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L'Onze de Setembre i Gironella

Població: Gironella (Berguedà)
Dates: 10-09-2008 / 11-09-2008
Època: Època Moderna
Pàgina web: http://www.lonzedesetembreigironella.com/

In 2001 the town of Gironella first celebrated a festive event to commit to memory the defeat of Catalonia in the Spanish Succession War (1705-1714) and the fall of Barcelona in 1714.

 

The festival, considered "of touristic interest" by the Catalan Government, re-enacts vicissitudes encountered by numerous volunteers from Gironella who travelled to Barcelona to defend the capital from enemy troops. The story revolves around a family from Gironella, headed by grandfather Jordi, who struggle to defend their homeland.

 

An impressive opening starts off the performance: the town is burned down, some Catalans are shot at, a manifest "in off" is read and volunteers, lead by grandfather Jordi, head towards Barcelona. The family's grandmother explains to enthusiast and innocent granddaughter Eulàlia the possible consequences this war may cause, remembering her experience in the former Guerra dels Segadors (Peasants War).

 

Eulàlia finds out the way their great grandparents met during the Peasants War and about Pau Claris agony and death. These findings encourage her to flee to Barcelona to find her grandfather, who works as gravedigger in the Moreres Cemetery. She remains there to help him and by talking to fighting volunteers she realises the unfavourable moment Barcelona is undergoing. In one of the main scenes, visitors to the performance watch the moment Casanova falls and a French captain arrives bringing his dead body to be buried.  Here, it becomes evident that patriotism prevails over feelings. The show ends with the return of the defeated volunteers to Gironella, in highly symbolic and emotional final scenes.