
the wily Franco manages to keep Spain
out of the conflict
The role of women remains static
circumscribed by church tradition
and male domination
Physically shattered and spiritually
crippled in the long aftermath of w*r
the nation will need years to heal
Franco orders construction of the
Valley of the Fallen
to commemorate the Civil w*r dead
Although named E1 Caudillo
The Leader for life
he knows that someday he too will
find his final resting place here
Believing a monarchy would best
serve Spain
Franco selects as his successor
the grandson of the last king
Born in exile
Juan Carlos first set foot
on Spanish soil at age ten
His father
legitimate heir to the throne
had acquiesced to Franco's desire
to educate the boy
The prince would spend four years
in the Army, Navy
and Air Force academies
attend university
and complete his studies at a number
of government ministries
The nation observes the end of an era
For nearly four decades Franco had made
all of Spain's important decisions
Juan Carlos, rarely seen except
in Franco's shadow
was perceived to be molded in his image
Would the nation again erupt in rebellion?
Juan Carlos swore his allegiance
to the constitution and the people
"Desde la motion en el recuerdo Franco,
viva elrey!"
Viva!
Viva Espagna!
Viva!
Perceptive and intelligent
he had privately concluded Spain
must embark on a new course secretly
he had prepared himself for it
To everyone's surprise
he deftly led his people from
dictatorship to democracy
A king who pays taxes lives modestly
and is an avid sports enthusiast
he soon became the most popular man
in the country
His greatest test came in 1981
when parliament was invaded by
Civil Guards
commanded by a right-wing colonel
As an amazed public watched on television
the colonel called for a return to
a Francoist regime
Working through the night
as parliament was held hostage
the king obtained pledges of loyalty
from his principal m*llitary leaders
and quelled the attempted coup
His reassuring address to the people
included these words
The Crow... cannot tolerate actions
attempting to interrupt by force
democratic process
Under his leadership a vital and dynamic
New Spain has become an economic
success story
The nation is an eager new member of
the European Community
Its thirty-nine million citizens
have a higher standard of living than
ever in their history
And there is freedom
of religion, of expression
The repression of old has evaporated
A burst of growth has transformed
the nation
Every year Spain attracts 50 million
tourists
more than the country's total population
They bring billions of dollars
new ideas and customs
The Spaniards
once Europe's poor relations
have become conspicuous consumers
But behind the facade of modern Spain
echoes of an older way of life still
resonate
In the same year that Franco d*ed
so did Don Fernando de la Camara
one of the wealthy landowners who
had supported the dictator
Camar's presence can still be felt
in the Seville apartment
where his heir, Rocio, lives
She is now head of her family's
agricultural business
As her father did
Rocio grows wheat and sunflowers and
raises bulls to fight in the ring
Every year the new calves are rounded
up for branding
In this tough and traditionally
male-oriented atmosphere
Rocio has found acceptance
Of course it's harder being a woman
but society is changing and nowadays
there are no real problems,
big problems
If I were a man
I'd wrestle those calves
but as a woman, I can't
But there are many important things
to do on a ranch
where being a woman makes no difference
at all
Diego Reina has been employed
by the Camaras for more than 20 years
He helped raised Rocio
and when her father d*ed continued
as foreman
He has had other job offers
but he respects and admires Rocio
He says he will never leave.
Unlike his peers of 25 years ago
Diego receives an adequate income
has his own house
and can look forward to retirement
with social security
Today Diego has the right to vote
but like many others
still prefers the old ways
Personally, I felt more at ease under
Franco than now
Nobody bothered anybody
You could bed down in the fields anywhere
Now you can't
In the last few years before Franco d*ed
life was peaceful in the country
We ate well in the country and we could
save a peseta or two
Who saves anything nowadays?
Whether Juan, Pedro
or Antonio is in charge
the land is the same
We live off the land and die for
the land
It's always the same, always the same
Diego's land is Andalucia
In this southernmost region of Spain
under a brilliant sun and sky
olive trees and vineyards have thrived
for thousands of years
Only here in all the world
in a small area of chalky
moisture-retaining soil
is true sherry wine produced
In 1730
a French farmer founded a sherry dynasty
in the town of Jerez de la Frontera
Today, the heirs of Pedro Domecq
are the second largest producers of
sherry in the world
part of an elite referred to as
"sherry barons"
Still, even at age 77
Jose Ignacio Domecq enjoys driving
to work on a second-hand motorbike
purchased from his chauffeur
At the manor house that overlooks
some of the Domecq vineyards
he meets his eldest son
The manor was built around an
ancient tower
used during the Middle Ages to send
smoke signals to Africa
only 65 miles away
It provides a vantage point
from which the Domecqs can confer
about the 4,300 acres of vineyards
they cultivate here
One day the younger Jose Ignacio
will take control of their wine
and brandy empire is Spain and
the Americas
Domecq produces 10 million liters
of sherry annually
The most vital element in creating a
distinctive sherry is the human factor...
specifically, the human nose
In the bodegas where sherry matures
the Domecqs exercise the delicate skill
which has made the family masters of
the art of wine making for 250 years
We maintain our standardization of
quality
throughout the different generations
My father is known in the wine world...
...for the nose
not only because of the size of it
that is you have seen rather big
but because he's considered one of the...
...most important specialists in Europe
in the science of wine
The unique quality of sherry
derives from the solera system
New sherry is blended with more mature
sherry to take on its characteristics
Fortified with grape brandy and
repeatedly blended
it ages in oak casks until it reaches
maturity
The most venerable bodega holds casks of
rate sherry dedicated to the famous
Among them is one once reserved
for George IV
King of England
A cask was dedicated to Napoleon in 1812
And after the battle of Trafalgar
Admiral Lord Nelson's body was shipped
to England
perfectly preserved
in a cask of brandy and sherry
At his nearby estate
one of the 500 relatives who are
shareholders
in the Domecq corporation indulges
in another family passion
For 20 years Alvaro Domecq
like his father before him
was famed for his prowess in the Spanish
art of bullfighting on horseback
Today, he raises fine Andalucian horses
and hulls to fight in the ring
Bullfighting was once the leisure
pastime of gentlemen on horseback
Farmhands assisted with their capes
Modern bullfighting performed
by professionals on foot began
only two centuries ago
Bullfights are the highlight of the
annual April Fair in nearby Jerez
For this special event six local
breeders each enter a superior bull
in the competition for Best of the Year
Domecq is here
sharing the crowd's anticipation
and hoping his bull will bring honor
to the family's reputation as breeders
Victor Mendes
the matador who will face that bull
prepares for his test as he dons the
traditional suit of lights
The bullring manager
and other well-wishers
come bearing the only protection
they can offer "Suerte"
good luck
As his sword handler makes
final adjustments
Mendes reflects on the trial ahead
It's now a fight or game between the
rational and the irrational
if is possible to arrive to the death
the death of the bull
But sometimes, the death of the man
To the Spaniard the bullfight
is not a game
but a revered ritual
not a sport but an art
Its origins can be traced to pagan
sacrifices
and to ancient Greek and Roman games
In its beauty, glorification of bravery
and disdain for death
the bullfight embodies traditional values
of Spanish life
More than spectacle
this is mythic theater
in which the drama of life and death
is reenacted
culminating in the predictable
but by no means certain
death of a noble beast.
In recent years it has lost popularity
and there is increasing disquiet
among a minority of Spaniards about
the morality of their "national fiesta
But for some
it remains an irreplaceable thread
in the fabric of their heritage
As the afternoon turns to evening
crowds begin to gather
at the fairgrounds
In this weeklong celebration women wear
traditional Andalucian dresses
friends meet, sip sherry,
make music, and dance
The region of Extremadura
in western Spain
has always been harsh and ungiving
For decades Azuaga
like many small agricultural
and mining towns
has slowly but steadily lost
its population
The future looks bleak unless young
people can be persuaded to stay
Among the few professionals here is a
husband-and-wife team of doctors
assigned to the local clinic
Their 16-year-old daughter, Alicia
feels trapped in the stifling atmosphere
This is a small town
There isn't much for me to do
I'm not sure whether so stay or leave
I'll probably leave
but I still haven't decided
The lack of entertainment
career opportunities
even participation in sports
all make teenagers yearn for greater
freedom
The old ways hold no allure
for the young generation
When Alicia's parents accept job offers
in Seville
she is thrilled to go with them
She will become one of the thousands
who seek new lives in big cities
Spain's new constitution
carefully spells out the equality of
opportunity for men and women
After high school
Alicia hopes to join the growing ranks
of working women
"Then after a couple of years
when I've mastered that job
I'll study business management
and after that join a big company
I'd work my way to the top
and eventually have my own company
As a businesswoman
I'd travel
I'd like to travel a lot in my work
Today, many women are entering
the ranks of leadership
in government
politics, and commerce
The unemployment rate of women is
twice that of men
But like Alicia
they pursue an alluring dream
Spain's greatest contemporary poet
Garcia Lorca
described flamenco as deeper than
the heart of the one creating it
and the voice singing it
It comes from the first sob
and the first kiss
Flamenco was born in Andalucia
when Arabic and Spanish music mingled
with the songs of the Jews
The gypsies were to adopt it and
in their wanderings
carry it throughout Spain
Francisca Sadornil
La Tati as she is known
was born here in Madrid
She learned flamenco dancing
from gypsies
married a gypsy in her youth
and remains among the rare outsiders
accepted by them artistically and
socially
A professional dancer from the age of 12
La Tati has dedicated her life
to flamenco
And flamenco has taken La Tati
from a working-class neighborhood
to the concert stages of the world
She reminisces
I can't remember a time
when I didn't dance
I was born on Toledo Street
and there all the neighbors
were Andalucians and gypsies
At No.5 of the Plaza de la Cascorro
was Quica
the dancing professor of Seville
I went to Quica when I was about seven
I never paid for a dancing class
because there was not money
in my family
I slept at the academy on a mattress
between chairs
I helped Quica clean the academy
and did the errands
and this way I learned to dance
Today, she passes her knowledge to
a new generation
She reflects on teaching
With recording
singers and movie actors can leave
their way of singing and playing music
but with dancing it's a little more
difficult
If you don't do it through teaching
you can't leave a school of dance
This is why I like teaching very much
La Tati is highly sought as a teacher
But as an artist
she gets her deepest satisfaction
from performance
My life is shaped on the stage
All that I feel or live for,
everything
all my suffering and all my glory
all my life is on the stage
She rehearses for a tour that will
take her to France
The quality of flamenco
is to get out of a difficult situation
of crying and of sorrow
to get into an expl*si*n of happiness
and a feeling born in the soul
and the heart
Flamenco is an expression of the soul
The guitar is the instrument of Spain
In the working-class neighborhood
where he grew up
Arcangel Ferbabdez has hand-crafted
guitars for 36 years
I had my first job at 11 as a
furniture maker
Later I became fond of playing the guitar
I started to play flamenco
Then I met a great maestro of guitar
making
one of the best in the world
Since I had found that the artistic
environment was not much to my liking
I found myself turning to guitar making
Only fine
imported woods are used to create
the body of the guitar
They are carefully heated and shaped
as the craftsman gradually brings the
instrument to life
To make a good handcrafted guitar you
need at least one month
The difference between handcrafted
and infactory guitars are many
starting with materials
The materials we use are quite expensive
You must have knowledge of the trade
and put live into your work
For me that is the secret for making
a good guitar
Nothing else
Signed and numbered by the craftsman
a finished instrument may cost from two
to ten thousand dollars
Through this artist's expression
the guitar gives voice to
the Spanish soul
During the decades of Franco's
dictatorship
the Catholic Church was able to
legally enforce its rigid doctrines
Even between engaged couples
premarital contact was forbidden
by the strictures of traditional
courtship
Among the middle and upper classes
a single woman
could not go out without a female
chaperone to watch over her
Today young woman go out alone
and party at bars until 4 a. m
Agatha Ruiz de la Prada is among the
contemporary Spanish women
who now define their own roles in society
Agatha lives in a quiet Madrid suburb
with her son
Tristan, and the boy's father
Her seemingly bourgeois home life
is not quite what it appears
My mother and father separate
when I have more or less 12
And my mother goes to live to Barcelona
So for me it was very nice
because I have two cities and two houses
and I have always the liberty of
choosing one or the other
I have never believed in marriage
Liberty is very important for me
and marriage is something that
I don't like
Ruiz de la Prada is a designer
and business woman
These dolls, whose costumes
she creates, sold over a million
in Spain alone last year
She also designs highly original clothing
When I was little
I wanted to be a painter
One thing that I have ever hate
is the big distance between a picture on
a wall and the way that people live
I think that you
when you like some picture
you must wear it. No?
And you must eat with it
and you must sleep with it
You must put it in your life
No?
Humorous and deliberately outrageous
her design has brought her international
recognition
The impulse behind them
in fact, springs from
a traditionally Spanish attitude
that of the rugged individualist
Barcelona
Spanish's largest seaport the nation's
second city
and industrial powerhouse
Barcelona is also the center of a rich
and highly original artistic tradition
This legacy is evident everywhere...
in a mosaic pavement created
by the great Joan Miro...
A design created by Picasso
in his self-imposed exile
during the Franco years...
and the undulating curves of a facade
by Antonio Gaudi
A genius who used the sinuous forms
of nature
as the vocabulary for his architecture
Gaudi was dubbed visionary-and madman
Son of a coppersmith
he was modest and self-effacing
refused by the one woman to whom he
proposed
he would dedicate his life exclusively
to architecture and God
He maintained
God continues creation through man
In 1884 he began work
in the Sagrada Familia the Expiatory
Temple of the Holy Family
It would be his masterpiece
But in 1926
returning from evening church services
to sleep in his workshop
Gaudi was struck by a streetcar
Three days later he d*ed
Thousands followed the funeral cortege
to his final resting place
the crypt of his unfurnished basilica
Today, Gaudi's vision continues
to take shape above him
From the beginning
construction has been funded
by public donations
Only some 50 artists and craftsmen
are employed
Architect Jordi Bonet
like his father a specialist
in the works of Gaudi
has been entrusted with completion
of the building
As much a sculptor as an architect
Gaudi preferred to make models
rather than work from drawings
Using them
Bonet is able to continue according
to Gaudi's concept
A model of the nave
the central part of the church
reveals columns whose design was
inspired by shapes found in nature
They will support the ceiling of the nave
filling the shell that has stood empty
for over a century
With all of these Gaudi original
elements
it is possible to continue it
and to build in his place the nave
But it is not so easy to continue it
but I hope to have or to honor in the
same spirit of Gaudi
And for them we are working with all our
forces to make the best
Gaudi said the nave of this temple
is a forest with the columns
as the trees
And then the light comes through
this forest of columns
little columns
big columns
It's a forest
Gaudi's dream was that this church
would be a beacon of the Christian faith
Every year hundreds of thousands
from throughout the world
visit his unfinished poem in stone
a structure one architectural historian
has called the greatest ecclesiastical
monument of the last one hundred years
Holy week. Across the nation
cities and villages ready for a ritual
of faith
that occurs in few places outside Spain
and nowhere with more passion that
in Seville
Manolo Acosta dresses in the garb of
an ancient religious brotherhood
For me, Holy Friday is one of the
fundamental things of my life...
so important that I am thinking about
that day the whole year
With his brotherhood he will accompany
sacred figures form their neighborhood
church to Seville's cathedral and back
Thousands gather in anticipation of
the moment
when a priceless, handcarved image of
the Virgin emerges from the cathedral
Platforms called pasos support lavish
figures of the sorrowing Virgin Mother
Christ, and scenes of his passion
From Palm Sunday until Easter
processions retrace the Stations
of the Cross
Proceeding blindly under the directions
of a guide
which may weigh up to two tons
Marching with their brotherhoods
thousands of penitents atone for sins
committed through the year
They wear masks and hoods
designed centuries ago to conceal the
sinners from all but God
As the people of Spain approach
the 21st century
they seek to define their new identity
strengthened by the timeless elements
of Spanish life
the ardor for spectacle and beauty
the rich history, proud land
and enduring traditions that are
the soul of Spain
National Geographic: The Soul of Spain (1991)
Moderator: Maskath3