The Republican Evacuation to Oran in 1939
On 25 September 2026, the Octubre Centre de Cultura Contemporània (OCCC) will host the presentation of the book «Rumb a Orà (març de 1939)», by Professor of Contemporary History José Miguel Santacreu Soler. The work examines one of the least-known episodes of the Republican exile: the evacuation of 10,993 people from the Republican zone to French North Africa in March 1939, during the final days of the Spanish Civil War.
Santacreu details the ships and aircraft used, the ports of departure and arrival, and the role of the Federación Socialista Provincial de Alicante in organising the operation. The book also challenges traditional interpretations of this episode, such as the supposed improvisation of the exodus or the hostile reception of refugees, offering a perspective based on documents and testimonies.
A Historical and Human Analysis
The work not only addresses the logistical aspects of the evacuation but also its human impact. Santacreu examines the French government’s plans to receive refugees in Bizerta (Tunisia) and the conditions in which they were accommodated. It also revisits the role of the steamship Stanbrook and its captain, a figure that has been mythologised in later accounts.
The event will take place at 19:00 in Room 1 of the OCCC. For more details about the venue, check the OCCC fact sheet.
