On the other side of the border. Terrorism and francoist repression from a French perspective

Abstract

The wave of antifrancoist solidarity that swept through Western Europe following the executions of September 1975 is well-known. At that time, the issue of terrorism, which had already emerged during the Franco regime in Spain and would reach its worst levels in following the years, also began to pose serious problems in neighboring countries. France, one of the epicenters of protests against the dictatorship, would not remain untouched by the wave of terrorism that struck the continent during the 1970s and 1980s. The aim of this article is to examine the impact of ETA in France, focusing on the country’s role as a «sanctuary» for its members, as well as the French reaction to Francoist repression, particularly the executions of September 1975. Bilateral diplomatic maneuvers and the evolution of French public opinion on these issues will thus form the core of our analysis, conducted through primary documentary and press sources.