Auts

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Auts
Elevation 434 m (1,424 ft)
Listing List of mountains in Aragon
Location
Auts
Spain
Location Bajo Aragón-Caspe
(Aragon)
Coordinates 41°19′N 0°17′E / 41.317°N 0.283°E / 41.317; 0.283Coordinates: 41°19′N 0°17′E / 41.317°N 0.283°E / 41.317; 0.283
Geology
Type Limestone
Climbing
First ascent Unknown
Easiest route Drive from Fayón

Auts (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈawts]) is a small mountain range west of the Ebro river in the Bajo Aragón-Caspe/Baix Aragó-Casp comarca, Aragon, Spain. It is located about 9 km north of Fayón (Faió), close to the road between Maella and Mequinenza (Mequinensa).[1] The ridge's highest point is Alt dels Auts (Spanish: Alto de los Auts), a 434 m high summit.

The Auts are desolate-looking limestone mountains, smooth, with low and scruffy vegetation and numerous denuded patches. In some documents in the Spanish language, these hills appear under the name Sierra de Mequinenza, but they are actually not a proper "sierra".[2]

Origin of the name

The name "Auts" comes most likely from an ancient Catalan word for "heights", "alts" in modern Catalan. Referring to hills this name appears, for example, in Ramon Llull's following text:

«Los cavaliers veem que fant castells i forces en los auts munts, per tal que si son vensuts ni sobrats en los píans, que fugen en los munts».[3]

Recent history

These moderately high, dry mountains were the scenario of one of the most bloody confrontations during the Battle of the Ebro in the Spanish Civil War (1936–39). On the 25th July 1938 the 42d division of the Spanish Republican Army successfully crossed the river in this area and occupied the Auts area taking positions in the hills.

Initially their feat was hailed as a great victory by the Spanish Republic, eager to see a positive outcome of the Battle of the Ebro effort. But the whole division was soon surrounded and relentlessly massacred in the Auts by General Franco's rebels.[4]

Map of the Battle of the Ebro .

See also

References

  1. ↑ Map of the Area
  2. ↑ Caspe y el Bajo Aragón
  3. ↑ Ramon Llull, Llibre de Conlemplacló en Déu, 112, 22.
  4. ↑ 'Ebre_catala.htm La batalla de l'Ebre - Association of Former Republican Soldiers

Bibliography

  • Jaume Aguadé i Sordé, El diari de guerra de Lluís Randé i Inglés; Batalles del Segre i de l’Ebre i camps de concentració (abril 1938 - juliol 1939), El Tinter ISBN 84-9791-082-6

External links

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