1. Catalan Government to return 100,000 documents from
the “Salamanca Papers” to their legitimate owners amid
tension
Approximately 100,000 documents from the so-called Salamanca Papers are scheduled to be
returned to their owners next month. Of the more than one million documents returned to
Barcelona, the Ministry of Culture says that it has acquired about 95% and are soon to be re-
turned as well. Despite this, dissident voices continue rally for the the documents to stay in
Salamanca citing that the Catalan Government should return those documents that are not
related to Catalonia.
ACN Barcelona / Rambo Talabong
Approximately 100,000 documents from the Salamanca Papers are scheduled to be redistributed to
their owners in June. Of the more than one million documents returned to Barcelona, the Ministry
of Culture said that they have acquired about 95% and are soon to be returned as well.
The Salamanca Papers are documents consisting of letters, books, maps and other official and per-
sonal documents that were confiscated from the Catalan government and brought to Salamanca af-
ter the Spanish Civil War. The papers hold information about Francisco Franco’s political repres-
sion, which killed thousands of people throughout Spain over many years after the Civil War had
ended.
Catalan institutions and personalities have been asking for the return of these documents since
Franco’s death in 1975. In 1995, the Spanish Government decided for the first time that some of the
‘Salamanca Papers’ could be returned to their legitimate owners, but not all of them.
Papers to stay
The return of papers to Catalonia has caused tension with Salamanca. The Save the Salamanca Pa-
pers Association has been fighting for the return of papers that are not related to Catalonia. They
have acknowledged the return of 428 documents between mid February and mid-April but continue
to claim more than 400,000 documents.
The Association claims that the Catalan government continues to make excuses in prolonging the
return of the papers saying that they are "looking for owners who do not exist.” In addition to this,
the Association reiterated that when the Catalan Government finds papers that do not belong in Cat-
alonia, they are merely queued to be returned to Salamanca.
In response, the Catalan government pointed out that the process of returning documents cannot be
rushed and assured that having a joint committee made up of the Catalan government and the cen-
tral government keeps the distribution organized.
Save the Salamanca Papers Association President Policarpo Sánchez begs to differ. Sánchez said at
a recent press conference in Madrid that the Government of Catalonia “is bound by law” to return
part of the Salamanca Papers. He urged the government to provide an explanation for the delay.
Sanchez described the return of archives as a “victory from media pressure" and added that the gov-
ernment will continue to ask Catalonia President Carles Puigdemont to return the documents
“stolen" from hundreds of families allegedly without links to Catalonia.

2. Policarpo Sánchez cited that the Government should also follow the Supreme Court of
Catalonia(TJSC) ruling. He said that a 2013 Constitutional Court ruling forcing the Catalan Gov-
ernment to search within the Salamanca Papers collection and, in the case of not being able to find
progress relating to Catalonia, the judgment dictates that these documents should be returned to the
Archives of Salamanca. In this regard, Sanchez asked the TJSC to order the return of 400,000 pa-
pers and documents.
Talks to follow
Despite this, Sánchez is open for talks with the Catalan Government. Sánchez explained that on 9th
of June, the Association will hold a meeting with the National Archive of Catalonia Director Josep
Maria Sans Trave in order to reach an agreement and subsequently propose a law.