Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives alba educational Modules 03 tsdp Page 9
Interactive guides to Exhibit
The Spanish Civil War lasted for almost three years. As in most wars, it involved different sides fighting
against each other using military force. In response to all of the fighting and damage that took place
during the Spanish Civil War, the Spanish government did a good thing. It created children's colonies, or
group homes (colonias infantiles), in safer areas of the country. More than 200,000 children were moved
away from areas of heavy fighting, and many of them lived in these colonies until the war was over.
Many children were sent to the colonies by their parents to keep them safe. Others were brought to the
colonies because they were orphans due to the war. At the colonies, there were adults who took care of
the children. To help the children express their feelings and heal emotionally from their war experiences,
the adults gave them art materials and invited them to draw pictures. They drew their memories of life
before the war, their experiences of war and displacement (being moved from their homes), their
impressions of what life was like in the colonies, and their visions of peace.
The discovery sheets on these pages may be downloaded and reproduced as class sets for interactive
viewing on site at the exhibition and for follow-up.
