The Sad and Little-Known History of the Olympic Stadium
Exhibition at Montjuïc Castle organized by the FC Barcelona Foundation with the support of UNHCR about 1936-1937 spanish refugees.
War always produces heartbreaking images. We see them now in Gaza, in Ukraine — and in 1936, you would have seen them right here in Barcelona. Specifically, at the Olympic Stadium, which, during the early days of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1937), became a shelter for refugees. The itinerant exhibition “Barça ‘More than a Club’, Montjuïc: ‘A Refuge Stadium’”, explains it at Montjuïc Castle organized by the FC Barcelona Foundation in collaboration with UNHCR.
The show consists of panels installed along one side of the Pati d'Armes. Previously exhibited in several Catalan towns, the exhibition recalls a time when refugees fleeing war arrived from across Spain and took shelter and created a temporary home at Estadi Olímpic, not meant for such a purpose.
On the grass field and stadium stands, makeshift structures were set up to serve basic needs: schools, exercise spaces, kitchens, laundry areas, infirmaries, and more. Over 20,000 people passed through the stadium during this period.
Polish-born photographer Margaret Michaelis captured images of daily life among those displaced by the conflict. Some of her photos are featured in the exhibition and bear striking resemblance to today’s war images we see in the media.
You might feel a chill down your spine when you see today’s images. This is the goal of Fundació Futbol Club Barcelona and UNCHR: call attention to today’s refugee’s drama. It also touches on FC Barcelona’s own history of exile and displacement, drawing a clear line between past and present in the ongoing struggle of refugees around the world like Lviv Arena in Ukraine which is now being repurposed for humanitarian aid. History repeats itself.
If you want to see the exhibition "Barça 'Més que un Club', Montjuïc, 'un estadi refugi', come to Castell de Montjuic but first check the website for further information.