Hsitorical Music

domingo, 5 de junio de 2016

Entrevista sobre la Guerra Civil

ENTREVISTA: “VIVÍ LA GUERRA”:
Hoy, a día 5 de junio del 2016, me dispongo a entrevistar a mi abuela materna, Ángeles Aguado Jiménez, que vivió el comienzo de la guerra en 1936 a los 11 años de edad, en el pueblo Íllora, de la provincia de Granada.
ENTREVISTADOR: E
ENTREVISTASDA: E

E ¿Qué edad tenía cuando comenzó la guerra?
    E 11 años recién cumplidos.
E ¿Qué bando se asentó en Íllora?
    E Los sublevados se asentaron, y todo el pueblo tuvo que aceptarlo.

E ¿Y cómo se sintió el comienzo de la guerra en el pueblo?
    E Aquí no hubo un comienzo tan directo. No se decía que llegaban los “rojos”, o que había empezado nada. Pero se fusilaba a las personas con ideas contrarias. Se las llevaban a la cárcel, y un camión las recogía, se las llevaba y las fusilaba. Fueron muchísimas personas.
E ¿Es decir el régimen nacionalista tomaba a las personas de ideología republicana y se las llevaba?
    E Sí. Los de “derechas” se llevaban a todos los hombres socialistas y de “izquierdas” sin tener delito ninguno. Hombres de familia, personas trabajadoras. Y a la mañana siguiente los fusilaban.
E ¿Fusilaron a alguien que conocieras más cercanamente o que recuerdes con claridad?
    E Sí, al padre de una amiga mía. Una mañana me dijo que si quería ir con ella, que habían detenido a su padre e iba a llevarle el café a la cárcel. Y al llegar nos dijeron que su padre había subido a declarar al cuartel, que ya no estaba allí. Y una vez llegamos nos dijeron que ya se había ido y había regresado. Realmente, había sido fusilado, y tirado a un foso con otros para ser enterrados.
E ¿ Y los niños y niñas cómo vivíais el efecto de la guerra?
    E Éramos tan jóvenes que no entendíamos por que ocurrían todas esas cosas. Teníamos 11, 12, 13 y 14 años. Solo sabíamos que nos prohibían en muchas ocasiones estar en casas de otros y otras, debido a las distintas familias y sus ideologías. Pero nosotros no lo comprendíamos al principio.
E ¿ Y hubo bombardeos en Íllora?
    E Sí. Dos veces bombardearon. La primera soltaron las bombas cerca del pueblo, cerca de la plaza. Pero la segunda las tiraron por las  afueras, cerca de los Molinos.
E ¿Y eso a que se debía?
    E A que el piloto republicano era de Íllora. El piloto enviado a bombardear tenía a su madre y hermana en la Calle Real. Y para no hacer daño, o las tiraba antes de llegar al pueblo, o las tiraba después.
E ¿Y el piloto si tenía aquí su familia por qué estaba en el otro bando y la otra zona?
    E Porque era militar, y tuvo la oportunidad de unirse a los “Rojos”. Una vez se asentaba un bando, o lo defendías o eras fusilado. Así que nuestra familia y tantas otras más no tuvieron más remedio que luchar con los Nacionalistas. Solo unos pocos escapaban y se unían al frente republicano.
E ¿Y sentíais terror en los bombardeos?
    E Terror es poco. Era un auténtico horror. Teníamos que escondernos todos en el sótano de un vecino, que nos daba cobijo, y allí esperar a que acabara todo.
E ¿Había alarmas que avisaban de cuando se bombardeaba?
    E No había, solo llegaban y uno debía estar preparado.
E Volviendo a la situación de los niños. Las diferencias entre familias que antes has mencionado, ¿cómo os afectaban a vosotros?
    E Pues en el colegio, un grupo de niñas, cuyos padres habían luchado por el bando republicano, incluyendo al alcalde de Íllora, que había sido socialista, nos pegaban a las niñas que teníamos padres que luchaban por el bando nacionalista. Al salir del colegio, nos separaban y nos apedreaban, haciendo honor según ellas a la República. Al ser la mayoría de las familias partidarias de los sublevados, o verse obligadas a luchar con ellos, las pocas familias de izquierdas que eran localizadas tenían un gran recelo a las otras. Y los pagaban tanto adultos como niños.
E ¿Y tu familia que postura tuvo ante la guerra?
    E Mi padre decidió no involucrarse, porque era un hombre mayor, y nosotros éramos 6 hermanos y hermanas, y mi madre, y no quería dejarnos solas. Intentamos irnos del pueblo en 2 ocasiones, pero no pudimos. Una vez tuvimos que refugiarnos en una casa de Pinos, porque los “Rojos” llegaron a parte del pueblo, y comenzaron a quemar casas y sacar familias. Allí permanecimos unas semanas. 3 de mis hermanos fueron todos a la guerra con 15, 16 y 17 años. Por suerte todos sobrevivieron.
E ¿ Esto te afectó?
    E Muchísimo, ya que tuvimos que dejarlo todo, y todas nuestras pertenencias al irnos. Al volver apenas quedaba nada en la casa. Y durante el período de marcha de mis hermanos, mi hermana María, mi hermano y yo estábamos solos y preocupados, al igual que mis padres. Cada vez que venía el cartero nos temíamos lo peor.
E ¿ Y los últimos años de la guerra?
    E Fueron los peores, ya que apenas teníamos alimentos, y todo escaseaba. El pueblo había quedado dividido, y los niños jugaban a ser “Flechas Azules” o “Rojos”, y se peleaban entre ellos. Finalmente, todas las familias socialistas del pueblo se fueron ante amenaza de muerte, y no volvieron hasta después de la Dictadura.
E ¿Y qué ocurrió tras su llegada?
    E Odio. Odio entre familias que se mantuvo durante años. Tanto en la Posguerra como en el final de la Dictadura. Un odio enorme que aún se mantiene entre algunas familias, y que hizo que conviviéramos con recelo.
E ¿ Y después de la guerra?
    E Por suerte , mi familia no fue la que más sufrió, y las cosas se normalizaron en unos años. Pero mis padres aún lloraban algunas veces cuando estaban solos, y sufrían en silencio. Ellos lo pasaron peor que nadie. Porque la guerra destruyó sus vidas, y los apartó de sus amigos, hijos y empleos. Ellos si sufrieron más que yo o mi hermana. Mis hermanos por su parte sufrieron los horrores de la guerra, los cuales les marcaron hasta su fallecimiento. Nunca olvidaron todo lo que tuvieron que hacer y vivir.




POR JUAN JOSÉ DELMÁS MACÍAS, 4ºESO A.

miércoles, 13 de abril de 2016

Ghandi


B1. Why did Gandhi go to live to South Africa?
Because he had a contract of a year working for an Indian company, in Natal, South Africa.
B2. What did he think of the treatment of Indian people there? What did he do as a result of his experiences?
He thought that the treatment they received was unfair and racist, and specially due to a personal situation where he was taken out of a train for being Indian, he started to question the situation of the Indian people in the world, and also his position and what he could do. So he spent years defending the people there, and there rights.
B3. According to Gandhi, what is the most effective form of protest?
He believed it was through pacifism and talking, and never using violence. That way, there couldn't be regrets to their protests, and their will would be stronger than ever.
B4. What does Mahatma mean?
It means "Spiritual Leader" and "Great Soul".
B5. Why did Gandhi think that Indians shouldn't fight for Britain in WWII?
Because he believed that it was not logical and against his ideals to fight for the freedom and rights of the British and Europeans ,when those didn't give them any rights or recognition. Until Britain didn't accept their rights, they wouldn't fight for Britain's rights.
B6. Why was Gandhi assassinated ?
He was murdered by Birla Bhavan, an Hindu practicant, though radical, that supported a party that blamed Gandhi to be responsible for the "weakness" of their new goverment, where he insisted that India had to pay Pakistan the money they had promised.
B7. Gandhi once said that "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind". What do you think that he meant with that? How did it influence his method of protest?
He meant that if for every attack, fight or violence sign, there was another answer based on the same, the world would end up with everyone fighting each other, and with everyone damaged. He implied that we could make the difference by using peace and not violence as a answer and response method, to show how we can be better. This was his main ideal while protesting, never damage or act violently. Always show how you are better by using peace and words, not fists and anger.
B8. Why did Gandhi go on the Salt March?
Because after many demonstrations against the British treatment, some Indians considered starting a war against the British, and Gandhi said that they should follow their peace path, and disobey the English laws that banned personal salt production by using their citizens rights to produce salt from the coast of the Indic Ocean.
B9. How did The Salt March inspire other Indians?
It showed them how they could protest and struggle without using violence, and it also showed the power that people could reach if they fought together, for the same cause. A lot of disciples followed Gandhi and his ideals.
B10. What was Satyagraha?
It was a term invented by Gandhi, and that was a reference to the power and effect of the truth.
B11. What happened at the Dharasana Salt Works? How did this affect international opinions about British rule in India?
The British violently attacked and assaulted thousands of Indians and protestors, and this made people see how Britain was behaving, and how Gandhi was right. This event pushed people to believe in Gandhi's words and ideals.
B12. What happened to Gandhi as a result of the Salt March?
He was sent to prison for 9 months, though his ideals and actions had a huge impact, and he even became a martyr for people, who all started to follow him and trust his words and power.


Nuremberg Trials

A1: When and why were they held?
They were held in the German city of Nuremberg, from the 20th November 1945, to the 1st October 1946. Their main objective was to make all the Nazi criminals pay for their crimes during the WWII, from 1939 to 1945.
A2: Where did the judges come from?
They came from different countries, mainly the USA, Great Britain, The Soviet Union and France.
A3: What crimes were the defendants tried for?
They were tried for crimes against Peace, violation of laws and war making, and crimes against humanity, mainly, the extinction.
A4: Why were many of the most senior Nazis never tried?
Because while many of them escaped and flew away, others hid with different identities, so that they couldn't be recognized.
A5: What happened to Simon Wiesenthal during WWII?
He want sent to a Nazi camp during WWII, due to his Jew condition, though he stored the identity of many of the Nazi soldiers that were there, and we he got out, he looked for them.
A6: What did he do after the war?
He searched all the Nazis that he had known during his time in the camp, and killed them, becoming one of the main Jew Nazi Hunter.



The Berlin Wall

Built in 1961, the Berlin Wall was used by the soviet side of  Berlin , the German Democratic Republic (GDR), to avoid capitalism to reach all the city, including the Eastern Part. It was used to ban any kind of change from one side to the other, mainly because the Western Part, the German Federal Republic (GFR) had a higher and much more balanced state of living, and many people wanted to move there. Due to this, the Stasi was founded, also known as the secret police of East Germany. The Stasi looked for "betrayers" of the Communism, who wanted to move to the Western Part, and they guarded almost every building that held people that could be suspicious. Trust died with this, and people betrayed each other by telling the Stasi who was leaving or trying to escape.




domingo, 10 de abril de 2016

Ich Bein Ein Berliner

The 26th June 1963, in Western Berlin, the president John Fitzgerald Kennedy pronounced his famous quote in front of thousands of citizens from Germany, 'I am a Berliner'. The reason for his appearance and speech was the 15th anniversary of the Berlin Blockade exacted by the Soviet Union, and that had led into the construction of the Berlin Wall. Kennedy spoke to give hope to all those men and women. In his speech, he did not only said how if anyone had doubts about the communist system , they could come and see Berlin, and the consequences of that system, but also talked about men's freedom, and how until everyone was free, all of us would be Berliners, giving our support to all those Berliners that were suffering the consequences of the Wall. By doing this, J.F. Kennedy gave hope to the citizens that needed it, and he promised that all the world wouldn't have freedom until they received it. In simple words, he gave the people the solidarity they desperately needed due to their situation. In my opinion, it was a really brave and heart touching speech, that encouraged those citizens to never give up and resist, because they were not alone, they had all the support they could ever require. Because at the end, we were all like them. We were all Berliners.


domingo, 3 de abril de 2016

Schindler's List: The Harsh Reality


Considered to be one of the greatest movie adaptations of all time, not only because of its truthfulness, but its splendor, Schindler's List is the masterpiece feature film that tells us the history of Oskar Schindler, the German entrepreneur, born in Austria Hungary that saved the life of 1200 known Jews during the 2nd World War, when concealing them in his factory as workers, and making them stay alive. The movie experiences not only his history and redemption path, from being a selfish and narcissistic man into becoming a kind and courteous person; but also how harsh was that moment for the Jewish Community, and how they suffered so many things. The story, directed and written by the well known director Steven Spielberg and the screenwriter Steven Zaillian , owns an outstanding cast, formed by Liam Neeson in the role of Oskar Schindler, Ralph Fiennes performing the Nazi Officer, Amon Goeth, and Sir Ben Kingsley in the role of Itzhak Stern, the Jew accountant that helped Mr. Schindler. The only way to describe the main sensation gained with the display of the movie is heart breaking. It makes you feel how horrific it was, and it makes you cry, though in a special way, not as a regular movie. Because you know that everything that you are watching happened, and there is no way back for that. Millions of innocents passed away, and that won't change. The story ends itself as a tribute to all this people, the fallen that shouldn't have fallen. It is remarkable the Black and White Color Style used in all the scenes, that plays with perspectives and shadows, making us feel very differently depending on how the light effect is applied. All with the exception of the Girl with the Red Coat, that in my opinion represents how innocent children are, doesn't matter with race do they belong to, or in which situation they are in. Schindler understands this, and he sees how cruel and inhumane is what he is witnessing. None country wins anything, or any race. The War takes it all. In short, it is the greatest film that features the effects of the Holocaust, and shows how even when there was hope for many, many others didn't have that chance. So is it a sad or hopeful movie? None of them. It is a real one. The tints do not only exist in the pictures, but in history, and in our world. That is what Schindler's List is. Reality. The harsh reality.


domingo, 21 de febrero de 2016

The Changing Role of Women in the 1920s

1.Why did the role of (some) women change in the twenties?
Because since World War I, women had got used to work as men, and in the 1920s they felt that they were not just house workers for longer.

2. Analyze the following advertisement:
A-It's an advertisement that encourages women and girls to struggle to work and live as guys, telling them that they should act independently, and work and earn as much money as them, in this case, as graphic designers.

B- I quite agree with it. I think that it is a positive message for that times, though in muy opinion it should be beyond that. It's not that "even" they can earn as much as men, is should be that they must earn the same for the same jobs. So I think it's good, though it could be much better nowadays for example.

C-I do, as well as I think that not only women should support women, or men support men, but everyone should support everyone else, leaving the genre apart.

3. Are you ready to walk in someone else's shoes? Imagine what it was like to be a flapper in the Roaring Twenties. Choose a name, age, civil status, city, economic class, job... and describe your daily routine on a Friday:
My name is Audrey, and I'm 29 years old. I'm not married, though I'm dating the gorgeous Jack Wilder, the director of the main advertisement company in Los Angeles. Lucky me! Today is my favorite day of the week, because after work I always meet Lilly and Emmanuelle to go shopping. I work as a secretary in a publicity magazine, it's incredible how many people I meet everyday! After our visit to the shops, I'll go to have a little meal with Jack, though not too long, he is really busy today. At about 9 pm, I will go to "La Rose", which is the trending bar at Los Angeles. I will go with 6 of my friends, Lilly, Victoria, Sarah, Coco, Louise and Clara, and we will have real fun! Today is Double M's Night, Martini and Marlboro. My day couldn't be better!


The Hoovervilles

1.What were they?
They were settlements of people that had lost their homes due to the Great Depression, that were built by them in isolated and empty lands, and they constructed tents and shanties. The authorities usually didn't interact with them due to the needs of the population.

2.Who were they named after? Why?
They were named after Herbert Hoover, who was the president of the USA at those times. People named Hoovervilles after him because he was blamed to have left the country fall in the Great Depression and for the share exchange problems.

3.In "The Grapes of Wrath", the Joad family stayed in a Hooverville. Who wrote the novel?
It was written by the american novelist John Steinbeck, author of one of my favourite novels of all time, "Of Mice and Men".


The Story of Al Capone

Alphonse Gabriel Capone was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1889. Son of italian parents, Al had a rough childhood, due to the the poorness that his family suffered. When he was just 14, he left school, and started working in different little businesses, until he met the gangster Johnny Torrio, who became his mentor. He got the nickname "Scarface" after a bar fight ended up with a razor cutting trough his face and neck. After gaining fame and power, he moved to Chicago, where he became the main gangster since 1924, taking after alcohol, gambling and prostitution activities. Due to the Prohibition, he became one of the main public enemies in the state. The 14th February 1929 he murdered all along with his henchmen the other 5 main gangs leaders, in what was called "The Bloody Valentine's Day". After years, an agent from The United States Department of Treasury, Elliot Ness, decided to stand against corruption and fight for law. He got enough evidences to make Capone go to jail, specially from gambling and tax evasion. He was first sent to the Atlanta Prison, and then to the Alcatraz Island in 1934, when his empire fell down.


sábado, 2 de enero de 2016

Marie Antoinette, the Analysis:

1. Plot:     

The movie tells the story of the young Marie Antoinette, the heir of Austria, that is engaged with the future king of France, the young Louis XVI. We will see how she has to get used to her new life, as well as how her marriage doesn't get consummated, all as the fault of the dauphin, that doesn't show any interest about her. A lot of time will pass, and even a romance with the Count Hans Axel von Fersen, until she gets the interest she wants. Unfortunately, the Revolution is about to come, to change the history of France, and her life, forever.

2. Why did she get married?;

Marie Antoinette had an arranged marriage with Louis XVI to insurance the political and demographic relation between Austria and France, that had been enemies for a long time. This union was ment to renew that relation, and make a better future for both of them.

3. Settings and their meanings:

The story mainly takes place in Paris, in different forests and backgrounds, but more specifically, mainly in the Palace of the King. All the settings tend to be huge, full of space and luxury, and usually overloaded. They make her look small, like an ant in an enormous ocean, at least from my point of view. She also starts to get accostumed to all those luxuries, and she becomes kind of posh, and addicted to overcosts. She spends a lot of money to maintain all those luxuries, and even to increase them.

4. The Marriage:

The marriage was a perfect example of a engaged marriage at first, where there was almost no interest or attraction between the couple, specially coming from the king, that almost ignored her desires to consummate it, and she felt that it was her fault. By the end of the movie, they both start to like each other more, and to accept themselves as a couple, consummating the marriage several times .

5. Louis XV and his family:

It was a rich and powerful family, obsessed with luxuries and traditions. They even made Marie disconnect herself from any possible link to her life as the archduchess of Austria. They were all used to their lives as important and luxurious people, and they all enjoyed that. The king even had the company of a official mistress, and he moved with her with no shame or guilt about that, fact that surprises Marie Antoinette.

6. Why it was important to have a heir?

The importance of having a heir was vital, because if not, there was no insurance between Marie and Louis, and also the terms of the relation between France and Austria could easily change. It was fundamental to have a baby.

7. Habits, relations, lifestyles:

The lifestyle was, as I have already said, luxurious and extravagant. People tended to spend a lot of money, and to waste a lot of food, clothing and money itself too. There were usually cold and false relationships between the families, full with gossip and false respect. There were many protocols, some of them really ridiculous established, and the were sacred. In my opinion, it was an extremely extravagant and stupid lifestyle, and in part, those examples led to a revolution of the people against the loyalty.

8.The Mistress:

She was a young woman compared to him, and her job was to satisfie the king in a sexual way. Due to this, the king gave her a title, as well as many luxuries and power, just like if she was from the nobility too. She really influenced him, because he wanted her to remain happy and motivated. Due to this, almost everyone disliked her, specially the other women, including Marie Antoinette, that thought that she was a “high class whore”, and that didn't deserve the power and rights she had.

9.Daily Routine:

The days and routines were always the same for Marie. She woke up in a ridiculous protocol, that involved everyone staring at her, and many reverences. She spent the day doing the same and exact things, which were bassicly trying on clothes and hairstyles, playing with her dogs, spending time with her friends, eating and drinking tea... In my opinion that lifestyle was kind of dull and boring, but she got accostumed to it, more or less, of course.

10. Food, clothing, alcohol:

The food, the clothes and the alcohol have an important role. They are the main entertainment of the nobility, and they are always extravagant and a complete waste of money. They eat, drink a buy a lot, while the rest of the people in the country suffers from hunger and die.

11. Entertainment:

The main ways of entertainment for the wealthy families were specially hunting, doing picnics outside, buying clothes, going to parties, drinking and eating a lot, and playing different games and gambling.

12. Mary Teresa:

Mary Teresa the 1st was the mother of Marie Antoinette, and her main worry was that her daughter was giving signals of sexual interest or pregnancy. Instead of listening to the truth, she blamed Marie for not being attractive, and not awaking the sexual interest of the king. She made her feel guilty and blamed for something that wasn't her fault.

13. France's opinion:

They thought she was a posh woman, that only wanted wealthiness and power, and that thought that she was better that the king, and the french people in general. They also knew that she spent a lot of money, and that she didn't gave birth to a heir, so they blamed her for being doing that on purpose, to dare the king.

14. A good queen?

In my opinion, Marie Antoinette was not a good king. She didn't show interest in any of the problems of the country, at least, according to what is shown in the movie. She only cared about her clothes, her hobbies, and her desires. I think that the nobility deserved to be distroned, and expelled, but I would NEVER think that anyone could deserve the ending she had. At the end of the movie she tries to escape to Varennes, and the movie ends there. The real story tells that they were caught in Varennes, brought back, and murdered and decapitated. I think no one would ever deserve that ending, it doesn't matter which person are we talking about.

15. Reasons of the Revolution:

From the film one can easily see that the main reason that impulsed the people doing what they did was the general poorness and how the nobility wasted and throwed money away, while the people were starving and sick. The people decided to stop the situation, and get rid of the nobility. I don't think they did it in a correct way when killing almost every noble, though i have to admit, it would be difficult to blame their ideals.