The Bombing of Gernika

Key facts

March 1937. The Northern Campaign begins

On 31st March Durango is bombed and a series of massive aerial bombardments of frontline positions and other towns such as Elorrio and Otxandio begin. The authorities ordered the construction of shelters.

26 April 1937 At 16:20, the first bombs begin to fall on Gernika.

Alarms are sounded and the population rushes to shelters. Shortly afterwards, Condor Legion bombers drop their bombs along the town centre and on the water reservoir. The fighters manage to keep the population inside the town centre by strafing the town until a massive bombing raid is launched in several successive waves.

26 April 1937 At 19:40, the bombing ends.

During more than three hours of inferno, between 31 and 41 tonnes of explosives, mostly incendiary bombs, were dropped, causing the city centre to be completely razed to the ground. The arson could not be extinguished for several days. The result: 85.22% of the buildings destroyed and 99% of the town affected. The Government of Euzkadi recorded 1,654 fatalities.