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Armistice Day in Spain: Do the Spanish wear poppies and celebrate Remembrance Day?
Many British expats in Spain observe Remembrance Day, but don’t be surprised if you get some funny looks from Spaniards for wearing a poppy
November 11 is Remembrance Day or Armistice Day for countries like the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. But which other countries have a Remembrance Day? Is Remembrance Sunday observed in Spain?
Why do we celebrate Remembrance Day?
Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day or Poppy Day, is commemorated every year on November 11 in memory of the armistice between the Allied forces and Germany during World War I in 1918.
Peace was declared on “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month”, which is why on November 11 at 11am every year, we hold one minute’s silence to respect and remember those who died in the First World War, and all wars. The Sunday following November 11 is known as Remembrance Sunday.
The Royal British Legion (RBL) sells poppies made from paper and plastic (which are manufactured by disabled former British military personnel), which people wear around this date as a mark of respect. The red poppies, which give Armistice Day its nickname of Poppy Day, are a reference to the red blood spilled by fallen soldiers and to the poem “In Flanders Fields” where the poppies blow.
Does Spain have a Remembrance Day?
No, the Spanish do not observe Remembrance Day on November 11 and do not wear poppies in November because it is mainly a British Commonwealth tradition. During World War I, Spain was neutral and in World War II, while Spain’s fascist dictator was firmly on the side of the Nazis, the country was too poor and wrecked by its own Civil War just a few years before to be able to fight.
The Spanish are still trying to come to terms with the consequences of their Civil War from 1936-1939, and the ensuing four decades of repressive fascist rule under General Francisco Franco in which thousands of people were murdered. A recently passed ‘Law of Historical-Democratic Memory’ aims to finally stamp out glorification of dictatorship-era military leaders.
As of 2022, the date October 31 has been set aside as the Día de Recuerdo y Homenaje (Day of Remembrance and Homage) to remember the victims of Spain’s Civil War and dictatorship.
Remembrance Day events in Spain
On the UK and Commonwealth side, the Royal British Legion hosts events and raises money for the Poppy Appeal in Spain every year. They sell poppies and hold remembrance events like wreath-laying and ceremonial observation of one minute’s silence (sometimes at 12pm instead of 11am due to the one-hour time difference with the UK), especially in areas with large expat communities like Torrevieja, Benidorm, the Costa del Sol and the Region of Murcia.
All the money raised by the RBL in Spain goes towards beneficiaries within the country. At the end of each year, any leftover charity money from the Poppy Appeal goes into the RBL’s Welfare Fund, returning to the UK where it earns much higher interest, a general policy observed by all Overseas Branches of the RBL around the world. The majority of ex-servicemen and -women who are beneficiaries of Royal British Legion fund in Spain are elderly, but there are also some younger claimants.
This November 11, take a moment to think of those who have died in wars and those who survived and need help.
We will remember them.
Image: Archive
Tel: 0800 307 7773 (from the UK) or +44 (0) 207 191 1091 (from overseas)
Membership of the local Branch of the Royal British Legion, whose aim is to contribute in providing support for those who have served and their families, is open to all
The Royal British Legion is the UK's leading Armed Forces charity and one of its largest membership organisations. Members get together through the network of branches and clubs all over the country and overseas to participate in social, fundraising and welfare activities. The Murcia Branch celebrated its 5th anniversary on April 7, 2022, and look forward to many more celebrations in the coming years.
The Murcia Branch meets every 3 months, alternating venues between the northern part of the Murcia Region and the coastal area. Typically, venues such as Camposol, Condado de Alhama and soon to be others are used for meetings near the coast and Bar Laverdero in Cehegin in the north.
The Branch also organises commemorative assemblies for the anniversaries of the end of armed conflicts such as Armistice Day and the end of the Falkland Islands conflict, these usually take place in the Garden of Remembrance situated in Camposol's Memorial Park on Sector A, on Tuesday September 20 2022 the Branch also organised a well-attended memorial after the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who was the Patron of the Royal British Legion Charity.
A high profile activity carried out by members of the Murcia Branch is manning the poppy tables in various locations around the region in the weeks before Remembrance Day. The iconic Royal British Legion red poppy is a symbol of both Remembrance and hope for a peaceful future. Poppies are worn as a show of support for the Armed Forces community. The poppy is a well-known and established symbol, one that carries a wealth of history and meaning with it.
Membership is fully inclusive and open to everyone, regardless of a service background or not. If you have an interest in the objectives of the Legion and want to contribute in providing support for those who have served and their families, why not come and join us.
Legion membership ensures that:
- Remembrance is kept alive and that the sacrifices our brave Service men and women have made are never forgotten.
- The ex-Service community have a voice and that their concerns are brought to the public eye.
Becoming a member also provides the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of activities and events held locally, regionally and nationally throughout the year.
The Murcia committee members bring a variety of skills and backgrounds to the team here, hopefully making membership rewarding and fun. We aim to deliver fundraising activities that offer social and interesting opportunities to meet up and support the charity while providing support to the service community and their families here in Spain.
Not commonly known is that all money raised in Spain remains in Spain.
If you would like to join the Murcia branch or if you are already a member and would like to add the Murcia branch to your membership, please use the link below:
If you have any problems with the online process, please phone the UK membership team on:
0800 307 7773 (from the UK) or +44 (0) 207 191 1091 (from overseas)
About The Royal British Legion
We provide financial, social and emotional care and support to all members of the British Armed Forces – past and present and their families. The Legion is also the national Custodian of Remembrance and safeguards the Military Covenant between the nation and its Armed Forces and is best known for the annual Poppy Appeal and its emblem the red poppy.
Founded in 1921, the Legion is not just about those who fought in the World Wars of the last century, but also about those involved in the many conflicts since 1945 and those still fighting for the freedom we enjoy today.
The Murcia Branch was first established in 2017 and celebrated their 5th Anniversary in 2022.
Visit www.britishlegion.org.uk for details of our national initiatives.
If you wish to contact them RBL Murcia Branch, please email murcia.secretary@rbl.community
