Las Trece Rosas

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"Las Trece Rosas" (the Thirteen Roses) is the name given in Spain to a group of thirteen young women, seven under age, who were executed by a Francoist firing squad just after the end of the Spanish Civil War. Their names were: Carmen Barrero Aguado, Martina Barroso García, Blanca Brissac Vázquez, Pilar Bueno Ibáñez, Julia Conesa Conesa, Adelina García Casillas, Elena Gil Olaya, Virtudes González García, Ana López Gallego, Joaquina López Laffite, Dionisia Manzanero Salas, Victoria Muñoz García and Luisa Rodríguez de la Fuente.

After the conquest of Madrid by Franco's troops and the end of the war, the Juventudes Socialistas Unificadas (the juvenile section of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) tried to reorganize under the direction of José Peña Brea, 21. He was arrested and tortured after being betrayed. Unable to resist the pain, he provided the names of those involved with him in the project. The Thirteen Roses were then captured by the police and jailed. After being tortured several times they were executed on August 5, 1939. Their only crime was to defend democracy.

In 2005, a foundation (Fundación Trece Rosas) was created in Spain to keep alive their memories.