Saturrarán: sólo quedan los tamarindos

Abstract

An order published on 29 December 1937 stipulated that the buildings of the Saturrarán Seminar were transformed into a Central Prison for Women. The jail started to operate the first days of January 1938, and was closed on the spring of 1944. The image about the exact number of prisoners is still blur. But considering the 1940 census, between women and children there could have been around 3000 people in jail, of which 177 died. During the summer of 1940, 36 children and 4 women died from a typhus epidemic. As for the children who lived with their mothers at Saturrarán, it has been possible to realize a small census of 109 that were registered at the municipality of Motrico and at the parish of Nuestra Sra. de la Asunción. Besides, the people from Motrico and Ondarroa that visited the prisoners at Saturrarán have provided some information as well.